School of Fashion and Textiles - portfolio advice

dmu.ac.uk/internationalportfolio

Portfolio Advice

For international applicants includes application advice for non-portfolio courses

School of Fashion and Textiles

Contents

Contents Introduction Welcome to the School of Fashion and Textiles

Application advice for postgraduate courses 3

Submission Submitting your portfolio

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6 11 17 22 27

Application advice for undergraduate courses Fashion Buying (with Marketing) BA (Hons)

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Portfolio advice for postgraduate courses Fashion and Bodywear MA Textile Design MA 2

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English language support

Portfolio advice for undergraduate courses Contour Fashion BA (Hons) Fashion Buying (with Design) BA (Hons) Fashion Design BA (Hons) Fashion Textiles and Accessories BA (Hons), Textile Design BA (Hons) Footwear Design BA (Hons)

Fashion Management with Marketing MA

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Centre for English Language Learning (CELL)

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Welcome

Welcome to the School of Fashion and Textiles We offer a world class selection of creative, fashion-led courses, many of which are unique in the UK. We work closely with industry to maintain subject relevance, while our range of industry standard and specialist facilities

ensures that our graduates are highly sought after.

Our students are given fantastic opportunities, which have recently included creating a headscarf and shawl for The Queen, and shoes for Kate, Duchess of Cambridge. Many of our students also win prestigious competitions and placement opportunities, showcase their work at events such as Graduate Fashion Week, Contour Fashion Catwalk Show in London and Indigo Paris, and undertake internships with leading brands including Abercrombie and Fitch, Gossard, Jimmy Choo and Warehouse.

We hope you find the following portfolio and application advice useful, should you have any questions please feel free to contact our Admissions team at adh@dmu.ac.uk.

Best wishes, Dr Julie King Head of the School of Fashion and Textiles

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Submissions

Submitting your portfolio For some courses we may wish to conduct an interview via telephone or Skype, so please ensure your contact details are correct. If you are living outside the UK we will ask you to send us samples of your work. There are three ways that you can do this: Option one - online submission You can submit a digital portfolio using our online portfolio submission website. Your portfolio could contain written work such as essays, artwork and moving images. Please present your artwork as either a PowerPoint presentation or one PDF. If you submit moving images such as animation or video, please use .MOV, .AVI or Quicktime format. Please save all of your files in one folder with your name as the title. You will need to compress/zip the folder. Once you have zipped your file you will need to submit it together with your name, UCAS or student reference number and the name of the course you are applying for at http://www.mailbigfile.com/dmuac Option two - Personal website You can also send us a link to a website that displays your work. The website must be public (no sign up, passwords or logins), written in English, and have clear navigation. Your website must render correctly in Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Firefox and Safari.

Option three - CD/DVD by recorded post You can also submit your portfolio by sending us digital files on a CD, DVD or USB memory device. Please label the disc/memory device clearly with your name, UCAS or student reference number and the name of the course you are applying for. Your portfolio could contain written work such as essays, artwork and moving images. Please present your artwork as either a PowerPoint presentation or one PDF. If you submit moving images such as animation or video, please use .MOV, .AVI or Quicktime format. Please ensure your CD, DVD or USB works on both a Mac and PC. Please send this by recorded post to ensure safe arrival. The address to post to is: Art, Design and Humanities Admissions Team De Montfort University The Gateway Leicester LE1 9BH United Kingdom

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Portfolio advice

Portfolio Advice Undergraduate courses

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Contour Fashion BA (Hons)

Your portfolio Your portfolio should contain around 15-20 pieces. You will need to send images of relevent sketchbook pages too.

We will also want to know which lingerie/swimwear brands inspire you and what you know about contemporary fashion. In your personal statement you can tell us which magazines you read, websites you visit and about any other cultural interests you have, i.e. film, music, architecture, dance, travel, sports etc. We advise you to look at Vogue, Elle or Bazaar and a lingerie magazine such as Lingerie Buyer, Underlines or Lingerie Insight or Drapers Record for up to date articles.

Most importantly we are looking at your potential to be a creative designer. We don’t expect you to be exceptional in all the areas described below. We want you to be keen to learn and have ambitions for your own future.

What are we looking for?

We are looking for: • A passion for all kinds of lingerie/swimwear • Drawing skills – you need to be able to demonstrate a range of approaches • How you generate ideas and develop them • Experimental approach to handling materials • Basic sewing skills or awareness of 3D construction • Good presentation skills • Someone who can talk confidently about their work to others 6

Contour Fashion BA (Hons)

What should a portfolio contain?

Please include any evidence of your experience in IT (Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator, CAD/CAM, Microsoft Word, digital photography and digital printing for example).

Drawing We like to see drawing in the broadest sense; from life drawing to experimental to design sketches. Fashion illustrations help, but we can help you to develop this style of drawing.

Colour in your portfolio is vital.

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Contour Fashion BA (Hons)

What should a portfolio contain?

Sketchbooks Sketchbooks reveal how you take a design concept and develop ideas through experimentation. They reveal a great deal about how you approach a project, as well as evidence of things that inspire you. You should include visual references to contemporary brands/designers and show your interests in lingerie and the wider issues of fashion garments. You can include research from exhibitions or study trips abroad for example.

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Contour Fashion BA (Hons)

What should a portfolio contain?

Project Work We are looking to see how you develop an idea and how you research and respond to a project brief.

Make sure you have a project in your portfolio that demonstrates creativity, a deep involvement in your work and your conclusion or final idea.

This could be any art or design project (either as part of your course or an independent project), the subject doesn’t matter.

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Contour Fashion BA (Hons)

What should a portfolio contain?

Construction Include evidence that you enjoy making garments and using materials. We like to see 3D awareness and dexterity with materials. Photographs of someone wearing your garment should be included. Images of 2D to 3D experimentation are helpful.

Written work Please send a recent example of writing. We like to see how well you write and how you think. Even though this is a practice-based degree, you will have a small amount of written tasks over the course. For example, you will be asked to keep a personal journal for tutorials, compile a technical file and carry out market research.

You will also need to make lecture notes and write essays.

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Fashion Buying with Design BA (Hons)

Fashion Buying with Design BA (Hons) Your Portfolio Your portfolio should contain around 15-20 images. You’ll need to send relevent images your sketchbooks too.

We will also be interested in who or what inspires you in fashion retail, fashion and particularly in buying. We advise you to look at Drapers or Retail Marketing and fashion magazines such as Vogue, ID or Elle magazine.

Most importantly we are looking at your potential to be a fashion buyer. We don’t expect you to be exceptional in all the areas described below.

We want you to be keen to learn and have ambitions for your own future.

What are we looking for?

• Some who has an interest in fashion retail and is up to date with new developments on the high street • Someone who has some skills in software packages such as Photoshop and Illustrator • Some appreciation of the garment industry and retail practises • Someone who has an interest in trends and product development • Some appreciation of branding and marketing • Someone who has an understanding of the role and purpose of fashion buying

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Fashion Buying with Design BA (Hons)

What should a portfolio contain?

Digital work Please include any evidence of your experience in IT (Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator, CAD/CAM, Microsoft Word, and digital photography).

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Fashion Buying with Design BA (Hons)

What should a portfolio contain?

Sketchbooks Your research will show us what excites you and what has inspired you during your projects and course. This needs to be evident in your sketchbooks and should include visual references to fashion designers and trends. You should include references to contemporary and historical practices and show your interests in fashion buying. You can include research from exhibitions or study trips abroad for example.

Drawing We like to see drawing, in the broadest sense, from life drawing to experimental and design sketches. Try to include some colour work too.

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Fashion Buying with Design BA (Hons)

What should a portfolio contain?

Project work We are looking to see how you develop an idea and how you research and respond to a given brief. Make sure you have a project in your portfolio that demonstrates creativity, a deep involvement in your work and your conclusion or final idea. This could be any art or design project (either as part of your course or an independent project), the subject doesn’t matter but fashion related work is preferred.

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Fashion Buying with Design BA (Hons)

What should a portfolio contain?

Garments Include images of any garments that you have made in conjunction with your course or from self led projects at home. Send images of just 2 or 3 samples of your most successful pieces. You can photograph a selection of your work, showing how the fit process took place and how the product was developed. If you do not have any such garment send a fashion mood board explaining a trend that you believe is up and coming.

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Fashion Buying with Design BA (Hons)

What should a portfolio contain?

Written work Please send an essay or a recent example of writing. We like to see how well you write and how you think. Even though this is a fashion orientated degree, you will have written tasks over the course. For example, you will be asked to write up a report for product development, sourcing, supply and contextual studies.

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Fashion Design BA (Hons)

Fashion Design BA (Hons) Your portfolio should be around 20-30 pieces. You will need to send images from sketchbooks, drawings, projects and a piece of written work.

Our main interest is you indicating your ability as a potential creative designer. Your portfolio should show an initiation of design ideas, how you experiment with materials and how you develop finished items from a concept or theme.

In your work demonstrate your interest in fashion design through your knowledge and inspiration about contemporary fashion. In your personal statement it would be useful to explain which fashion magazines you read, websites or fashion blogs you visit and about any other cultural interests you have, i.e. film, music, architecture, dance, travel, sports etc. We advise you to look at contemporary magazines not just fashion editorials for up to date articles.

What are we looking for?

We are looking for: • • • • • • •

A passion for the subject – demonstrating knowledge of fashion design Drawing skills – be able to demonstrate a range of approaches How you generate and develop ideas Experimental approach to handling and developing materials and textiles Basic awareness and knowledge of 3D construction Good fashion illustration skills If relevant – appropriate skills and knowledge for the broader context of subject such as textiles, photography and graphics 17

Fashion Design BA (Hons)

What should a portfolio contain?

Drawing In your sketchbook and portfolio you need to demonstrate a good level of fashion drawing through use of different media. Show general evidence of drawing ability through relevant still life, life drawing, initial fashion design sketches and sketch work relevant for textiles for fashion.

Where appropriate (not necessity) the use of CAD for illustration, technical elements and general presentation can be used.

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Fashion Design BA (Hons)

What should a portfolio contain?

Sketchbooks Sketchbooks reveal how you utilise imagery and a concept to develop ideas through experimentation. They reveal a great deal about how you approach a project, as well as evidence of the subject matter that inspire you. You should include primary and secondary research source material, such as exhibition visits, study trips abroad, artists’ inspiration and own interests. Also include visual references to contemporary brands/designers and show your interests in the wider issues of fashion design. Include textile development (if applicable) through the use of colour and fabric exploration for fashion ideas.

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Fashion Design BA (Hons)

What should a portfolio contain?

Projects We are looking to see how you develop an idea and how you research and respond to a project brief. Show evidence of a project in your portfolio that demonstrates creativity, a deep involvement in your work and your conclusion or final idea. This could be any art or design project (either as part of your course or an independent project). Idea generation could also be demonstrated through toile documentation and final ideas can be shown through a photoshoot and/or sketch illustration work.

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Fashion Design BA (Hons)

What should a portfolio contain?

Written work Please bring an essay or a recent example of writing as we require evidence of your writing ability. Even though this is a practice-based degree, there are elements of written work required as part of the curriculum. For example, you will be asked to compile a technical file, document lecture notes, and enter into dialogue through wikis and blogs as well as produce written essays or journalistic pieces of writing.

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Fashion Textiles Accessories/Textiles

Fashion Textiles and Accessories BA (Hons) and Textile Design BA (Hons) Your portfolio should be around 20-30 pieces. You will need to send images from sketchbooks, drawings, projects and a piece of written work. Give short discriptions about your work, and your interests in everything about fabric and its context (body or space).

We will also want to know who or what inspires you in the field of art and design, and particularly in textiles/surface/colour. In your personal statement you can also write about which magazines you read, websites you visit and about any other cultural interests you have, i.e. film, music, architecture, dance, travel, sports etc.

Most importantly we are looking at your potential to be a creative designer/maker. We don’t expect you to be exceptional in all the areas described below. We want you to be keen to learn and have ambitions for your own future.

What are we looking for?

We are looking for: • Someone who loves making • Drawing skills – demonstrate a range of approaches • Idea generation • Development of ideas • An interest in contemporary design • Experimental approach to handling materials 22

Fashion Textiles Accessories/Textiles

What should a portfolio contain?

Sketchbooks Your research will show us what excites you and what has inspired you during your projects and course. This needs to be evident in your sketchbooks and should include visual references to other artists and designers. You should include references to contemporary and historical practices and show your interest in textiles in its widest context.

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Fashion Textiles Accessories/Textiles

What should a portfolio contain?

Drawing We like to see drawing, in the broadest sense, from life drawing to experimental and design sketches. Try to include some colour work too.

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Fashion Textiles Accessories/Textiles

What should a portfolio contain?

Project Work We are looking to see how you develop an idea and how you research and respond to a given brief. Make sure you have a project in your portfolio that demonstrates creativity, a deep involvement in your work and your conclusion or final idea. This could be any art or design project (either as part of your course or an independent project), the subject doesn’t matter.

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Fashion Textiles Accessories/Textiles

What should a portfolio contain?

Making Include evidence that you enjoy designing through using materials. We like to see 2D to 3D design development and experiments with materials. You can photograph a selection of your 3D work, maquettes, models and finished designs.

Written work Please send an essay or a recent example of writing. We like to see how well you write and how you think. Even though this is a practice-based degree, you will have a small amount of written tasks over the course. For example, you will be asked to keep a personal journal for tutorials, compile a technical file and carry out market research. You will need to make lecture notes and write essays.

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Footwear Design BA (Hons)

Footwear Design BA (Hons) Your Portfolio We believe that the quality of work in a portfolio is more important than the quantity, so we would only expect to see the work that you are most pleased with and most proud of. Try to include about 15 – 20 pieces of work.

Your work should be laid out clearly so that it takes us through a visual journey and provides us with clear evidence of the logical progression of your ideas and creative ability. The development stage of a project is just as important as the final idea. Exploring ideas and design development can be shown through sheets in your portfolio, sketchbook or as models.

Our course focuses on footwear and accessory design so we’ll be looking for the following:

• Innovative thinking - evidence of unusual approaches to solving a problem • Drawing skills demonstrating a range of techniques and styles • Idea generation - quick initial doodles, sketches and thought processes • Development of ideas - evidence of how you think • An interest in footwear, fashion and product design • Experimental approach in your 3D work to handling materials in unusual combinations Most importantly we are looking for evidence of a passionate and inquisitive mind - feel free to bring us something unusual, something we’re not expecting - something that’s not on the list.

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Footwear Design BA (Hons)

What should a portfolio contain?

Making Footwear Design involves modelling so it is important to demonstrate in your portfolio that you are interested in working in this way. This does not have to be highly finished models; it could be customised sculpture or fashion projects etc. However we are looking for people who show an interest in footwear and materials, so this is a very important aspect of the portfolio.

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Footwear Design BA (Hons)

What should a portfolio contain?

Digital work Include the best of any computer-aided design (CAD) or artwork that you have produced, as well as photography, if you’ve had experience.

Whilst much of this is developed on the course, it would be useful to demonstrate an interest in design software whether that is Google Sketchup, Photoshop or more advanced 3D modelling software.

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Footwear Design BA (Hons)

What should a portfolio contain?

Project work We would like to see how you investigate and analyse a project brief and how you have explored, experimented and documented your thought process. We need to see that you are able to demonstrate where ideas come from and how they might transform through a proccess of either thorough research or extended sketching around your project.

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Footwear Design BA (Hons)

What should a portfolio contain?

Contextual Research You need to show that you are aware, and interested, in professionals or brands working within the footwear design field, as well as contemporary artists and designers, to ensure that there is a breadth to your knowledge. It is also important to demonstrate you have explored what footwear is about, so do some research.

Personal Work We really like to see personal work that you’ve done just because you enjoy being creative; not driven by any brief or deadline. We don’t mind what you bring, but please do bring some personal work as you need to demonstrate that you are able to work independently.

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Application advice

Application Advice Undergraduate courses

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Fashion Buying with Marketing BA (Hons)

Fashion Buying with Marketing BA (Hons) Application advice We want to know who or what inspires you in fashion retail, fashion design and in buying.

For example who do you think is the most prominent fashion retailer at the moment and what is the most important trend of recent years? We will also be interested in your understanding of buying practises, marketing, branding and product development.

You can tell us which magazines you read, websites you visit and where you believe trends come from, i.e. film, music, travel, sports etc. We advise you to look at Drapers or Retail Marketing and fashion magazines such as Vogue, ID or Elle magazine.

Most importantly we are looking at your potential to be a fashion buyer. We don’t expect you to be exceptional in all the areas but we are looking for someone with a flair. Most of all we want you to be keen to learn and have ambitions for your own future.

What are we looking for: • Some who has an interest in fashion retail and is up to date with new developments on the high street • Someone who has some skills in software packages such as Photoshop and Illustrator • Some appreciation of the garment industry and retail practises • Someone who has an interest in trends and product development • Some appreciation of branding and marketing • Someone who has an understanding of the role and purpose of fashion buying 33

Portfolio advice

Portfolio Advice Postgraduate courses

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Fashion and Bodywear MA

Fashion and Bodywear MA Your Portfolio Your portfolio should be around 15-20 pieces. You should also include images of your sketchbooks to demonstrate research, design process and evidence of garment construction.

It is essential that you include photographs of sketchbook pages, finished artwork, garments and a sample of written work.

You will need to demonstrate your potential to extend existing creative, technical and intellectual knowledge to develop new skills and design capabilities to become a specialist in fashion and bodywear.

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Fashion and Bodywear MA

What are we looking for?

We are looking for: • Someone who has a fashion background and a strong interest in contemporary fashion and related cultural issues • Drawing/illustration skills – demonstrating an individual style and a range of approaches • The development of design ideas, showing exploration of 2D and 3D methods • Evidence of the development of critical and reflective analysis alongside your design practice • Considered use of fabric and colour • Competence in pattern cutting and the technologies of garment manufacture

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Fashion and Bodywear MA

What should a portfolio contain?

Sketchbooks Your sketchbooks need to communicate key sources of design inspiration, research interests, to include primary and secondary sources and analysis.

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Fashion and Bodywear MA

What should a portfolio contain?

Drawing Drawing is an important tool for the designer from both an analytical and experimental perspective. Ensure that a range of examples that demonstrate your individual style are included.

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Fashion and Bodywear MA

What should a portfolio contain?

Final layouts Please include final project sheets. It would be useful, although not essential, to include some examples that have been developed using Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator here.

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Fashion and Bodywear MA

What should a portfolio contain?

Garment construction Your portfolio should include examples of 3D experimentation and design realisation in the form of photographs of samples, toiles and finished garments.

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Fashion and Bodywear MA

What should a portfolio contain?

Written work Please submit with your portfolio an essay, report or a written document demonstrating your understanding of fashion in a contemporary context. We like to see how you organise and articulate your thoughts in written format.

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Textile Design MA

Textile Design MA Your Portfolio Your design portfolio should be around 20-30 pieces.

These should consist of a well developed design collection demonstrating refined skills within textiles. They should document visual research, technical understanding, design development and design resolutions.

International students must submit a PDF or PowerPoint presentation to send with your application. It is essential that you include photographs of sketchbook pages, at least one resolved design collection, technical samples and a sample of written work.

You will need to demonstrate your potential to extend an existing creative, technical and intellectual portfolio to develop new skills and design capabilities to become an ambitious and highly innovative designer.

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Textile Design MA

What should a portfolio contain?

Sketchbooks Your sketchbooks should demonstrate above all conceptual development, visual research including, but not exclusively, photography, mark making, surface and drawing. You must demonstrate an understanding of the appropriate contextual relevance of your specialism, for example, what’s relevant in fashion/interior and product.

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Textile Design MA

What should a portfolio contain?

Developmental and finished work Your portfolio should also consist of a well developed design collection demonstrating design development and refined skills within textiles.

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Application advice

Application Advice Postgraduate courses

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Fashion Management with Marketing MA

Fashion Management with Marketing MA Application advice Within your personal statement you need to demonstrate why you have a desire and interest to study the Fashion Management with Marketing MA. You should emphasise your knowledge and understanding about the programme modules and how you anticipate that these modules will enable you to achieve your future goals. You are advised to include what knowledge you are looking forward to developing or what new knowledge you are looking forward to acquiring and why this will be beneficial to your future career aspirations.

Tell us about any relevant work experience and what you have gained from the experience which will benefit your MA studies or future career expectations within the fashion and textiles business.

With regard to your degree, we will be interested to know how it has prepared you for MA study.

Your personal statement needs to be grammatically correct.

Website: http://www.dmu.ac.uk/fashionmanagement

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English Language support

English Language support Our Centre for English Language Learning (CELL) offers a number of courses throughout the year to help you achieve the level of English required for your course. We also offer language support to students once they arrive at DMU with weekly English classes and workshops.

• Accredited by the British Council - ensuring quality and high standards of teaching with regular monitoring and inspections • A member of English UK, the National Association of Accredited English Language Centres • A member of the British Association for Lecturers in English for Academic Purposes (BALEAP) Intensive General English Course (IGEC) By the end of the course you will be able to communicate effectively in English within everyday situations, read and write simple essays and be able to organise your studies and work on your own.

English Language Preparation Programme (ELPP) This programme is divided into three courses, A, B, and C. Each course improves your skills and abilities in English for academic purposes up to a level suitable for degree level study.

Pre-Sessional English course We run a Pre-Sessional course for five weeks from mid-August each year to prepare you for the start of your degree in September.

Which English language courses do you need to take?

The School of Fashion and Textiles requires all students to have achieved the necessary IELTS standard before they start their course. For full details visit the Centre for English Language Learning website http://www.dmu.ac.uk/englishlanguage 47