University of Westminster

The University of Westminster (UoW) is a public university based in London, United Kingdom.  Founded in 1838 as the Royal Polytechnic Institution, it is one of Britain’s oldest higher education institutions and was the first polytechnic to open in the UK.  The polytechnic became the University of Westminster in 1992.  UoW has its main campus in Regent Street in central London, with additional campuses in Fitzrovia, Marylebone and Harrow.

UoW has a student population of over 19,000 students.  UoW offers  90 full-time  undergraduate  programmes  and  78 postgraduate programmes to students through three Colleges and twelve Schools.

Based on the latest data published under Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education survey in the UK in 2016/17, over 94% of students were employed within 6 months of graduating, with  over  85%  of  these graduates  entered  managerial, professional or associated occupations.

Programme Overview
Programme Introduction

The prime focus of the BA (Hons) Fashion Buying Management is to develop the academic, aesthetic, practical and commercial skills required for the fashion buying role. Students are also equipped for careers in product development and supply chain management, brand management, wholesale, trend forecasting, E-commerce, retail management and marketing roles.  
 
This structure is designed to specifically equip students with the skills, knowledge and practical experience, along with the development of a professional demeanour that is the key to successful employment. The skills and knowledge gained on the programme will be directly relevant to a retail buying and merchandising head office as well as applicable to a wider business environment and will directly reflect the University’s ethos ‘educating for a professional life’.  

Programme Aims

The Fashion Buying Management programme has been designed to directly meet the needs of the Fashion Retail Industry. It aims to deliver relevant and current course content blending academic theory, creative skills, industry knowledge and direct business experience. The course has an excellent reputation. Students benefit from high calibre programme of guest speakers and industry related projects.  
 
The emphasis is on building both creative and commercial skills. These vocational skills are supported by a rigorous academic focus on strategic business management in order to enable students to progress quickly upon graduation.  
 
The focus of the  programme is global, to reflect the nature of the industry, and specifically develops the interpersonal, creative, technical and commercial skills and knowledge of the retail fashion buying environment.

Career Prospects

Upon completion of the programme, graduates could enter the industry in a wide range of professions in fashion such as fashion brand executives, fashion brand marketers, product developers, fashion merchandisers, fashion buyers, fashion coordinators, fashion retail executives, fashion visual merchandisers and fashion editors, etc.

Programme Structure

The programme is delivered over 1 year of study in full-time mode, with the year divided into 2 semesters. The programme structure is as follows:

Assessment

Assessment includes coursework, negotiation, individual and group presentations, finished reports and proposals.

Entry Requirements

Holders of the following VTC Higher Diploma (HD) programme: 

• HD in Fashion Branding and Buying
  - Branding and Communication stream
  - Buying & Retail Management stream
  - Product Development & Sourcing stream
  - Visual Merchandising stream 

Applicants with  an alternative qualification deemed equivalent to a UK Level 5 qualification in a cognate discipline will be subject to a review of the applicant's academic qualification as well as the prior professional experience.

Interview

Applicants who are shortlisted will be invited for an interview to determine their abilities to undertake the programme.  The admission interview will be conducted by SHAPE interview panel with final approval made by UoW.  In addition, applicants would be expected to submit a written personal statement in 300 - 400 words which outlines their reasons for undertaking the programme.

English Proficiency Requirements

• An English proficiency level at IELTS 6.0 in each element; or equivalent.
• Graduates of VTC Higher Diploma are exempted from the English Language requirements.
• Applicants holding post-secondary qualifications taught and assessed in English will be considered to have met the English language requirements for entry to the top-up programme.