Textile Design

Key Facts

Staff

Programme Overview

How to Apply

Institution Name: GSA
Institution Code: G43
UCAS Code:
W231

Award

BA (Hons) Textile Design. All GSA degree programmes are validated by the University of Glasgow. Established in 1451, the University of Glasgow is a member of the prestigious Russell Group of leading UK research universities and a founder member of Universitas 21, an international grouping of universities dedicated to setting worldwide standards for higher education.

Assessment

Coursework, essays, practical design projects. Formative assessments take place at key points throughout the year with summative assessments at the end of each academic year.

Glasgow Clyde College Associate Student Scheme
This programme participates in the scheme supporting year 2 entry to selected programmes at the GSA - find out more here.

Facilities
Workshops for weave (including digital jacquard weave), print and dye knit, embroidery and CAD. Students in the Department also have access to the Centre for Advanced Textiles (CAT).

Studio and Workshop Access
Studios are open from 8.00am - 10.00pm weekdays and 8.00am - 6.00pm at weekends.
Workshops are supervised from 9.00 am - 5.00 pm daily.

Indicative Additional Costs
Individual departments levy material fees as indicated on this page. You should budget for each year of your programme of study and should allow for costs over and above your fees and maintenance, particularly if expensive materials or projects are chosen.

Graduate Destinations include:
Bay & Brown, BBC Scotland, Begg & Co, Burberry, Bute Fabrics, Duchamp London, H&M, Harris Tweed Hebrides, Hodge & Sellers, Holland and Sherry, Johnsons of Elgin, John Kaldor London, Liberty London, Margaret Howell, Mary Katranzou, Mark Fast, Marks & Spencer, Miroglio Textile, Morton Young and Borland, Nasty Gal, Nike, Plan, Puma, Richard Nicoll, Ted Baker, Turnberry Rug Works, Urban Outfitters, Victoria’s Secret, Voyage Decoration.

Graduates set up their own businesses and brands, such as Bebaroque, Bespoke Atelier, Bluebell Gray, Fun Makes Good, Gillian Kyle, Jonathan Saunders, Louise Gray, Natasha Marshall, Studio Catherine Aitken and Timorous Beasties.

Head of Department and Programme Leader:
Jimmy Stephen-Cran

Academic staff:
Leigh Bagley
Jo Barker
Elaine Bremner
Dr Helena Britt
Susan Telford
Chloe Highmore

Fashion & Textiles
Technical Team Leader:
Lynsey Calder

Technical staff:
Christie Alexander
Chantal Balmer
Sean Black
Fiona Glen
Heather Shields
Annabel Sharp

Programme Overview

Programme Overview

In the Department of Fashion and Textiles at The Glasgow School of Art you will find an international community of around 150 students at both undergraduate and postgraduate level.

Textile Design is concerned with the design of cloth for Interiors and Fashion. There are two broad areas of Textile Design known as ‘Structure’ and ‘Surface’. Structural Textiles include woven and knitted textiles where the structure and pattern of the cloth is formed from and by using yarn or thread. Surface Textiles include printed and embroidered textiles where pattern and interest is applied to the surface of an existing cloth using a variety of methods and processes.

The programme aims to create highly specialized subject experts in an ‘expert amongst experts’ environment which values the interactive, synergetic and ever evolving nature of Textile Design

Professor Jimmy Stephen-Cran BA (Hons) MA

Head of Department – Fashion and Textiles

Programme Structure and Characteristics

The programme has four stages:

Stage 1 (1^st Year) – Underpinning

Stage 2 (2^nd Year) – Grounding

Stage 3 (3^rd Year) – Contextualization

Stage 4 (4^th year) – Expertise

The programme is composed of four subject specialisms - print, knit, weave and embroidery - which enable depth of enquiry and subject specialist expertise. Selection for a subject specialism at the end of Stage 2 will be determined on evidence of aptitude and potential. This increasing singular subject specialist focus of study will provide the means to examine the parameters of each subject specialism in depth.

The curriculum of each pathway and stage provides a sequential learning experience to ensure continual development from Stage 1 through to Programme completion.

The curriculum of each stage is structured in to courses which are project based. Projects and courses vary in length within and across the three academic terms of each stage. Project based enquiry is core to the curriculum.

A range of core competencies essential to Textile Design inform the curriculum content, structure and organization as well as the learning and teaching approaches and assessment criteria.

The programme promotes a culture that recognizes teamwork and interdisciplinary peer learning as well as independence as essential elements in the effective practice of Textile Design.

Students will be supported to:

Acquire a thorough understanding of the Textile Design process and develop in-depth drawing and colour expertise alongside technical prowess.
Honour and learn from Textile Design traditions and look to the future at the same time.
Balance originality of concept with design viability.
Stretch, challenge and integrate digital technologies alongside labour intensive handwork and limited production.
Engage in critical reflection in response to individual Textile Design interests.

Design History and Theory

An element of the programme is delivered by the department of Design History and Theory. For most of the four years of undergraduate programmes in design, one day per week of the student timetable is allocated to Design History and Theory. It is an externally linked critical mass of diverse research expertise in broad-based critical studies for contemporary creative practices in design. More information on the department and staff profiles can be found here.