Bachelor of Fashion (Design) (Honours)
Quick facts
Student type:
Quick facts
-
Duration
Full-time 1 year -
Location
Melbourne City -
Fees
Next intake
February Duration
Full-time 1 year Location
Melbourne City Fees
AU$35,520 (2020 annual)
Next intake
February
Overview
In this honours degree, you will have the opportunity to expand your fashion design knowledge, refine your vision, further research your design practice, and pitch your work to industry.
We seek to imagine future commercial contexts, create ethical design propositions, and use cross-disciplinary design strategies to drive global and competitive fashion design practices. You will extend your design, communication and presentation methods and strategies for fashion garments, products, accessories, objects, artefacts, materials, spaces and experiences of and for the body.
You will graduate with a portfolio of practice, development and research to prepare you for your career. Additionally, you will work with academic staff and industry experts to produce a digital publication, showcasing your graduate outcomes globally.
Fashion at RMIT has a global reputation for excellence. This degree has a stellar record of students and graduates winning major fashion design awards and scholarships, and receiving the invitation to participate in national and international showcase events. Graduates create independent and niche practices, work in leading commercial, luxury and emerging contemporary brands, and go on to establish independent and collaborative research practices and enterprises both in Australia and all over the world.
Details
You will work with guest practitioners and industry experts, providing you with key practice experience. This may include the review and critique of your design practice, collaboration on activities and projects, masterclasses to enhance your learning experience, as well as direct collaboration with you for projects, assessments, events and activities that contextualise your practice.
Your teachers will guide you through advanced studio practice, bookmarked by industry-relevant assessments that link to emerging contexts, markets and research practice. You can expect to attend open studio critiques, course tutorials, guest presentations, workshops and events to support and enhance your learning experience. You will become confident in self-directed research, experimentation, construction, prototyping and presentation in a variety of media.
This course will enable you to articulate your position within the community of fashion practice, and deepen your understanding of its social and cultural context.
Students and graduates have been invited to international events, including:
- Australian Fashion Foundation (AUSFF) Award
- Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival (VAMFF) National Graduate Showcase
- Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia (MBFWA) St. George NextGen Showcase
- Copenhagen Youth Fashion Summit
- Redress Design Award Hong Kong
The Bachelor of Fashion (Design) (Honours) has strong relationships across a range of industry, research and community partners. We collaborate with our partners on a range of activities to ensure you are immersed in current industry practices, techniques and strategies.
Recent industry projects include students collaborating with Nike on a series of RMIT x NIKE makers labs and graduates participating in their Global Talent Recruitment program.
Students and graduates have undertaken placements and have gained roles at the following brands and designers:
- Louis Vuitton
- BALENCIAGA
- Vetements
- Marc Jacobs
- Calvin Klein
- Dior
- Versace
- Acne Studios
- The Row
- Alexander McQueen and McQ
- Romance Was Born
- Dion Lee
- Country Road
- Zimmerman
- Wittner
Many alumni have gone on to establish independent design practices, and have remained connected with RMIT. These practices include:
- Di$count
- Gauntlett Cheng
- FIXXED
- Arnsdorf
- Lois Hazel
RMIT’s Global Experience Office (GEO) supports students to undertake exchange or short-term mobility activities with over 165 partner universities worldwide.
- Dr Ricarda Bigolin, Associate Dean, Fashion and Textile Design
- Chantal McDonald, Program Manager
In your first semester, you will complete two core foundational topics, and one Fashion and Textiles elective.
In your second semester, you will choose between two study stream options. One stream provides you with the opportunity to select a major course in either a design project, a design collection, or a design placement. The other stream is for students intending to pursue further study in research.
Prior to starting this degree, expression of interest and academic advisement are required to determine the best option for you.
Choose a program structure
| Title | Location | Duration | Plan code | CRICOS | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor of Fashion (Design) (Honours) | City Campus |
1 year full-time
|
1 year full-time
|
BH127 |
Choose a program structure
Program code: BH127
Career
As a graduate, you will be able to meet the challenges of competitive fashion industry practice, as well as having confidence in your capabilities to launch independent and emerging brands. These roles are in fashion enterprises, emerging international brands, luxury and high fashion brands, as well as in related disciplines contexts of design, production, communications, creative direction and styling, branding, buying, media, publications and textile and product development.
As a graduate, you will be an engaged designer, critically aware of the larger ethical, social, cultural, environmental and political concerns that need to be addressed in contemporary relevant design practice.
Admissions
RMIT is committed to providing transparency to the admissions process. In line with this commitment, we provide you with information that will help in making informed choices about your undergraduate study options.
RMIT admits students from a range of educational pathways, including Year 12 results, previous higher education or vocational education study, work experience, and for some programs - interviews, auditions or portfolios.
To get a better understanding of admissions at RMIT, view our admissions information.
You must complete and submit the Fashion (Design) (Honours) selection task. The link to submit your selection task will appear on the applicant dashboard after you have submitted your application.
The selection task requires:
Applicant statement
Submit a 400-word written personal statement briefly outlining your:
- Plans for what you will investigate in this program (100)
- Career aspirations and the contexts or markets of design practice (100)
- Interests in fashion design research and related contemporary issues (100)
- Current skills and capabilities and past experience that will support you in this program (100)
Folio
The folio must comprise of no more than 15 pages of your work, and should reflect your design, thinking and technical skills in fashion design practice with a focus on the following:
- Knowledge in fashion design and specialisations of practice
- Evidence of research, critical and conceptual analysis
- Documentation of design process and design ideas
- Sustained written work including practice reflection, academic essays or creative writing
- Finished garments or prototypes in documented form
- Publications, photographs, films or other forms of fashion communication.
You must complete a pre-selection kit (PDF) which includes a folio and personal statement.
If you have successfully completed BP328 Bachelor of Fashion (Design) at RMIT with a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 or greater in the final year of courses in the program, you are exempt from completing the selection task and are guaranteed entry.
Applicant statement
Submit a 400-word written personal statement briefly outlining your:
- Plans for what you will investigate in this program (100)
- Career aspirations and the contexts or markets of design practice (100)
- Interests in fashion design research and related contemporary issues (100)
- Current skills and capabilities and past experience that will support you in this program (100)
Folio
The folio must comprise of no more than 15 pages of your work and should reflect your design, thinking and technical skills in fashion design practice with a focus on the following:
- Knowledge in fashion design and specialisations of practice
- Evidence of research, critical and conceptual analysis
- Documentation of design process and design ideas
- Sustained written work including practice reflection, academic essays or creative writing
- Finished garments or prototypes in documented form
- Publications, photographs, films or other forms of fashion communication
Folio presentation: You may be required to present your folio to a selection panel. You may be interviewed, either in person or via telephone/video call.
To study this program you will need to complete one of the following English proficiency tests:
- IELTS (Academic): minimum overall band of 6.5 (with no individual band below 6.0)
- TOEFL (Internet Based Test - IBT): minimum overall score of 79 (with minimum of 13 in Reading, 12 in Listening, 18 in Speaking and 21 in Writing)
- Pearson Test of English (Academic) (PTE (A)): minimum score of 58 (with no communication band less than 50)
- Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE): minimum of 176 with no less than 169 in any component.
For detailed information on English language requirements and other proficiency tests recognised by RMIT, visit English language requirements and equivalency information.
Don't meet the English language test scores? Complete an English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Advanced Plus Certificate at RMIT English Worldwide.
Pathways
If you successfully complete BH127 Bachelor of Fashion (Design)(Honours) with a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 or greater you will be guaranteed a place in the MC246 Master of Fashion (Design).
Graduates of BH127 Bachelor of Fashion (Design)(Honours) are eligible for 96 credit points (equivalent to one year of full-time study) of credit into MC246 Master of Fashion (Design). The total remaining duration of this program after the exemption is 96 credit points (equivalent to 1 year).
When you successfully complete the Bachelor of Fashion (Design) (Honours) you are guaranteed entry into the Master of Fashion (Design) with two semesters of advanced standing (96 credit points).
Alternatively, you may be eligible for entry into another RMIT Postgraduate program or an RMIT Masters by Research or Doctoral (PhD) program.
Fees
2020 indicative fees
In 2020, the annual student contribution amount (tuition fee) you will pay for a standard year of full-time study is between AU$6,684 to AU$11,155*.
Additional expenses
- Student services and amenities fee (SSAF): AU$308 maximum fee for 2020.
- Other items related to your program, including field trips, textbooks and equipment.
Annual fee adjustment
Amounts quoted are indicative fees per annum, and are based on a standard year of full-time study (96 credit points). A proportionate fee applies for more or less than the full-time study load.
Fees are adjusted on an annual basis and these fees should only be used as a guide.
Defer your payment
You may be eligible to apply for a HECS-HELP loan, which can be used to defer payment of up to the full amount of your student contribution fees. You may also be eligible to apply to defer payment of your SSAF through the SA-HELP loan scheme.
Learn more about fees for undergraduate study.
All undergraduate and honours degrees have Commonwealth supported places (CSP) available. In 2020, the annual student contribution amount (tuition fee) you will pay for a standard year of full-time study is between AU$6,684 to AU$11,155.
In a CSP, your tuition fees are subsidised by the Australian Government. Your share of the fee (student contribution) is set each year by the Australian Government and is determined by the discipline areas (bands) of the courses in which you enrol, not the overall program.
How much can I expect to pay for my Commonwealth supported place?
Courses (subjects) fall into one of three bands. The band determines the student contribution amount for the course.
Amounts listed in the table below are based on a standard, full-time study load (96 credit points per year) with all courses in the same band. A proportionate fee applies for more or less than the full-time study load or for enrolment in courses (subjects) from a combination of bands.
You can learn how to calculate your exact tuition fees for units from different bands at fees for Commonwealth supported students.
Maximum student contribution amount for Commonwealth supported places in 2020
Student contribution band by course (subject) |
Maximum annual student contribution amount in 2020 |
Band 1: humanities, behavioural science, social studies, clinical psychology, foreign languages, visual and performing arts, education, nursing |
$6,684 per standard year $835 per standard (12 credit point) course |
Band 2: mathematics, statistics, computing, built environment, other health, allied health, science, engineering, surveying, agriculture |
$9,527 per standard year |
|
$11,155 per standard year |
HECS-HELP Loans
The Australian Government provides financial assistance via the HECS-HELP loan scheme, which allows eligible students (such as Australian citizens or holders of an Australian permanent humanitarian visa) to defer payment of up to the full amount of their student contribution.
SA-HELP Loans
You may be eligible to apply to defer payment of the Student services and amenities fee (SSAF) through the SA-HELP loan scheme. If you use SA-HELP, the amount will be added to your accumulated HELP debt.
How does a HELP loan work?
If your HECS-HELP and/or SA-HELP loan application is successful, the Australian Government will pay RMIT, on your behalf, up to the full amount of your fees. This amount will become part of your accumulated HELP debt.
You will only start repaying your accumulated HELP debt to the Australian Government once you earn above the minimum income threshold for repayment, which is set each year by the Australian Government (this also applies if you are still studying).
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) will calculate your compulsory repayment for the year and include this on your income tax notice.
For more information about loan repayment options see Commonwealth assistance (HELP loans) or Study Assist.
In addition to tuition fees, you will be charged an annual student services and amenities fee (SSAF), which is used to maintain and enhance services and amenities that improve your experience as an RMIT student.
The SSAF is calculated based on your enrolment load and the maximum fee for 2020 is $308.
For more information about calculating your actual SSAF see Paying SSAF.
You may also be required to purchase other items related to your program, including field trips, textbooks and equipment. These additional fees and expenses vary from program to program.
The annual tuition fee for 2020 is AU$35,520.
The total indicative tuition fee for 2020 commencement is AU$35,520.
In addition to tuition fees you also need to pay for:
- Student services and amenities fee (SSAF) in each calendar year.
- Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) - Student visa holders must have cover for the total duration of their visa.
- Some programs incur additional expenses.
You also need to account for your living expenses. Estimate the cost of living in Melbourne.