Semester 3 Information:

FAS7039 Major Project

60 Credits 
Module aims:

The MA Major Project is the consolidation of the

skills accrued over the previous two sections of
the course to culminate in a well-researched,
creative, coherent, visually fluent and viable body
of work.

Students will negotiate and write their own brief,

in line with their career aspirations and personal
strengths demonstrated in previous modules.

A series of lectures and workshops from module

tutors will help to inform your project and ensure
that it is relevant to the standards required by the
area of the fashion or beauty industry that you
seek to enter upon graduation.
Module aims:

Within the Major Project Module, you have the

opportunity to select from two possible routes, these
are Theory or Practice. You are free to choose your
preferred option.

Central elements:

Theory:
12,000 (+/-10%) word critically analytical dissertation.

or

Practice:
Final, professional-standard portfolio outcome. This
could include creating a publication, fashion film,
styling service, pop-up retail space, promotional event,
digital innovation, developing a branding concept, a
brand extension opportunity or a communication
strategy etc. etc.
Deliverables (Theory Route:)

12,000 (+/-10%) word critically analytical dissertation.

This should be appropriately referenced using the BCU

Harvard Referencing system.

You are free to use any of the previous research

methods highlighted in prior modules. We will be
looking for a substantial body of primary and secondary
research.

Ethical research processes should be adopted.

Your project should add substantial and innovative

insight into your subject area.

The document should be well-designed and presented

to a polished professional standard, in-keeping with
your chosen subject matter and appropriate to current
fashion and beauty communication standards
Deliverables (Practice Route:)

Your final outcome could include (But is not limited to):

Creation of a publication, fashion film, styling service,

pop-up retail space, promotional event, digital
innovation, developing a branding concept, a brand
extension opportunity or a communication strategy. (Or
something else?…)

Future-facing, ambitious and experimental projects are

encouraged. The potential outcomes are open to
exciting creative interpretation within the field of
fashion/beauty lifestyle or creative media. Your final
body of work should reflect your individual area of
highly developed personal interest and expertise.

The exact combination of submitted elements will be

agreed through discussion with your tutors and module
leader and fixed formally at the point of submission of
your brief.
Deliverables:
For both the practice and theory route you should also
include the following:
 
Research journal: A well-designed, fully referenced and
comprehensive body of industry sector, audience or
consumer research and ethical considerations relevant
to your theory or practice-based. It should show the
full scope of the development of your project concept
and idea generation from day one. (InDesign submitted
as a PDF.)

Reflective statement: 2000 words (InDesign as PDF.)

Career-enhancement package of work:

This should include a CV, social media and links to any
other relevant platforms e.g. personal website,
business cards etc. (According to your personal career
aspiration.) This could include start-up/ freelancer
business information or details of targeted job roles.
You should include a real plan of action for: 1 month, 3
months, 6 months, a year on from your MA.
Important dates: (15 week project)

Thursday 11.5.23
Semester 3 Briefing & Lecture

****Two week break****

Wednesday 31.5.23
Module Briefing (Students present review findings)
Individual progress discussions

Wednesday 21.6.23 10 minute idea pitch (10 mins.)

Thursday: 22.6.23 Submission of finalised project proposal
(Fully referenced and visually designed: 1500 words)

Wednesday 26.7.23 Progress Review presentations

Thursday 24.8.23 by 3pm Final deadline for all.

Potential starting points:

• Is there a gap in the market?

• Is there a problem which needs solving?

• Have you identified a need for something?

• What are you passionate about?

• What have you previously enjoyed?

• What are your strengths and weaknesses?

• Which areas will you need help with?

• Who might you collaborate with?

Inspiration!

• Research, research, research!!

• Play to your strengths!

• Create a project that you love!

• Be ambitious!

• Be innovative!

• Be creative!

• Take ownership of your project and your future

career.

• Take pride in your work.

Inspiration!* variable dependent upon your area of interest

• Read!

• Visit inspirational and exciting retail spaces

• Attend relevant events pertinent to your field

• Visit exhibitions for inspiration

• Research innovative promotional ad campaigns

• Research fashion and beauty publications, zines and magazines

• Collate visual inspiration

• Take notes and write reflexively your ideas, experiences and opinions.

• Mind map as fully as possible.

Potential Sources of Inspiration:

Library databases:
www.lsnglobal.com (on-campus access only.)
www.wgsn.com
• Drapers Online
• Box of Broadcasts (BoB)
• Common Objective (sustainability)
Websites:
www.echochamber.com Retail and spatial inspiration
www.showstudio.com Fashion film and moving image work

Undergraduate Exhibitions:
BCU ‘Inspired’ Show BA Fashion Branding and Communication
Exhibition (Launch event Monday 13th June at 6-9pm)
Room P131 and P130

Graduate Fashion Week, London 20-24th June 2022

Graduate Fashion Week – Home
Potential Sources of Inspiration:

Galleries:

• IKON gallery (Birmingham)

• Wolverhampton Museum and Art Gallery
• Walsall Art Gallery
• The Herbert Art Gallery (Coventry)
• The Fashion Space Gallery, UAL London.
• The Fashion and Textile Museum
• The Design Museum
• The V&A
• The Welcome Gallery
• The Royal Academy
• Tate Liverpool, Tate Britain, Tate Modern
• The National Portrait Gallery
• The Photographers Gallery
• The Southbank
• The Barbican
Dive in and enjoy!

The design, content and format of delivery of

Major Project is absolutely up to you!
What is to come….

• Project Management
• Self Promotion and Career Development
• Career package, self promotion and job
hunting
• Portfolio presentation
• Day in the life lectures
• CV Surgery
• Workshops and Seminars
Exhibition Research Task:

Ready to present back on 31st May, during your

break, please visit at least one exhibition/event
related to fashion or beauty image-making or display
of artefacts
Please make notes, photograph and report back
on:
Overall curation of the work
Display devices used to support 2D and 3D work
Typography and how graphic wayfinding is used in
the space
Written information (on walls, physical or digital)
Lighting and any colour used in the space
How have the spatial qualities of the location been
used?
The viewers directed journey through the space
What feelings did the show evoke?
What do you think is the aim of the exhibition?