Creative Practice: Textiles and Surface Pattern (Top-up) (Top-up)

at Burton and South Derbyshire College

BA (Hons)

Location

Burton and South Derbyshire College

Burton and South Derbyshire College

UCAS code

W232

Start dates available

  • September 2026

This course allows students who have completed a Foundation degree (or equivalent) to progress to a BA Honours Degree.

This BA (Hons) top up course allows you to enhance relevant industry skills and processes, and graduate with a refined and professional portfolio of work in the field of textiles and surface pattern design. 

You will work practically through client-led and negotiated briefs that require the recognition and application of professional practice. You will also be aware of professional expectations and be able to develop an independent route towards your individual career or postgraduate goals.

On successful completion of study, we will issue the following award: BA (Hons) Creative Practice: Textiles and Surface Pattern

Part-time study

This course is available in full-time and part-time study mode

This course allows students who have completed a Foundation degree (or equivalent) to progress to a BA Honours Degree.

This BA (Hons) top up course allows you to enhance relevant industry skills and processes, and graduate with a refined and professional portfolio of work in the field of textiles and surface pattern design. 

You will work practically through client-led and negotiated briefs that require the recognition and application of professional practice. You will also be aware of professional expectations and be able to develop an independent route towards your individual career or postgraduate goals.

On successful completion of study, we will issue the following award: BA (Hons) Creative Practice: Textiles and Surface Pattern

Part-time study

This course is available in full-time and part-time study mode

Course content

If you have already worked in this area on your Foundation degree, this course will enable you to explore the wide-ranging discipline areas that come under surface pattern and textiles.

Whether you wish to work freelance in developing swatches for sale, to build a business designing, creating and/or selling your own interior textile products, or work as a surface pattern designer for a company, you will be able to explore the commercial environment to ensure you place your work in the best possible way for progression.

During the course, you’ll be encouraged to develop your design skills and practical competencies utilising a variety of digital and hand-rendered skills as appropriate for the job roles you wish to work towards.

You may be building on pattern repeat skills and Photoshop technical abilities, or working on a series of mixed-media collages to be used inspirationally to develop prints for clothing application.

You may be producing a commercially-focused range of high-end designs for a ceramics company you have networked with, or a range of soft tableware accessories for a high-street designer. The award will help you to develop a portfolio of relevant work that will best support your aspirations in working in this exciting creative area.

As you progress and your confidence grows, you will undertake increasingly complex, challenging and exciting projects. You will also receive advice and guidance on applying to jobs and masters level study.

If you have already worked in this area on your Foundation degree, this course will enable you to explore the wide-ranging discipline areas that come under surface pattern and textiles.

Whether you wish to work freelance in developing swatches for sale, to build a business designing, creating and/or selling your own interior textile products, or work as a surface pattern designer for a company, you will be able to explore the commercial environment to ensure you place your work in the best possible way for progression.

During the course, you’ll be encouraged to develop your design skills and practical competencies utilising a variety of digital and hand-rendered skills as appropriate for the job roles you wish to work towards.

You may be building on pattern repeat skills and Photoshop technical abilities, or working on a series of mixed-media collages to be used inspirationally to develop prints for clothing application.

You may be producing a commercially-focused range of high-end designs for a ceramics company you have networked with, or a range of soft tableware accessories for a high-street designer. The award will help you to develop a portfolio of relevant work that will best support your aspirations in working in this exciting creative area.

As you progress and your confidence grows, you will undertake increasingly complex, challenging and exciting projects. You will also receive advice and guidance on applying to jobs and masters level study.

Modules

The tables provide an indicative list of the modules that make up the course for the current academic year. Each module is worth a specified number of credits. Our teaching is informed by research, and modules change periodically to reflect developments in the discipline. We aim to ensure that all modules run as scheduled. If for any reason a module cannot be run we will advise you as soon as possible and will provide guidance on selecting an appropriate alternative module where available.

Year 1 compulsory modules
Creative Enterprise 20 credits
Creative Futures After University 2 20 credits
Final Major Project In Textiles And Surface Pattern 60 credits
Industry Investigation 20 credits

Location

You will study at Burton and South Derbyshire College but receive a qualification from University of Staffordshire.

Burton and South Derbyshire College is a great place to learn. There’s a real buzz here; inspiring teachers, engaged learners, fantastic state of the art facilities and career-boosting links with leading businesses.

Burton and South Derbyshire College website
Burton and South Derbyshire College logo

Entry requirements

FdA, HND (Level 5 progression route) in a relevant discipline.

FdA, HND (Level 5 progression route) in a relevant discipline.

Careers

This course will support you to develop the entrepreneurial skills which will allow you to flourish within the Textiles and Surface Pattern industry either as a freelance designer or working in the Design studio of a major company.

This course will support you to develop the entrepreneurial skills which will allow you to flourish within the Textiles and Surface Pattern industry either as a freelance designer or working in the Design studio of a major company.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching

We know that our students learn in different ways. To help everyone get the most out of their studies, we teach through a combination of lectures, workshops, and practical sessions. In addition, you will have timetabled meetings with your personal tutor (or equivalent) at least twice a year to help support you in your studies. You will be taught in high-quality learning spaces throughout your course, and of course will have access to virtual learning environments to enhance your learning opportunities. Many of our courses are accredited or recognised by professional, statutory or regulatory bodies.

Assessment

Your course will provide you with opportunities to test your understanding of your subject informally before you complete the formal assessments that count towards your final mark. Each module will give you a variety of opportunities to receive informal feedback from your tutor. These may include classroom discussions, discussions in the virtual learning environment, presentations, milestone assessments, and practice assessments. Informal feedback is developmental and any grades you may receive for these do not count towards your module mark. There is a formal or ‘summative’ assessment at the end of each module. This includes a range of coursework assessments, such as essays, reports, portfolios, performance, presentations, final year, independent project and written examinations. The grades from formal assessments count towards your module mark.

Feedback

You will normally receive feedback on formal coursework assessments within 20 working days following the date of submission. Examination feedback may take a variety of formats, including one-to-one discussions with your tutor. However, as a minimum, generic feedback will be made available to all students who take written examinations.

Staff

You will be taught by a staff team with extensive experience within the creative industries.

Teaching

We know that our students learn in different ways. To help everyone get the most out of their studies, we teach through a combination of lectures, workshops, and practical sessions. In addition, you will have timetabled meetings with your personal tutor (or equivalent) at least twice a year to help support you in your studies. You will be taught in high-quality learning spaces throughout your course, and of course will have access to virtual learning environments to enhance your learning opportunities. Many of our courses are accredited or recognised by professional, statutory or regulatory bodies.

Assessment

Your course will provide you with opportunities to test your understanding of your subject informally before you complete the formal assessments that count towards your final mark. Each module will give you a variety of opportunities to receive informal feedback from your tutor. These may include classroom discussions, discussions in the virtual learning environment, presentations, milestone assessments, and practice assessments. Informal feedback is developmental and any grades you may receive for these do not count towards your module mark. There is a formal or ‘summative’ assessment at the end of each module. This includes a range of coursework assessments, such as essays, reports, portfolios, performance, presentations, final year, independent project and written examinations. The grades from formal assessments count towards your module mark.

Feedback

You will normally receive feedback on formal coursework assessments within 20 working days following the date of submission. Examination feedback may take a variety of formats, including one-to-one discussions with your tutor. However, as a minimum, generic feedback will be made available to all students who take written examinations.

Fees

For the course starting on 21 September 2026 the tuition fees are:

Study option International
Full-time £6,350 per year of study

UK and Channel Island students: This tuition fee is agreed subject to UK government policy and parliamentary regulation. If the UK government passes appropriate legislation, the fee for subsequent years of study may increase in each academic year. But this increase will not exceed the rate of inflation as measured by RPIX**. Any change in fees will apply to both new and continuing students. The University will notify students of any change as early as possible. Further information about fee changes would be posted on the University’s website once this becomes available.

**RPIX is a measure of inflation equivalent to all the items in the Retail Price Index (RPI) excluding mortgage interest payments.

Apply now to Creative Practice: Textiles and Surface Pattern

Location Award Study option Start date
Burton and South Derbyshire College BA (Hons) Full-time, top-up 21 September 2026 Apply now

Apply now to Creative Practice: Textiles and Surface Pattern

Applications are not currently open for this course.

Rules and regulations

If you are offered a place at University of Staffordshire, your offer will be subject to our rules, regulations and enrolment conditions, which may vary from time to time.

Students of University of Staffordshire enter into a contract with us and are bound by these rules and regulations, which are subject to change. For more information, please see: University Policies and Regulations.

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