Bachelor of Design (Fashion)

Become a skilled, industry-ready fashion professional with this internationally recognised programme. Known for its focus on sustainability, its industry connections and hands-on courses, this leading fashion degree will give you the chance to truly develop your individual style and identity as a designer. We build responsible fashion professionals who are well-equipped for the realities of the fashion world. Our graduates have gone on to work for internationally acclaimed designers such as NOM*d, and to create successful labels including Yu Mei, Company of Strangers, New Lands and twenty-seven names.

Domestic

Duration
3 Years Full-time
6 Years Part-time
Level
7
Credits
360
Fees
$9,442
*Approximate first year tuition fee – see Fees section for more info.
Delivery
On campus
Location
Dunedin
Intakes
February

International

Duration
3 Years Full-time
6 Years Part-time
Level
7
Credits
360
Fees
$23,100
*Approximate first year tuition fee - see Fees section for more Info.
Delivery
On campus
Location
Dunedin
Intakes
February

What You Study

What you'll study

This degree allows you to develop specialist and transferable skills that are sought after by employers but also well-suited to entrepreneurship and self-employment. 

You'll graduate as a work-ready designer. You'll also have an understanding of your responsibilities as a designer, learning to design better experiences, create more responsive products and services and consider people, planet and place in the process. 

Throughout your degree, you'll have the opportunities to work with design students from other disciplines and develop communication, organisation and collaboration skills through electives, and through interdisciplinary, individual and team-based projects.

Benefits of this fashion degree 
  • We offer a boutique learning environment – small classes mean your lecturers know you by name and can support you to develop your own ‘design identity’.
  • Studio-based learning with access to specialised equipment and spaces.
  • Exchange and study abroad opportunities in Europe and Asia.
  • Strong international fashion connections.
  • Individual, team and interdisciplinary learning opportunities.
  • Exhibitions and international competitions to showcase your creativity and talent.
  • Client projects, industry placements and internships which help you to become a work-ready graduate.
  • Employers love our fashion design graduates because they’re innovative, hard-working, solution-focused and well prepared for the realities of the fashion world.

Course overview

Year one 

The focus is on developing skills and techniques that allow you to practice as a fashion designer. These include an introduction to fashion design; drawing and communication skills; research and reflective practice; fabrics and textile development; manual and digital patternmaking; and industrial garment construction techniques. In design studios, you'll respond to a project brief, drawing on all your learning to design and create your own patterns and garments. 

Year two 

In your second year, you'll learn more advanced patternmaking and garment construction methods such as drape, grading and tailoring along with materials exploration and collection development. You'll become more critical in your thinking and designing, and learn more about your responsibilities as a designer. Your first design studio project will involve designing and making a small collection and later in the year you'll work in a team with an external fashion retail client to design, produce and market a commercial range for a target market.

Year three 

By this stage of your degree, you'll be starting to refine your own style and direction as a designer, as well as identifying your strengths and where you best fit in the creative industries. Through larger design projects, you can really extend your design and technical skills and develop a portfolio that will take you on to the next step in your fashion career. 

Further study options

Advance your design skills with our:

Or expand your career prospects with a graduate teacher training programme.

Workload

Your workload

Throughout this three-year programme, you'll see an emphasis on the development of independent learning skills. This is reflected in the decrease in directed hours as you progress, with an expectation that you will be an independent learner by the end of year three. You will work really hard, but you can also count on having heaps of fun along the way! 

Hours are allocated as follows, based on a 32-week academic year: 

 

Directed hours
(Class contact)

Approximate hours per week

Self-directed hours (Non-class contact)

Approximate hours per week

YEAR 1

504

16

696

22

YEAR 2

480

15

680

21

YEAR 3

312

10

888

28

Entry

Entry requirements

Academic requirements

  • NCEA Level 3
  • 14 credits at Level 3 in each of three NZQA approved university entrance subjects, and
  • 10 Literacy credits at Level 2 or above, made up of: 
    • 5 credits in reading and 5 credits in writing, and 
  • 10 Numeracy credits at Level 1 or above, made up of:
    • specified achievement standards available through a range of subjects OR
    • package of three numeracy unit standards (26623, 26626, 26627- all three required).
  • Or equivalent qualifications / experience.
  • Provisional entry may be possible.
  • If you do not hold the above qualifications, you must demonstrate equivalent qualifications/experience. Mature applicants with work and life experience are encouraged to apply.
  • You must submit a portfolio (unless you meet the criteria for automatic entry or have a pre-approval for your portfolio – see Your Portfolio section below).
  • You may have to undertake an interview.
  • International students will be individually assessed to ensure they are ready for this study.
International requirements and equivalence

To enter Otago Polytechnic's undergraduate certificates, diplomas and degrees, you need to have achieved a secondary school qualification that is equivalent to New Zealand's NCEA levels (National Certificate of Educational Achievement).

This information is available by country on our Equivalent academic entry requirements page.

English Language requirements

If English is not your first language, you must provide:

If you need to improve your English Language skills, we offer a wide range of English programmes.

Provisional entry

A school leaver or an adult applicant who does not meet all the entry criteria may be given provisional entry to year 1 at the discretion of the Head of School.

  • Those who successfully complete and pass year 1 will be deemed to have met entry requirements and provisional status will be removed.
  • The interview panel will consist of lecturers who teach on the course, along with an academic leader from the department.
  • Applicants will be selected on merit on the basis of their portfolio, evidence of creativity and ability to take a concept through to a model stage, and demonstration of the ability to undertake design study at degree level.

Successful applicants will be informed before the end of the year and be sent detailed information on enrolment procedures, loans, starting dates for the following year and any information that might be required to facilitate a smooth introduction to the programme.

Selection process 

We select people according to a range of criteria. If we have more eligible applicants than places available, we might put you on a waiting list and we may ask you to come in for an interview to discuss your portfolio.

Your portfolio

A portfolio is a selection of work that shows your creative potential and passion for your chosen design specialty. It can include examples from your school or your own projects at home or in the community.

Find out what you need to include in your portfolio, what we're looking for, and how to submit it here.

You need to submit a portfolio when you apply for this programme unless you meet the criteria for automatic entry or get portfolio ‘pre-approval’.

1. Automatic portfolio approval – no portfolio needed
  • If you have achieved University Entrance endorsed with excellence overall including merit or excellence in an approved art, design or technology subject at NCEA Level 3, you have automatic entry, and will not need to submit a portfolio.
  • This also applies to applicants who have achieved Cambridge International AS grade A or B in an approved art, design or technology subject.

Note: When you apply online and are asked to upload a portfolio, you can either upload a copy of your NCEA results, or upload a note that says “I qualify for automatic entry”. We’ll then verify that with NZQA.

2. Portfolio pre-approval – show ‘work in progress’
  • You can show a ‘work in progress’ portfolio to a staff member from the School of Design by making contact with the school, or at open days and careers events throughout the year. If your portfolio meets our criteria you will receive a portfolio per-approval letter which can be uploaded with your application and you won’t have to submit a final portfolio.
  • If you have achieved University Entrance and your portfolio already meets the criteria, you’ll receive a portfolio pre-approval letter. You can then upload that letter with your online application and you won’t have to submit a final portfolio.
  • If you want to talk to us about portfolio pre-approval, please email our school administrator, Pam.Hodgkinson@op.ac.nz or phone 0800 762 786.

Don't meet the entry requirements?

No problem. We have a couple of pathway programmes that will help you build the skills and degree-level portfolio you need to apply for the Bachelor of Design (Fashion).

New Zealand Certificate in Arts and Design (Level 4) - starting in February every year 

  • Develop your research skills, learn about creative processes and materials, and create your own art and design projects. 

New Zealand Certificate in Fashion (Level 4) - starting in July every year

  • Learn about fashion design and textiles concepts, fashion industry practice, and fashion production as you develop fashion garments and outcomes. This studio work becomes your portfolio that you can use to apply for the Bachelor of Design (Fashion).

By studying both of these Level 4 certificates, you'll have the well-rounded skills you need to undertake degree-level study.  

Fees

Domestic fees

First year
Standard
$9,442
Second year
Standard
$9,442
Third year
Standard
$9,442

International fees

First year
Standard
$23,100
Second year
Standard
$23,100
Third year
Standard
$23,100

Additional costs 

Please contact the School of Design for a list of equipment, textbooks and resources you'll need to buy for this programme. You'll also need to buy fabrics and trims for design projects. Email info@op.ac.nz or phone 0800 762 786. 

Multi-year fees

The tuition fees shown above are approximate only. There may be a slight fee increase per year once Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) rules and guidelines are applied. These fees also don’t include additional costs or living costs.

Application

How to apply

To apply for this programme just click the blue 'Apply now' button above.

Applications are preferred by 30 November.

Late applications will be accepted if spaces are still available, after which waitlists will apply.

You'll need to submit a portfolio when you apply for this programme unless you meet the criteria for automatic entry or get portfolio ‘pre-approval’.

Find out what you need to include in your portfolio, what we're looking for, and how to submit it.

Get in touch

0800 762 786
International +64 3 477 3014
Email: info@op.ac.nz
https://www.op.ac.nz/programmes/nzqa/bachelor-of-design-fashion