Edexcel Fashion National Extended Diploma in Art and Design

The BTEC National Extended Diploma is an ideal programme for school leavers. This two-year full-time course is designed to encourage you to develop your creative personal skills and qualities you need for work, learning and to help you achieve your full potential. If you are looking for a career in the fashion industry then this is ideal as it provides you with specialist studies directly relevant to the fashion and clothing professions, and practical understanding of the skills required. In your first year you will gain a 90 Credit Diploma and in the second an Extended Diploma, which is the equivalent of 3 A Levels. You will study many aspects of fashion and clothing including: Experimenting with Drawing, Materials and Creative Processes, Researching Artists and Fashion Designers for Historical and Cultural Influences, Production and Promotion of your Creative Design Work, Designing and Styling your Own Fashion Collections, and Producing your Final Major Project, which will be showcased in the college Fashion Show. Functional Skills at an appropriate level will also form an integral part of the course.

The BTEC National Extended Diploma Level 3 units are assessed through exciting and creative project and assignment work. Each core unit and specialist unit is graded Pass, Merit or Distinction and an overall grade is awarded on successful completion of the course. Functional Skills form an integral part of the programme and are assessed through a combination of coursework/ portfolio work or external examination. Your progress on the course will be regularly reviewed through individual tutorials. Students have the chance to visit The Clothes Show Live and are also directly involved in Sandwell College’s Fashion Show in the summer of each academic year. Recent trips include the V&A’s Shoes: Pleasure & Pain exhibition in London. Fashion students have organised their own work experience in High Street retail outlets and at the Asiana Bridal Show in Birmingham, where they have worked as backstage assistants and dressers. You can progress to a degree or HND programme in the fashion, clothing and textiles subject area or employment within many areas of the fashion industry. Recent students have progressed to degree programmes at Birmingham City, Coventry, De Montfort, Derby, Manchester, Nottingham Trent and Wolverhampton universities. Your potential career could be a designer, buyer, stylist or teacher.