Undergraduate Research

While I have previously looked into my options for undergraduate courses, I liked how this task gave us the opportunity to really invest some time into this. I know quite strongly the pathway I want to take and have known since the beginning of this course. Personally, I think quite analytically and logistically, so business just made the most sense to me in terms of interest, skill and career opportunity.

Excuse the quality of these images! Essentially they are the course overview specifications taken from the UAL website.

My first choice is BSc Fashion Management. I like management as it provides a broader overview of business and goes into skills like accounting and finance, which I personally would like to learn and have going forward into my career. I also like the aspects of writing and research involved, yet the creativity that’s still applied through studying fashion. I’ve also taken management courses in the past and have really enjoyed learning about the different structures and models that exist in business. In doing this degree, I would also most likely opt to take the placement year, as I find hands on work experience to be incredibly valuable.

I feel like I could bring a global perspective to this course, as well as an open mindset and willingness to learn. I’m also keen on driving sustainable and ethical working within existing fashion companies and feel I could achieve that through this degree.

I originally applied for BA Fashion Marketing when I applied for UAL, but was turned down for this course due to the lack of business work in my portfolio (and it being mostly media work). Back then, I was quite confused as to what this meant, but I now realise the extent of business work and knowledge required for me to have gotten an offer for this course and honestly, it was probably good I didn’t considering it’s no longer my first choice as a degree! I like the way marketing brings in media and social media aspects as I’m quite interested in the idea of social media marketing and the way it’s been such a vital tool for business in the last decade especially and even within the last year due to COVID.

Being young, I could potentially bring a contemporary perspective into marketing and create and utilise new and innovative technologies in order to continue to come up with new ways for companies to promote their brands and understand consumer behaviour.

My motivations for this degree are very similar to the BSc in terms of what I could get out of it and what I have to offer. However, the added element of an integrated masters definitely initially intrigued me. With this course, the reason I don’t see myself taking it, is I would prefer to gain work experience, rather than spend an extra year completing a masters qualification, as personally I don’t see myself benefiting from a masters as much as I would from work experience while I’m beginning my career.

I also understand the heaviness of a master’s project and am not sure if I’d be willing to undertake such a massive project.

For my other two degree choices, I have decided not to include design, as I know 100% design is not a pathway I want to take, nor one I am qualified for. Therefore, I chose two media degrees that I found interesting. I’ve always loved media and at one point, even considered fashion photography, but essentially if I went into media, I’d still like some aspect of business to be involved.

I decided to look at PR and communication closer as I’d like to have media experience at some point during my career but don’t necessarily want to box myself in by studying it so specifically as a degree, especially with all these degrees already specialising in fashion. However, the outcomes and career opportunities that come along with this career are certainly avenues I’d like to take one day, and also still relate heavily to business, while still being on the more creative side. Creating the press release in Toolbox and getting good feedback on it also surprised me into recognising some skill I might have in terms of writing for advertising or campaigns.

The other media pathway degree I chose is BA Fashion Journalism and Content Creation. I’m interested in one day possibly going into advertising and content creation for different brands. I also like the writing skill needed for this degree which I feel I possess as one of my strengths. I also noticed one of the units of “Fashion Journalism Practice, Ethics and Law” and am quite intrigued as to the contents of that unit, as law was actually my backup option if I never ended up studying fashion!

Overall, these degrees are all quite intertwined and if I play my cards right, I hope to experience careers where I would essentially use skills that I would gain if I took any of them! Fashion Management is still definitely my top choice though and after my pathway tutorial with Sarah, I feel even more assured with my abilities in producing work that displays a strong skill for my degree of choice.

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