BATH SPA UNIVERSITY

designInvestigating Fashion Design isconcerned with the study, analysisand written critique of historicaland contemporary dress in a museumenvironment.Researchers on this course will engage with the wealth offashionable dress resources held in the internationally renownedFashion Museum, Bath. The courseaims to enable students to workindependently with the collection,whilst attending supporting lectureand seminar programmes. Thesewill develop an understanding offashion and its contexts throughobjects, and museum based study.Students will work with curatorsand museum professionals as well as academics and designers inorder to fuse theory and practiceand to develop innovativeapproaches to the study, displayand dissemination of fashionabledress. Additionally, students areencouraged to present theirresearch in a public arena and areoffered the opportunity to study for a Postgraduate Certificate inProfessional Learning.Course structure and contentThe course is offered in conjunctionwith the Fashion Museum in Bath andincorporates a lecture and seminarprogramme. The provision of teachingand learning opportunities within themuseum affords students access to aworking museum environment, wherethey will gain hands-on experience ofdata collection and collation, garmenthandling, dressing and photography.Students will have access to the wholemuseum collection.The modules available are:- Research Methodologies- Material Evidence 1- Fashion History and Theory- Master’s Project to investigate an area of the museum collectionin detail culminating in a 20,000word thesis.Teaching methods and resourcesCombined with a rigorous academictaught programme, students willbenefit from the teaching andlearning offered within the BathSchool of Art and Design. Groupvisits to other national collectionswill constitute part of the course.TutorsDr Jo Turney (Senior Lecturer,Dept. of Research, Critical andPostgraduate Studies); RosemaryHarden (Curator, Fashion Museum,Bath). These staff are supported by a team of visiting lecturers.AssessmentAll course work is assessed by projectand written submission. There are nowritten examinations. On successfulcompletion of the course studentsshould be able to:- discuss and analyse fashionabledress in context;- critically investigate and researchtheoretical and object basedapproaches to fashion, textilesand dress;- articulate and demonstrate anunderstanding of the purpose andworkings of the contemporarymuseum and collections;- undertake significant object basedresearch demonstrating appropriatemethodologies;- communicate innovative approachesto the study of fashion, textiles anddress;- use a variety of technology andmedia;- write and communicate researchprojects effectively;- produce a research project suitablefor publication, presentation orexhibition.EmployabilityThe course aims to encourage the engagement of students inprofessional activities, developingskills suitable for the followingcareers:- Dress Historian- Academic in a Further or Higher Education institution- Fashion writer- Archives and MuseumsKey features- Access to a world renownedcollection of fashionable dress;- Conduct and present originalresearch to a wide audience;- Publish your research project- Understand key issues relating to teaching in a higher educationenvironmentEnquiriesPlease contact Dr Jo Turney:T: +44 (0)1225 875552E: j.turney@bathspa.ac.ukImages: Bath and North East Somerset Council- Fashion Museum / Photography by James Davis49