Fashion Business and Marketing
Full-time
Part-time
One year
Two year
September 2025
In a nutshell
MA Fashion Business and Marketing will enable you to learn and test the fundamentals of developing your own business or start-up enterprise through strategic marketing and business acumen. This course provides the opportunity to create a live business plan, and you will be supported in the development and launch of that business idea.
This course will guide you to become an ethical leader in fashion business and marketing. You will learn how to become agile and adept in meeting the needs of consumers whilst championing sustainability.
Studying within an award-winning fashion department, you will benefit from specialists in fashion and business.
Manchester, Salford, and the wider north-west provide a vibrant viable fashion environment in which to learn and apply essential skills and knowledge.
Here at Salford university, we recognise our students through nomination of innovation and commitment to environmental sustainability in the local community. Stephanous Polyviou, a graduate from our programme, won a Create Student Awards in 2024 for good practices and initiatives to support and develop sustainability and has worked to actively promote environmental issues in order to bring about effective change within the fashion industry.
Want to know more about this programme? Come along to an Open Day
International applicants: Please check the international intakes page for the latest information and application dates.
You will:
- learn essential business and marketing skills
- be introduced to the contemporary fashion industry and gain an understanding of commercial fashion practices internationally and within the UK
- acquire knowledge to positively contribute to sustainability efforts and drive meaningful impact within organisations
- have the opportunity to develop your own business or start-up enterprise
students accepted
This is for you if...
You’re ready to develop your entrepreneurship and marketing skills to bring your fashion business ideas to life
You’re passionate about meeting the needs of consumers while championing sustainability
You want access to outstanding studio, photography, and workshop facilities and to work alongside a team of industry experts and experienced guest speakers
All about the course
MA Fashion Business and Marketing is a collaboration between the School of Arts, Media and Creative Technology and Salford Business School.
The course is vocationally focused and will develop your entrepreneurial skills from development to the launch of an actual independent business venture.
You will focus on the ways in which new business models create innovative approaches to circular supply chains, and how businesses explore innovative approaches to advertising and promotion.
You will be introduced to industry models including B2C, B2B export and wholesale. You will engage with the essentials of funding for start-ups and will be guided on key areas of business and law.
This course aims to create innovative leaders in either business or marketing. You will benefit from studying within a region that is home to a range of contemporary fashion brands.
The 2023-2024 External Examiners' report on this programme said:
'The skills developed throughout the course prepare and allow for students to enter into self-employment, fashion management or further study with clear interactions with industry prior to graduation.'
Find out what is covered in each module by reading the full course breakdown below. The modules are listed as they would be delivered full time over one year.
Fashion Industry Insight
In this module you will research, explore, and develop creative and innovative ideas around your proposed business model.
You will undertake investigative customer research, market analysis, employing innovative problem-solving and reflective decision-making to ensure you move your business idea forward.
Resourcing Your Business
On this 15 credit module you will explore internet-based forms of finance for new businesses and evaluate the tools you need to manage your finances.
You will learn to read prevailing economic conditions and their impact on business growth.
You will also consider the finance needed for new business ventures and develop an understanding of modern accounting practices.
The Digital Customer
This 15 credit module examines the key factors which influence the digital customer through consideration of key consumer behaviour theories and frameworks. It focuses on how digital customers browse, share, compare, and shop online through digital channels such as websites, mobile applications, social media platforms, and other digital touchpoints - from owning to renting! You will also examine cultural diversity, and ethical and environmental sustainability issues, and their implications for organisations with online presence and explore the various strategic decisions organisations must make to successfully engage with different market audiences. The module concludes by evaluating the use and impact of digital tools in digital marketing.
You will learn how to:
1. Critically analyse and apply the core concepts and theories about decision-making, behaviour, and sustainable consumption, from both an individual and organisational perspectives.
2. Evaluate customers’ online behaviours and characteristics.
3. Critically examine the key factors that influence the digital consumer, including social networks and virtual communities.
4. Critically assess how purchase and consumption decisions are made and the influential factors that affect decision-making process and subsequent behaviours.
5. Analyse how the knowledge of consumer behaviour advances seeking employment after graduation.
Entrepreneurial Business Simulation
This 15 credit module represents the incubation stage of your business. You will be able to test the potential of your business and consider how to secure funding whilst being introduced to a variety of business models, and will explore the methods and ideological frameworks around marketing and promotion.
You will look at the tools available to help you develop your strategy and learn to evaluate the impact of different strategic scenarios.
Throughout the module you will learn and develop techniques to explore successful marketing and promotion of your business, while understanding the role of the consumer and the levels, pitch and overall aesthetic of your business and marketing campaign.
Circular Economy and Responsible Management
This module looks at the role of the circular economy specifically in response to environmental concerns.
You will gain an understanding of the role of the circular economy as a model of production and consumption and how this model employs sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing, and recycling existing materials and products through an ethos of sustainability.
You will learn how to adopt methods and processes to respond to the challenges of climate change and how conversely these challenges have led to enhanced ethical approaches of business management within the fashion industry.
Innovation for Growth
By developing a critical understanding of the modern entrepreneurial process, on this 15 credit module you will learn to identify innovation opportunities and how to exploit them by using difference process models. You will also look at effective decision-making to support innovation and consider the impact of venture capital on the innovation process.
Marketing pitch and industry launch
In this 60 credit module you will create a full and complete ready to market business plan for your product.
You will devise an ambitious marketing pitch directed at your ideal consumer highlighting the value and merits of your product(s).
You will complete a full package of marketing materials ready to actively launch your business. The outcome of the project will be negotiated with your tutor whilst industry experts will offer feedback and advice. Your project will be evaluated in a launch event where you will present your business before a panel of industry experts and academic staff.
Please note that it may not be possible to deliver the full list of options every year as this will depend on factors such as how many students choose a particular option. Exact modules may also vary in order to keep content current. When accepting your offer of a place to study on this programme, you should be aware that not all optional modules will be running each year. Your tutor will be able to advise you as to the available options on or before the start of the programme. Whilst the University tries to ensure that you are able to undertake your preferred options, it cannot guarantee this.
Fashion Facilities
This MA Fashion Business and Marketing degree is based at our £55 million New Adelphi building, the home of design and creativity on campus.
When you study with us, you’ll learn from our experienced lecturers and demonstrators, who’ll teach you how to use our facilities, including specialist machinery, these include:
MakerSpace workshop - create digital rapid prototypes using 3D printers, CNC machines, laser cutters and more.
Photography studios - industry-standard photographic studios, which you can use in conjunction with darkrooms and digital printing facilities.
Workshops – from print to textiles, wood to metal, our range of workshops allow you to take your ideas from page to reality and work in a variety of media.
Mac suites - equipped with the industry-standard software you’ll need during your studies and in the world of work.
Take a 360 tour of our New Adelphi building.
You will also have the benefits of studying at our awarding winning Salford Business School, where you will find the dedicated student innovation hub on the sixth floor of the Maxwell Building this area provides collaborative and independent study and break-out spaces. Additionally, here you can find our in-school progression and business careers teams to support your journey.
What about after uni?
EMPLOYMENT AND FURTHER STUDY
You will have developed an innovative and entrepreneurial mindset highly desirable with employers and important for those of you wishing to become fashion consultants or to set up your own fashion business. You will gain invaluable skills and networks for setting up and running your own business as well as the confidence to try your ideas.
For those wanting to work in an established organisation, you will be able to seek employment within a range of organisations looking for new innovative opportunities within the fashion industry.
There will be options to develop aspects that emerge from the experimentation undertaken on the course to PhD level study.
Career Links
Each member of the teaching team, work or have industry experience with a number of key organisations and companies. These include, Harvey Nichols, Selfridges, Patagonia, Tommy Hilfiger, Artistic Apparels, Reebok, Nike, Elle, Maniere De Voir, Creo Studios, American Golf, Chapters, Queens of Archive and a number of fashion brands based in the Northwest of England. We are now also an official partner with ACS Clothing.
Our extensive insights and collaborations with industry provide you with significant opportunities to develop an understanding of what it’s like to launch, work and run a fashion business.
What You Need To Know
A typical applicant to this course will either be a graduate from an undergraduate course that is related to Fashion or a Business-related degree. Applications are encouraged from those who have experience of the fashion industry or related Business industries.
The application process will usually involve a short interview with a review of a portfolio or a business idea depending on your undergraduate degree.
Portfolio:
If you have a design related degree, please upload a portfolio of your best work.
Business Plan:
If you have a business-related degree, please upload a recent business project from your degree course, this can be in the format of a written or visual overview of a final major project assignment or a business plan.
Once you’ve made your application to study with us, we’ll contact you and let you know the next steps.
Standard entry requirements
To join this MA you should have a second class honours degree, 2:2 or above in a fashion design, creative technology or fashion related subject.
International students
If you are an international student and not from a majority English speaking country, you will need IELTS 6.0 with no element below 5.5. We accept qualifications from all around the world. Find your country to see a full list of entry requirements.
We also accept a range of other English language qualifications. If you do not have the English language requirements, you could take our Pre-Sessional English course.
Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL)
The Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) process could help you to make your work and life experience count. The APL process can be used for entry onto courses or to give you exemptions from parts of your course.
Two forms of APL may be used for entry: the Accreditation of Prior Certificated Learning (APCL) or the Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL).
How much?
| Type of study | Year | Fees |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time home | 2025/26 | £9,800.00per year |
| Full-time international | 2025/26 | £17,000.00per year |
| Part-time | 2025/26 | Part time costs will be calculated on a pro rata basis |
Additional costs
You should also consider further costs which may include books, stationery, printing, binding and general subsistence on trips and visits.
Scholarships for International Students
If you are a high-achieving international student, you may be eligible for one of our scholarships. Explore our international scholarships.