Higher National Certificate Live Online

Gain advanced entry to the second year of a degree with a fully-accredited Higher National Certificate or learn the practical skills to launch an exciting new career in fashion design.

Higher National Certificate (BTEC)

Home Study course

Live Online course

Classroom Based course

Limited places available

home study

live online

classroom

Limited places available

Start Date

February 2025

Price

€4,295 (Easy-pay plan available)

Duration

Approximately 9-18 months

Work Placement

Graduates of this course are eligible for a one month work placement with a fashion design company. All placements are made in the Dublin and Cork areas.

Study Option: Live Online
Course Location: Online
Course Level: Comparable to level 6 on the NFQ
Entry Requirements: 18 years old or over
Note: If English is not your first language, we recommend you have at least level 5.5 IELTS or equivalent. Or, have completed your last two years of schooling through English.
Assessment: 15 practical assignments
Recognition: The Fashion Design Academy of Ireland has partnered with global educational experts Pearson Education to offer BTEC courses to our students. These courses are a recognised route to university, leading to the final year of a degree course or progression on to other professional qualifications.

Completing this course will lead to the second year of a degree, or enable you to become a successful fashion designer by honing your skills to create, present and manage your own fashion collection.

Designed around 15 practical assignments, you will incrementally develop the advanced techniques and deep understanding of the industry that you need to succeed as a fashion designer.

As a Live Online student, you will attend tutor-led classes online taught by industry professionals. You will also have full access to the Online Learning Centre, which contains course material created by industry experts including instructional videos, written content and assignments.

Our tutors provide all the support, knowledge and in-depth feedback you need to progress through your course and are always contactable through the Online Learning Centre.

On average a student studying around 15 hours per week can complete the course in 18 months, a student studying around 30 hours a week can complete the course in 9 months*.

*Completion time is based on the approximate time it has taken past students to complete the course. Students have up to 36 months to complete the course.

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Class Schedule

View the schedule for the evening classes and the weekend classes in Live Online.

Topics

The list below provides an overview of the topics covered in this course.

- Techniques & Processes
Develop the skills that enable you as a fashion designer to create innovative shapes through draping on a mannequin. Explore the techniques of flat pattern drafting and how to manipulate patterns to create new designs, tailored to specific measurements. This is the perfect place to start to learn the different techniques and processes at the core of the fashion industry. You will learn about:
- Idea generation
- Starting your sketchbook
- Draping
- Flat pattern techniques
- Sketching
- Creating a mood board
- Presentation boards
- Fashion & Textile Practices
Learn about the properties of fabrics, their weights and appropriate uses. You will experiment with fabric manipulation techniques, and you will receive an introduction to sewing techniques. You will learn about:
- Creating a swatch book
- Understanding technical aspects of fabrics
- Choosing fabrics
- Deconstruction/reconstruction of fabrics
- Experimenting with fabrics
- Technical sewing notebook - including zip, seams, bindings and garment construction
- Sewing different fabric types
- Contextual Studies
Research fashion history and gain an understanding of fashion in a social context. You will learn about:
- The Rise of Haute Couture
- From Flower Power to the New Romantics
- Street style, mash-up, and globalisation
- Sustainability
- Wearable technology
- Pattern Cutting & Garment Making
Building on your skills, you will develop your technical ability to create patterns and sewing skills to produce a final garment. You will learn about:
- How to measure a person for individual patterns
- How to create a dress, bodice and skirt block
- Manipulating pattern blocks to create new pattern styles
- Working with lay plans and fabric cutting
- Sewing calico toiles and assessing for proper fitting
- Creating a finished garment
- Fashion Collection
The best way to predict the future is to create it. Develop your first cohesive fashion collection, from the initial client brief to final presentation of design work. You will learn about:
- How to measure a person for individual patterns
- Trend forecasting
- Concept boards
- Design development
- Brand identity and logo design
- Fashion collection line-up
- Fashion marketing and promotion
- Pricing
- Computer Aided Design (CAD) - Illustrator for Fashion
Learn the tools of Adobe Illustrator to create fashion drawings and collection line-ups using video tutorials and written notes to help you develop your own individual style. You will learn about:
- The various tools of the software
- How to create technical drawings - fashion flats
- Working with supplied croquis
- Creating a personal drawing style
- Introducing colour
- Creating a line-up
- Individual Project
Using all that you have learned in one cohesive project, you will present a project showing your understanding of how the design process works from concept to completion. You will learn about:
- Development of personal skills
- Experimenting with ideas
- Creative design solutions
- Project and time management skills
- Industry specific presentation skills
- Presenting a body of work to add to your portfolio
- A reflective journal
- Professional Development
Learn all you need to know to set-up your own studio or to work with an established designer or fashion house. Gain an understanding of what is required of a fashion designer from a personal and professional point of view. You will learn about:
- Portfolio presentation
- Skills analysis
- Career paths
- Interview techniques
- Interview presentation

View Programme Specification

Tutors

All our tutors are fashion design professionals working in the industry.

Marie
McElheron

Course Tutor
Patricia
Gomes

Course Tutor
Naomi
Faughnan

Course Tutor

See All Tutors

The course shows videos on doing the assignments. They also recommended books to help the student with design trends.

Conor Eason

Student

The course has the right blend of theoretical and practical knowledge. I am really enjoying it and I feel I have learnt so much.

Tracey Granger

Student

I am pleased with the course - I can fit it in around my schedule. The feedback from my tutor is helpful and informative.

Shanon Wynne

Student

I am really enjoying the course! I am confident that I will be well set up to work as a Fashion Designer.

Chalice Harrison

Student

The Fashion Design Academy of Ireland

Our philosophy at the Fashion Design Academy of Ireland is to make high-quality education accessible to all by empowering people to do what they love. Through the power of online and blended learning, our students are able to harness their creativity and practically apply it to succeed in their chosen careers.

Pursue your ambition - because the future is today!

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Higher National Certificate Live Online

Higher National Certificate (BTEC)

Start Date

Price

Duration

Work Placement

Class Schedule

Topics

Tutors

Marie McElheron

Patricia Gomes

Naomi Faughnan

Conor Eason

Tracey Granger

Shanon Wynne

Chalice Harrison

The Fashion Design Academy of Ireland

Choosing the right course

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Marie
McElheron

Patricia
Gomes

Naomi
Faughnan