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Money Matters
The Textiles in Practice course enables you to experience textiles as a flexible and diverse subject. You will be taught from within core pathways offering the opportunity to specialise or combine the disciplines of print, weave, knit, embroidery and mixed media. We promote and encourage the interdisciplinary nature of contemporary p...
3 years full-time
4 years with placement year and/or overseas study
You will be taught from within core pathways offering the opportunity to either specialise or combine the disciplines of print, weave, knit, embroidery and mixed media. Emphasis is placed on the development of personal interests and ambitions that reflect the breadth, versatility and potential of textiles within contemporary art and design contexts.
Live project briefs and work placement opportunities allow you to develop these personal skills collaboratively and for external clients.
Teaching Excellence Framework 2023-2027
National Student Survey 2024 (NSS)
In Year 1 you will develop a broad understanding of textile contexts and the visual research, technical tools and skills the programme requires. You will be introduced to creative attitudes to learning, working and thinking.
You will explore and identify individual approaches to practice within the broad domain of textiles. Further development of specialist textile skills and techniques will increase confidence in sampling to articulate ideas. Through experimentation with process and methods you are encouraged to apply gained knowledge, analytical and reflective skills through a series of thematically directed projects.
This unit engages the students in a practical introduction to the specialist textile workshop areas of weave, print, knit, embroidery & mixed media. Through a series of process led tasks students will begin to understand and explore the translation of drawing and colour into a collection of related material samples. This unit introduces the students to the breadth of viable contexts within the expanding field of textiles. Developing agile thinkers and creative decision makers who will begin to identify contexts and apply their practice within broad textile pathways.
At Level 4, this unit encourages some collaborative, interdisciplinary practice and shared experience. There are lectures and talks from key research staff, students and external experts. Teaching will be in the form of tutorial groups, weekly meetings and presentations. The set projects will vary from year to year and are designed to be responsive to current creative opportunities.
The module introduces a range of broad over-arching themes and concepts – historical, cultural, social, political, environmental and economic – to inform your knowledge and understanding of Design as integral to positive or negative change.
You will be supported and encouraged to take advantage of work-based learning opportunities, with established links across a wide range of creative and commercial organisations.
In Year 2 you will be able to determine your specialist pathway through the programme and develop the skills to articulate your ideas. There will be opportunities to engage with external partners (including studios, manufacturers, galleries, external projects) and collaborate with students and staff from across the faculty.
The unit enables you to further develop the research themes and skills gained in year 1, to identify and investigate specific concepts and challenges that directly inform your evolving area of design research and practice.
The unit engages students in the development of their own practice through outward facing opportunities, such as, competitions and live projects. Professional platforms are explored across commercial, sustainable and new areas of textile fabrication, enabling the application of creative thinking, textile knowledge and innovation in real-world situations.
The unit engages students to be creative innovators, locating personal research interests to develop fluency within their textile practice. Through the authorship of a self-directed brief, students will articulate the aims and objectives of their individual projects.
You will move towards defining their work's concept, process and context. Underpinned by rigorous research, you will use projects to take risks and experiment to develop fluency and a distinctive voice in the field of textiles in practice.
This unit explores collaborative and interdisciplinary art and design practice. You will have the opportunity to engage in a range of external-facing learning opportunities which will encourage collaborative, interdisciplinary practice and shared experience; this may take the form of spending time outside of the University and working within the creative community and the public domain.
You will be supported and encouraged to take advantage of work-based learning opportunities, with established links across a wide range of creative and commercial organisations.
In Year 3 you will create a portfolio of work that showcases your practice, developing a deep understanding of the context of your work, and creating products and artefacts that reflect your specialism.
On the third year Unit X, there is a student authored final project leading to a showcase of finished work. The unit includes a brief generated by the student, which leads to the presentation of a significant body of final work. Collaborative and interdisciplinary work can be incorporated into the project in relation to the professional context and ambition of the student.
Through a range of textile related projects, you will develop an in depth understanding of individual context, market and practice. You will build a portfolio that articulates ideas to support your career aspirations. You will produce a series negotiated projects that focus on professional portfolio building, fluency of textile practice, honing research skills and rigorous reflection. Once your project is complete you will then present your work to an audience of peers and professionals.
This unit draws upon key ideas and research methods developed in years 1 and 2 to research and establish a substantive individual position for a personal and or professional design practice. This will establish the theoretical framework to inform and underpin the development of your studio practice and support your future graduate ambitions.
You will be supported and encouraged to take advantage of work-based learning opportunities, with established links across a wide range of creative and commercial organisations.
Whether you’ve already made your decision about what you want to study, or you’re just considering your options, there are lots of ways you can meet us and find out more about student life at Manchester Met.
We offer:
Your studies are supported by a department of committed and enthusiastic teachers and researchers, experts in their chosen field.
We often link up with external professionals too, helping to enhance your learning and build valuable connections to the working world.
These typical entry requirements may be subject to change for the 2025/26 academic year. Please check back for further details.
GCE A levels - grades BCC or equivalent
Pearson BTEC National Extended Diploma - grade DMM
Access to HE Diploma - Pass overall with a minimum 106 UCAS Tariff points
UAL Level 3 Extended Diploma - grade of Merit overall
OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma - grade DMM
T level - We welcome applications from students undertaking T level qualifications. Eligible applicants will be asked to achieve a minimum overall grade of Merit as a condition of offer
IB Diploma - Pass overall with a minimum overall score of 26 or minimum 104 UCAS Tariff points from three Higher Level subjects
Other Level 3 qualifications equivalent to GCE A level are also considered.
A maximum of three A level-equivalent qualifications will be accepted towards meeting the UCAS tariff requirement.
AS levels, or qualifications equivalent to AS level, are not accepted. The Extended Project qualification (EPQ) may be accepted towards entry, in conjunction with two A-level equivalent qualifications.
Please contact the University directly if you are unsure whether you meet the minimum entry requirements for the course.
We will ask for a portfolio of your work as part of your application.
GCSE grade C/4 in English Language or equivalent, e.g. Pass in Level 2 Functional Skills English
Please see our digital portfolio requirements page for guidance on preparing and submitting your portfolio.
GCE A levels - grades BCC or equivalent
Pearson BTEC National Extended Diploma - grade DMM
Access to HE Diploma - Pass overall with a minimum 106 UCAS Tariff points
UAL Level 3 Extended Diploma - grade of Merit overall
OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma - grade DMM
T level - We welcome applications from students undertaking T level qualifications. Eligible applicants will be asked to achieve a minimum overall grade of Merit as a condition of offer
IB Diploma - Pass overall with a minimum overall score of 26 or minimum 104 UCAS Tariff points from three Higher Level subjects
Other Level 3 qualifications equivalent to GCE A level are also considered.
A maximum of three A level-equivalent qualifications will be accepted towards meeting the UCAS tariff requirement.
AS levels, or qualifications equivalent to AS level, are not accepted. The Extended Project qualification (EPQ) may be accepted towards entry, in conjunction with two A-level equivalent qualifications.
Please contact the University directly if you are unsure whether you meet the minimum entry requirements for the course.
We will ask for a portfolio of your work as part of your application.
There’s further information for international students on our international website if you’re applying with non-UK qualifications.
Please see our digital portfolio requirements page for guidance on preparing and submitting your portfolio.
Tuition fees for the 2025/26 academic year are still being finalised for all courses. You can find information on 2024/25 standard undergraduate fees for UK/Channel Islands and EU/Non-EU international students. All fees stated may be subject to change for the 2025/26 academic year.
Compulsory estimate: £600
Optional estimate: £600
At Level 4 the department subsidises many of the initial workshop costs as part of the induction process, if students wish to expand on some processes additional costs will be incurred. At Level 5 and Level 6 costs will be determined by the areas students choose to work in and by the quality of the materials they choose, for example choosing to work in silk fabric as opposed to cotton is an individual choice but these costs will be met by the students. At all levels students will pay for their own drawing materials and printing costs. At all levels students have access to equipment in workshops and can borrow and sign out additional kit where applicable.
Optional estimate: £1,700
At Level 4 there is an optional study trip to London that we strongly recommend students to engage with At Level 5 and Level 6 there are several study tours to eg New York, Florence, opportunities to attend trade fairs in Paris and Milan. All home students receive a stipend from the University this can be used to offset study trip costs. Placements are encouraged but are not part of the programmes curriculum so if undertaken they will usually be in vacation periods.
Find out more about financing your studies and whether you may qualify for one of our bursaries and scholarships
Money MattersPast textile graduates hold key creative positions in organisations such as Habitat, Paul Smith, Aardman Animations and ASOS or are self-employed as designers and practicing as artists. Some are in postgraduate education at the Royal College of Art, London College of Fashion and at Manchester Metropolitan University. Many are teachers in schools and academics in universities and art schools in the UK and overseas.
You can apply for this course for 2025/26 entry once UCAS applications open in autumn.
Visit UCAS for further details, including deadlines.
Get advice and support on making a successful application.
You can review our current terms and conditions before you make your application. If you are successful with your application, we will send you up to date information alongside your offer letter.
Programme review
Our programmes undergo an annual review and major review (normally
at 6 year intervals) to ensure an up-to-date curriculum supported by the
latest online learning technology. For further information on when we
may make changes to our programmes, please see the changes section of our
terms and conditions.
Important notice
This online prospectus provides an overview of our programmes of study
and the University. We regularly update our online prospectus so that
our published course information is accurate. Please check back to the
online prospectus before making an application to us to access the most
up to date information for your chosen course of study.
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