Get degree ideas using our A level explorer tool

Surface Pattern and Textiles

Entry requirements


UCAS Tariff

120

About this course


This course has alternative study modes. Contact the university to find out how the information below might vary.

Course option

3years

Full-time | 2024

Other options

6 years | Part-time | 2024

Subject

Textile design

The Surface Pattern and Textiles programme is a vibrant, multidisciplinary programme that focuses on an exploration of textiles, materiality, pattern and making in the contexts of fashion, interiors and for designled galleries. It is academically challenging, contemporary in outlook, and you will be taught a wealth of practical and technical skills, enjoying the design potential of our extensive innovative digital and traditional facilities.

We bring our students together to create a strong group identity, while the pathways allow you to choose a specialism. The studio culture is at the heart of the Surface Pattern and Textiles student experience, creating a professionally focused, collaborative learning environment that aims to mirror the workplace with a positive, engaging, open approach to working with others.

Our students graduate as designers and makers, ready to flourish in a range of creative jobs and enterprises, having had several significant live projects, exhibition experiences and industry liaisons embedded in their studies. This is a defining feature of our programme. Live projects have been run with Rolls Royce Bespoke Interiors, H&M Design, Eley Kishimoto London, Hallmark UK and Orangebox. The programme is dynamic, built to grow and mirror the creative industry you will pitch to, with employability at its core.

Modules

Year One - Level 4 (Cert HE, Dip HE, BA & MDes)
Digital and Material Futures B1 (20 credits; compulsory)
Image Making 1 – Drawing for Design (10 credits; compulsory)
Digital and Material Futures B2 (20 credits; compulsory)
Major Studies A1 – Ideas into Practice (20 credits; compulsory)
Major Studies A2 – Designing for Context (20 credits; compulsory)
Visual and Material Culture (10 credits; compulsory)
Ways of Perceiving (10 credits; compulsory)
Ways of Thinking (10 credits; compulsory).

Year Two - Level 5 (Dip HE, BA & MDes)
Digital and Material Futures B3 (20 credits; compulsory)
Future Ready Toolkit (20 credits; compulsory)
Image Making 2 – Drawing for a Live Brief (10 credits; compulsory)
Major Studies A3 - Designing for a Live Brief (20 credits; compulsory)
Major Studies A4 - A Self-Directed Brief (20 credits; compulsory)
Research in Context (10 credits; compulsory)
Research in Practice (10 credits; compulsory)
Visual and Material Language (10 credits; compulsory).

Year Three - Level 6 (BA & MDes)
Advanced Creative Enquiry (20 credits; compulsory)
Independent Project (40 credits; compulsory; Graduate Attributes Framework module)
Major Project (60 credits; compulsory).

Assessment methods

Assessment is carried out through coursework, both written and practical. There are no exams on this course. Students are formatively assessed throughout a module in a variety of blended digital and campus-based styles. Summative assessment takes place at the end of a module — work is specified to be either submitted to digital platforms or presented at desks, or in exhibition scenarios. A variety of teaching and learning methods are used throughout the course which includes amongst others;

Informal Tutorials  
These tutorials are held on a regular basis, across all levels. In Year 1 each student sees and discusses his / her work with a member of staff at each studio session, likewise in Year 2. Third and fourth-year students tend to work more independently and sign up for a tutorial when she/he feels the need arises. However, as a team, we ensure that every student in Year 3 is seen by at least one member of the academic staff each week.  We pride ourselves on the fact that there is the opportunity to see staff regularly.

Formal Tutorials 
These are held at least once a term with individual students. The work and progress are discussed, through practical and conceptual development, future intentions of the student etc. It is an opportunity for any issues/concerns by either party, to be raised. A recorded account of the tutorial is duplicated for the student to store in their feedback file and refer back to.

Group critiques 
These are held on a regular basis, across all levels, either with a member of staff or student-led. They provide an excellent opportunity for students to share and exchange ideas with their peers in a structured manner in addition to valuable input from staff.

Informal and Formal presentations 
The nature of the presentation varies according to the level. Presentations may be to peers, staff or industry/live brief partners. They may be presented by individuals to an audience, or by groups, working together. Informal presentations are introduced in order to help students gain confidence in talking about their work to their peers and staff throughout the programme. There are other situations where presentations can take a more formal part of the assessment at the end of a project.

Exhibiting work 
Again, the nature of this varies within the context of the projects, the work to be assessed and the stage of the programme — it can range in formality from a public venue, a digital showreel, to the individual student’s desk space. As a programme, we love the opportunity to share and get our students’ work out into the world, so usually, any worthwhile opportunities for the exhibition are capitalised on to enhance the student experience.

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

Channel Islands
£9,000
per year
England
£9,000
per year
EU
£13,500
per year
International
£13,500
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,000
per year
Republic of Ireland
£9,000
per year
Scotland
£9,000
per year
Wales
£9,000
per year

The Uni


Course location:

Dynevor, Swansea

Department:

Swansea College of Art

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

72%
Textile design

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Design studies

Teaching and learning

87%
Staff make the subject interesting
82%
Staff are good at explaining things
83%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
85%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

64%
Library resources
53%
IT resources
72%
Course specific equipment and facilities
57%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

98%
UK students
2%
International students
4%
Male students
96%
Female students
69%
2:1 or above
10%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

A
A
B

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Design studies

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£15,912
low
Average annual salary
97%
med
Employed or in further education
65%
med
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

47%
Design occupations
21%
Artistic, literary and media occupations
7%
Sales assistants and retail cashiers

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Design studies

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£14k

£14k

£17k

£17k

£18k

£18k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

Explore these similar courses...

Share this page

This is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This is the percentage of applicants to this course who received an offer last year, through Ucas.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Course location and department:

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the TEF.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here