- Location
- Cardonald Campus
- SCQF Level
- 8
- Start Date
- 25 Aug 2025
- Qualification Type
- HND
- Course Type
- Full-Time
- Duration
- 2 Years (August to June)
Applications open 15th January 2025
The HND Fashion Design course will teach you all aspects of the design process from research and design development, fashion forecasting, commercial design, garment manufacture, pattern cutting to fashion illustration and digital skills. Throughout your course you will benefit from industry standard facilities and workshop and also have the opportunity to engage with industry on live commercial briefs. The course is taught by a team of dedicated professionals with a depth of industry experience and expertise.
What will I learn?
The HND Fashion Design course is based on project and studio work and covers fashion drawing, design development, pattern drafting and manufacturing skills. In year one, you will learn design development, CAD design, pattern cutting and garment manufacture using industrial methods. In year 2, you will become more independent in your approach to learning. You will work on personal research and design projects using both traditional and digital media to illustrate your designs. You will take your designs through to a final collection and be encouraged to challenge tried-and-tested methods of design and pattern cutting using complex and inventive cutting and garment construction techniques. Preparing you for moving on to university or directly into employment.
The course covers:
- Fashion design development
- Fashion illustration
- Fashion forecasting and research.
- CAD patterns
- Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator
- Commercial design
- Pattern development
- Industrial sewing techniques.
Progression from year 1 to 2nd year of the HND is not a guarantee and is dependent on suitable progression through course work, as well as satisfactory attendance, timekeeping and commitment.
Entry requirements (minimum)
- One Higher at C pass or above in an art-related subject e.g Art & Design/Fashion & Textiles or are working towards this qualification
- Applications will be considered from those that do not meet the academic requirements if they can demonstrate some experience in the Textile/Fashion/ Design industry
- Relevant National Qualification or a Foundation/ Modern Apprenticeship.
Entry requirements for the BSc Fashion Technology Articulation Plus, Heriot-Watt Pathway.
- Will be through an application/ interview process
- Completion of HND Fashion Technology with a A /B Graded Unit result.
Entry requirement equivalency table
If you do not meet the entry criteria for your chosen course, you may be offered an alternative course in the same subject area.
Employer and industry links
You will have the opportunity to participate in live industry projects within the fashion industry - recent sponsors include Quiz, Green Thomas, Trak, Evergreen, Kestin Hare.
We also work closely work with industry to deliver the following SVQ Modern Apprenticeship:
- SVQ – Sewn Products level 5
- SVQ – Textiles Manufacturing level 5
- SVQ - Bespoke Cutting and Tailoring level 6
- SVQ - Manufacturing Textile Products level 7
Articulation Routes
An Associate Articulation agreement is in place with Heriot Watt University, Borders Campus, Galashiels. Within our HND Fashion and Textile programmes, we will identify 20 students that will be dual enrolled as Heriot Watt Associate students and 10 students that will be dual enrolled as Articulation students.
You will automatically progress into 3rd year of your chosen HND:
BSc (Hons) Fashion Technology
BA (Hons) Fashion
BA (Hons) Design for Textiles (Fashion, Interior, Art)
(Guaranteed on successful completion of the two-year HND Programme and a B grade in Graded Unit year 1 and 2).
An articulation agreement is in place with Gray’s School of Art at Robert Gordon University Aberdeen. Successful HND Fashion Design students can progress to year 3 of the BA (Hons) Fashion and Textile Design degree programme. Entry will be dependent on:
Satisfactory completion of the above HND
– Grade A in the Graded Unit
– Attendance at interview
– Portfolio review
An ‘Articulation+’ agreement is in place with Heriot Watt University. This agreement guarantees up to 5 places. Students can apply directly to the university for progression into the third year of the following programmes;
BA(Hons) Fashion Design
BA(Hons) Fashion Communication
BA(Hons) Fashion Marketing and Retailing
BSc (Hons) Fashion Technology
Jobs and further study
HND Fashion Design students’ progress to a number of degree courses across the UK. Offers for direct entry to university are subject to satisfactory progress, portfolio, and reference. Recent graduates from this course have progressed to:
- 2nd/3rd year entry to Heriot-Watt University for Fashion Design and Fashion Communication.
- 3rd year entry to BA Fashion Business at Glasgow Caledonian University
- 2nd year entry to Fashion at Glasgow School of Art
- 2nd year entry to BA Fashion Design at Edinburgh College of Art
- 2nd year entry to BA Performance Costume at Edinburgh College of Art
- 2nd year entry to BA Fashion at Northumbria University
- 1st year entry to BA Fashion at London College of Fashion
- 3rd year BSc. Education and Curricular Studies with Teaching Qualification Strathclyde University
- Modern Apprenticeship within the textile sector.
In addition, students have gone on to self-employment or employment in the fashion industry.
Take a look at the course progression map for fashion and textiles courses.
Glasgow Clyde College recent HND Fashion Design graduates include:
- Designer at Urban Outfitters
- Small Business Owner
- Menswear Designer for H&M.
- Junior designer menswear at Gianni Versace S.P.A
- Apparel Designer for Footasylum
- Designer at Alexander McQueen
- Junior designer with Quiz
- Designer at Under Armour
- Junior Designer at LF Fashion
- Menswear Designer at H&M
- Design lead at Hyper Island, Stockholm.
- Developer with Spoke
- Crowd Costume Coordinator at Left Bank Pictures Ltd
- Designer Paulin Watches
My world of work Business of Fashion
Check out our School of Fashion and Textiles website
Making an application
For courses starting in August, you can make up to two applications.
Applications are made to a course and a first choice of campus. If the course is oversubscribed at your first choice you will be automatically considered for alternative sites and may be made an offer without a further application.
I've applied — what happens next?
When you apply
You will receive an automated email confirming that we have received your application (remember to check your SPAM folder).
Your application will be reviewed by the admissions team and you will either be:
- Made a direct offer (unconditional or conditional)
- Invited to book an information session. At the information session you will be given additional information about your course, have a tour of the facilities and meet the staff. It is essential that you attend this session.
- Advised that your application is unsuccessful – you have not met the entry requirements for this course and are advised to contact the College Student Advice Centres to discuss alternative options which may be available to you.
We aim not to reject an application and if you don’t meet the entry requirements you may be referred to a different course or level.
If you are invited to interview, you will be informed of the outcome of your interview by email within 14 working days. The outcome will be one of the following:
- Unconditional offer of a place – you have met all the entry requirements and your place is guaranteed. You will be required to accept this offer to secure your place.
- Conditional offer of a place – your place is secured pending you meeting the entry requirements. This may mean achieving school or college qualifications which you may not be able to provide to us yet. You will be required to accept this offer to secure your conditional place. Once your conditions are met this will change to an unconditional offer of a place which you must accept before you can enrol on the course.
- Waiting list – you have met all entry requirements, and have been interviewed however, the course is now full so you have been placed on a waiting list. If any spaces become available you may be contacted, usually around the course start date. We would advise that you also consider other application options.
- Reserve list – following your interview, you have unfortunately not been successful in this round of recruitment. We have placed your name on a Reserve list and your application may be reconsidered at a later date. This could happen any time up to the start date of the course but it is very possible that you will not be offered a place. We would advise that you also consider other application options.
- Unsuccessful – your interview has been unsuccessful. You may be offered a place on a course at a different level, or advised to contact the College Student Advice Centres to discuss alternative options which may be available to you.
Once an offer is received, you must reply within 14 working days or risk losing your place, as the system will automatically decline your offer after 14 days.
Once you have accepted your offer, you will be sent out instructions about student funding, joining instructions and induction date.
