Fancy becoming the next Marc Jacobs or Donna Karan? The good news is that you don’t have to be a celebrity or have lots of wealth to become a fashion designer. You just need talent, enthusiasm and the knowledge of which steps to take.

Why Study To Be A Fashion Designer?

The fashion world is widely recognised as being one of the most fun industries to work in. But it’s also fiercely competitive and arguably as fast-paced as the business world. If all this sounds like just the ticket and your artistic mind is bursting with creative ideas, studying to be a fashion designer is certainly a fab idea.

There are many perks to being a fashion designer. You get to do something you love whilst working in a glamorous industry. There are plenty of opportunities to step outside of your comfort zone, which makes this job perfect for anyone wanting a challenge. The industry is always changing, so you need to be ready to keep up. As a fashion designer, you’ll get to research future trends, come up with your own designs, and visit trade shows.

Being a fashion designer also gives you the chance to meet lots of like-minded, talented people who are generally outgoing and are able to open up plenty of opportunities for you.

Oh, and did we mention that one day a top celebrity might end up wearing one of your creations? Becoming a fashion designer is hard work, but that has to make it all worth it.

Becoming A Fashion Designer

Breaking into the fashion designing industry is exciting, but it isn’t easy. To give you a much better chance of entering this glamorous career, the number one thing to do is to take a degree in fashion design.

A fashion design degree strengthens your knowledge in this area, and help to build an understanding of what a career in fashion will involve. Taking one should be the first thing you do on your road to becoming the next big thing in fashion.

Before applying for a fashion design degree, there are a few key skills and attributes that it would be good to possess. Fashion designers are very artistic, creative and imaginative people are who good at communicating the ideas in their heads, as well as putting them down on paper. Fashion designers also have an eye for detail, and understand colour, fabric and texture.

Once you have graduated from university, the next step is to put together your own professional portfolio. You will create a portfolio while at university, but you should also work on your own projects away from the classroom. You can then use your portfolio to apply for an internship or work placement, which are great ways of getting your foot in the door. When you intern, you can add to your list of contacts and it maybe even land your first proper job in the industry.

Studying To Be A Fashion Designer

You’ll probably never be as free to express yourself through your designs as you will at university. A fashion design degree arms you with the knowledge and expertise to become a fashion designer while honing your craft, and it also encourages you to be as creative as possible.

A number of top design schools up and down the UK offer fashion design degrees, and it’s a good idea to do some proper research before making a final decision. The most sought-after schools are those who can name top fashion designers among their alumni. Some universities, meanwhile, offer combined degrees with other subjects, while others focus on particular areas.

Whichever university you choose to study at, the exact course content will depend on their particular program. Modules you can expect to study include:

• Research and design development
• Design history
• Design management
• Marketing creativity
• Fashion innovation

A fashion design degree lasts for three years when studied full-time, and you will be assessed on your portfolios and presentations, as well as practical logbooks and – sometimes but not always – exams and essays. There will also be a final year dissertation to write.

Entry Requirements

To be considered for a fashion design degree, A-Levels of ABB are generally required in an art and design related subject. Your application may be considered if you are taking an A-Level in Media Studies instead of art or design, while any GCSE’s you have in art or design will also strengthen your application.

If you are taking a BTEC, universities look out for DDM’s or higher.

An art foundation course does not usually count as part of entry requirements, but it is looked upon favourably by universities, and may be beneficial if you don’t posses the entry requirements to go straight onto the degree.

Start your journey to becoming a fashion designer by searching for fashion degrees now!

Midwife’s work at the heart of a community, giving support and care to pregnant women as they give birth to their children. It’s a highly skilled job that requires compassion, communication skills, practical skills, as well as the ability to stay calm when the going gets tough.

If you fancy taking up a career in midwifery, either in the NHS or at a private hospital here in the UK or abroad, let’s take a look at everything you need to know about how to become a midwife.

Why Study To Be A Midwife?

Midwife’s play a crucial role during childbirth. They are there to give support to the mother throughout the course of pregnancy, labour and birth, but the profession also requires skills in healthcare and bags of dedication.

The role of a midwife includes both antenatal and postnatal care. Antenatal care refers to care given during pregnancy, such as performing health checks for the mother and the growth of the baby.

During the birth, the midwife will be present to support the mother and partners, with a focus on ensuring the health of the mother and baby.

Postnatal care involves checking on the health of both mother and child following birth. This will include ensuring that the baby is healthy, feeding well and gaining weight and that the mother is adjusting well following giving birth.

One of the main reasons students choose to study midwifery is that they care deeply about other people, and want to assist mothers during what is arguably the most special moment in their lives. Midwifes find the process of helping to deliver a health baby incredibly rewarding.

Becoming A Midwife

Before you become a midwife, you first need experience in the healthcare sector. Most people choose the option of taking a midwifery degree, which lasts for three years if studied full-time.

Learn more about Midwifery DegreesLearn more about Midwifery Degrees

The degree covers psychology and sociology, as well as the biological sciences. It also covers professional practice. Universities tend to split their programs more-or-less fifty/fifty between theoretical and practice-based learning, with the latter seeing you spend your time at a hospital, at a community clinic, or even at a family’s home. Here, you will work directly with mothers.

Although hospitals are in need of more midwives, places on a midwifery degree are usually limited. Sometimes, there can be as many as 1,000 students applying for the same course at the same university. As such, competition is fierce and getting your foot on the first rung of the ladder toward becoming a midwife is arguably the most difficult bit.

We recommend that you pop along to university open days to get a feel for the institution you want to apply to. Talking to midwives will also give you a better understanding of what this career involves, which will further strengthen your application.

When you graduate from university, you will then need to register with the NMC – the Nursing and Midwifery Council. To make sure that you maintain your registration, you will need to keep up with all the latest research in your field, as well as continue to learn and practice.

Studying To Be A Midwife

Should you decide to study a midwifery degree, there are a number of universities throughout the UK that offer the course.

Exactly what you’ll study will come down to the university and their specific program. But modules you can expect to be included on a midwifery degree include:

• Introduction to midwifery
• Developing the practice
• The human body during childbearing
• Developing midwifery practice
• Midwifery emergencies
• Public health for the practice of midwifery
• Midwifery leadership

The first year is always introductory, but as you move towards the final year you will be given more opportunities to strengthen your midwifery skills while working side-by-side with healthcare experts.

During your final year, there will also be a dissertation to write. Ideas for a typical midwifery dissertation might include obesity and smoking during pregnancy.

Entry Requirements

To start your studies at university, you will generally need at least 5 GCSEs ranging from grades A-C. English, maths and science are usually required. Additionally, two A-Levels are also usually required, with many universities preferring a qualification in biology over anything else.

If you are taking a BTEC, DDM is generally mandatory, and you need at least one science or health subject.

To submit an application to a midwife degree, it’s a good idea to pop over to UCAS, which is the most popular route.

Start your journey to becoming a midwife by searching for midwifery degrees now!