Kickstart your career in fashion with an accelerated two-year undergraduate degree or specialist Level 4 diploma at the Fashion Retail Academy.
Buying and merchandising roles are some of the most popular jobs in the industry; exciting, faced-paced and rewarding, they are at the centre of a business. All of our courses offer unparalleled industry enrichment ranging from work placements to personal mentors, enabling you to build your contacts ahead of employment. Entry-level merchandisers are in high demand, with opportunities for rapid progression for strong candidates.
Our courses
Our two-year accelerated undergraduate degrees were designed in partnership with the industry, to teach you everything you need to kickstart your career as a Buying Admin Assistant (BAA) or Merchandising Admin Assistant (MAA). Our fully-funded one-year diplomas are designed to get you into the industry in the shortest time possible. Studying at the FRA, you’ll also have masterclasses, workshops and work placements with some of the biggest brands in fashion built into your course.
Level 4 Fast Track Buying and Merchandising
Fast Track Buying & Merchandising is a condensed, 22-week course that will prepare you for entry-level roles as either an MAA or a BAA. This is the perfect choice for those looking to upskill or retrain whilst working part-time!
Buying & Merchandising [Online]
Studying Buying & Merchandising [Online], you'll learn the essential skills you need for a career as a fashion buyer or merchandiser. Discover how to plan and trade a fashion season from concept to customer; and how trends and consumer behaviour inform your business decisions.
BA (Hons) Buying & Merchandising
BA (Hons) Buying & Merchandising is a condensed, 2-year undergraduate degree. You’ll discover how to plan and trade a fashion season from concept to customer; and how trends, consumer profiling and consumer behaviour inform your business decisions.
Level 4 Fashion Buying
Our Level 4 Fashion Buying Diploma will teach you the essential skills you need to start work as an entry-level BAA in just one year. You'll learn how to source garments from across the world, and how to design range plans that maximise sales.
Level 4 Visual Merchandising For Fashion
By studying Level 4 Visual Merchandising For Fashion, you'll master a wide range of digital and design skills for visual display and branding. You'll learn to create dynamic physical and digital assets for omnichannel retailers, from window displays to social media content, as well as develop trend forecasting and digital design skills to support your ideas.
The Fashion Retail Academy's extensive links with the fashion industry are one of the best parts of the Buying & Merchandising course. They've given me the confidence that when I graduate I'll be completely ready for a job!
Atinuke
BA (Hons) Buying & Merchandising
The Fashion Retail Academy gave me a great opportunity to explore both buying and merchandising. The support from all the tutors in each class was incredible, and the course was very easy to manage around a part-time work schedule.
Joseph
Level 4 Fast Track Buying & Merchandising alumni and BAA at River Island
I chose the Fashion Retail Academy because of the amazing work placements, industry projects and direct links straight into the industry.
Ryan
Level 4 Fashion Buying
I made some really wonderful friends at the Fashion Retail Academy and got the chance to meet many people from industry. After completing my work placement at Dorothy Perkins, I was offered a job there part-time until I finished my course. I've now gone full-time!
Lucy
Level 4 Merchandising for Fashion alumni and MAA at Dorothy Perkins
