Level 4 Fast Track Buying & Merchandising

Investigate the role of the buying and merchandising departments in a fashion head office.

In this dynamic 6-month (22-week) Buying & Merchandising course, you’ll learn how these teams work together to plan and trade a fashion season from concept to consumer. You'll study two days per week so you can work part-time alongside your course, and you'll also be eligible for an Advanced Learner Loan.

We’ll teach you how to combine business and creative skills to succeed as a buyer or merchandiser. You’ll discover how shifts in consumer spending behaviour, advances in technology and social change have impacted the fashion industry. You’ll also develop your trend-forecasting skills and learn to analyse patterns of consumer behaviour. Combining all of your new skills, you’ll learn to create commercially profitable ranges.

We’ll teach you how buyers and merchandisers collaborate with design, garment technology, sourcing and marketing teams to create profitable ranges, as well as work with development teams to construct, improve and manufacture garments. You’ll also explore how markdowns and promotions can impact your results.

Explore the dynamic and evolving global market and learn how to source fabric, trims and garments from an international supply chain whilst navigating cultural barriers and external constraints. You’ll gain an understanding of the complex issues around ethics and sustainability facing fashion retail in today’s world, and learn about the fundamentals for managing the fashion critical path, a vital element of the buying and merchandising departments. We’ll teach you the techniques for buying products in the right quantities, making sure it arrives in stores at the right time to successfully sell. 

Our Level 4 Fast Track Buying & Merchandising course is a great choice if you’re looking to combine creative and commercial skills for a career in fashion buying and merchandising.

Our Level 4 Fast Track Buying & Merchandising course covers:

• Fashion Retail Buying and Merchandising Environment: Explore the role of buying and merchandising within the fashion industry in a variety of business contexts. Research and analyse key factors that influence buying decisions, such as changes in fashion design, trend forecasting and customer profiles. Understand the buying and merchandising calendar, both in the UK and globally. Hear from industry professionals about their experiences and current challenges.
• Principles of Planning and Trading a Range: Combine business and creative skills to create successful and profitable range plans. Discover how to work with a development team to manage the design, production and quality of products in a range, and the financial and marketing elements that support this. Create visual range plans using a variety of design software and master the basics of Excel.
• Fashion Retail Buying Principles: Learn about the global market, fabric sourcing, the supply chain, as well as the ethical and political parameters all buyers must work within. Explore how to source and manufacture in different regions, along with how to develop an effective supply chain and strong working relationships with factories and brands. Visit a UK garment manufacturer to see firsthand how our clothes are made.

• Past, Present and Future: Gain a deeper understanding of the fashion industry by exploring its history, as well as the cultural and environmental influences which impact it. Develop academic writing, research, and analytical skills.
• Individual Negotiated Fashion Retail Project: Combine creative and business skills to create a viable business proposition of your own choice to demonstrate your learning. Develop presentation, research, and time management skills.
• Preparation for Progression in Fashion Retail: Discover how to identify relevant employment opportunities and prepare for interviews after graduating. Learn professional skills including CV writing and portfolio creation. You could have an opportunity to take part in a live assessment set by one of our brand partners.

We're proud of our exceptional fashion buying and merchandising industry links to over 250 major brands at the Fashion Retail Academy. All our tutors have worked in the industry, and have plenty of knowledge and experience to share.

During your Level 4 Fast Track Buying & Merchandising course, you’ll have regular enrichment from our industry and retail partners. We’ll teach you to develop a strong professional network that will support you throughout your career. You’ll also take part in projects and challenges set by brands that help you to develop valuable professional skills.

VISITING INDUSTRY EXPERTS

You’ll receive regular classes and lectures from Visiting Industry Experts (VIEs), from top brands in the fashion industry. They’ll also set projects and tasks for you to complete.

Our VIEs will give you feedback on your work and tell you how their brand might react in similar circumstances, helping give context and direction to your studies. These projects will also develop your professional skills in time management, team building and prioritising for deadlines.

Previous projects have been set by retailers including Alexander McQueen, ASOS, Sweaty Betty and H&M.

WORK PLACEMENT

You'll have the opportunity to undertake a three-week, full-time work placement with a brand to help you put your skills into practice and gain first-hand experience of buying and merchandising job functions. You’ll be assigned to an industry manager either individually or as a small group, and you’ll work remotely or in the office. You’ll be given tasks to complete, providing you with an understanding of a specific job role and its place within an organisation. You could be working in a single team, or across multiple areas of the business.

After completing Level 4 Fast Track Buying & Merchandising, you’ll be ready to progress straight into an entry-level role in industry.

Popular roles include Buying Admin Assistant, Merchandising Admin Assistant, Allocator or Buying Clerk.

There is particular demand in the industry at the moment for entry-level merchandisers, with opportunities for rapid progression for strong candidates.

Find out more about our Fashion Careers Service

All our Level 4 specialist higher Diplomas come with our Job Guarantee. 

We design our courses alongside our industry partners to teach you the skills and attributes you need to secure a job. So, if you’re not offered one within six months of completing your course, we’ll refund your course fees in full. 

This offer applies to students who are paying privately or using the Advanced Learner Loan to fund their studies. If you secured a loan to pay for your course, we will not refund your loan interest.

See our Terms & Conditions for our full eligibility criteria.

Awarding body
University of the Arts London

Age requirement
19+

Start date
February and September

Course duration
6 months (22 weeks), delivered over 2 days per week

• Sep 2024 Intake: Wednesday & Friday

You’ll attend the Fashion Retail Academy for 2 full days per week (totalling an average of 16 hours per week) and you'll be expected to complete 2 days of independent study and coursework each week. Many of our students take on part-time work on their remaining free days to boost their industry experience.  

Course Fees

£4,220. Advanced Learner Loans are available

Entry requirements

• 1 A-level or the equivalent Level 3 qualification
• 5 GCSEs grade C/4 or above, including Maths and English (either Language or Literature)

For non-UK qualifications, please provide an ENIC Statement of Comparability. 

If you're applying from a non-English speaking country, you'll need at least 5.5 overall and in each section of IELTS test for English language 

Assessment
The course is 100% coursework via termly assignments that measure your knowledge and understanding.

Offers
After completing our online form, we'll process your application and send you the outcome by post and email in 5-10 working days. We process applications in the order we receive them, and offers are made on a first-come, first-served basis. 

• If you have your exam results and you meet the course's entry requirements, you'll be given an unconditional offer.
• If you don't have your results yet, your offer will be conditional on you meeting the entry requirements.

Your place on the Level 4 Fast Track Buying & Merchandising is only secure after you have completed enrolment.

SEPTEMBER 2024 COHORT

• Enrolment: Week commencing 19th August 2024 
• Term starts: Week commencing 2nd September 2024 
• Winter break: Week commencing 23rd December 2024
• Term starts: Week commencing 6th January 2025 
• Work placement: Week commencing 20th January 2025 
• Term ends: Week commencing 10th February 2025 

Students should continue to access their FRA emails up to three weeks following the final submission date in the event they are asked to resubmit work (there will be a limited time for students to do this).

FEBRUARY 2025 COHORT

• Enrolment: Week commencing 17th February 2025 
• Term starts: Week commencing 24th February 2025 
• Work placement: Week commencing 7th July 2025 
• Term ends: Week commencing 21st July 2025 

*Term dates are subject to change

LAURA NEWMAN - Jordan x RÆBURN

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range plan

range plan

outfit styling

The Fashion Retail Academy is located at our new campus at Electra House near Liverpool Street, central London. 

The listed building has undergone a £50 million refurbishment to give our students the facilities and spaces they need. Liverpool Street has excellent transport links to the rest of London and beyond, and Electra House is situated directly across from Moorgate tube station. 

There are: 

• 8 floors (Electra House is double the size of our old campus)
• A bigger library and more workspaces
• 26 classrooms
• Bespoke studio spaces
• 6 lecture theatres
• Dedicated fashion design wing
• IT hub and self-service laptop lockers
• "Speakeasy" student common room and on-site cafe
• 2 specialist exhibition and event spaces
• Wellness spaces and communal areas
• Discovery nook

Click here for more information about Electra House.