Postgraduate Diploma in Fashion

Purpose

The Postgraduate Diploma in Fashion is designed to provide learners with the necessary skills and develop competencies to do research and be innovative and creative in the fashion sector. The qualification provides learners with advanced competencies, experience, skills and understanding required for developing innovation and originality and combining practice and research competence.

Originality is critical in the fashion sector, and therefore to be successful, the development of specialised skills which combines practice and research is critical within the qualification. This qualification develops strong entrepreneurial skills for self-employment, as well as the employment and transfer of skills to others. The qualification design is unique, and the core modules within the qualification will assist learners in acquiring specialised skills in strategic areas in the fashion environment. After the completion of this qualification, learners will be employable with specialised advanced skills and competencies. They would most likely in future find themselves in a supervisory or managerial role within the fashion sector. This qualification will equip learners with skills and competencies that would contribute to research, the application, and the evaluation of existing knowledge of a specialised area of fashion design or garment technology. Also, the qualification is to enhance professional and personal development.

Rationale

The qualification aims to empower the learner with the necessary research skills and knowledge to successfully meet the requirements and demands of the international trends in fashion design education and is imperative for progression and articulation purposes. This qualification assists learners in coping with the changing needs (nationally and internationally), markets and the latest technology. This qualification focuses on equipping learners to work independently or as part of a team. This qualification also prepares learners to contribute, through research, to the application and evaluation of existing knowledge to a specialised area of fashion design or garment technology and enhance professional and personal development. Learners conduct advanced research and gain experience in the specialised area of fashion. These advanced skills will prepare learners for the challenges of the future as the expansion and development of the South African clothing industry as a workforce.

The institution conducted a national and international benchmarking exercise with higher education institutions as well as consultation with relevant stakeholders. The benchmarking revealed the importance of the inclusion of a research component in the qualification to prepare learners for further studies. Learners with an advanced diploma in a relevant discipline will be able to articulate into the Postgraduate Diploma, after that master's and eventually a Doctorate. Learners completing this qualification will have an advantage in the discipline of fashion, as the qualification design focuses on visual practice.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The institution has an approved Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) policy applicable to equivalent qualifications for admission into the qualification. RPL will be applied to accommodate applicants who qualify. RPL thus provides alternative access and admission to qualifications, as well as advancement within qualifications.

RPL for access

• Learners who do not meet the minimum entrance requirements or the required qualification that is at the same NQF level as the qualification required for admission may be considered for admission through RPL.
• To be considered for admission in the qualification based on RPL, applicants should provide evidence in the form of a portfolio that demonstrates that they have acquired the relevant knowledge, skills, and competencies through formal, non-formal and/or informal learning to cope with the qualification expectations.

RPL for exemption of modules

• Learners may apply for RPL to be exempted from modules that form part of the qualification. For a learner to be exempted from a module, the learner needs to provide sufficient evidence in the form of a portfolio that demonstrates that competency was achieved for the learning outcomes that are equivalent to the learning outcomes of the module.

RPL for credit

• Learners may also apply for RPL for credit for or towards the qualification, in which they must provide evidence in the form of a portfolio that demonstrates prior learning through formal, non-formal and/or informal learning to obtain credits towards the qualification.
• Credit shall be appropriate to the context in which it is awarded and accepted.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• Advanced Diploma in Fashion, NQF Level 7.
• Bachelor of Fashion, NQF Level 7.
• Bachelor of Commerce in Fashion, NQF Level 7.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at NQF Level 8 totalling 120 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, 120 Credits.

• Professional practice: computer-aided creative and technical fashion drawing, 20 Credits.
• Professional practice: patternmaking and prototyping, 20 Credits.
• Fashion atelier management, 30 Credits.
• Research methods and design, 20 Credits.
• Research project, 30 Credits.

1. Solve complex fashion-related problems by applying critical thinking, creative problem-solving skills and research-informed strategies relating to the field of study.
2. Apply enhanced knowledge related to professional practice skills to evaluate, analyse, design, and develop products.
3. Engage with technology and computer-aided applications through advanced competencies to enhance design skills, such as software and creative skills, towards the development of an original product.
4. Conduct research in a professional manner. Apply and communicate professional and ethical values across professional practices, fashion atelier management, and research methods and design.
5. Conduct research in an independent professional and ethical manner, identify, collect, analyse, and interpret data on an advanced level to solve and report on fashion-related problems.
6. Demonstrate entrepreneurship, business strategies, branding and quality control within all the modules in the module structure: professional practice, fashion atelier management, and research methods and design.

- Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Solve complex fashion-related problems.
• Apply critical strategies through creative problem-solving skills.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Apply skills, evaluating, analysing product design and development competencies.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Engage with technology and computer-aided applications to develop an original product.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Conduct research in a professional manner.
• Apply and communicate professionally.
• Explore ethical values across professional practices, fashion atelier management, and research methods and design.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• conduct research in an independent professional and ethical manner.
• Identify, collect, analyse, and interpret data on an advanced level.
• Solve fashion-related problems.
• Report on fashion-related problems.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6

• Implement, apply, and integrate entrepreneurship, business strategies, branding and quality control across professional practices, fashion atelier management, and research methods and design.

Integrated Assessment

Assessment of modules is following the assessment policy of the institution. The learning guides for the modules contain the module's intended outcomes and assessment criteria which must be satisfied to pass.

Both formative and summative assessments are integral components of all modules within the qualification and have an application to continuous assessment, ensuring overall applied competence. Formative assessment occurs mainly through group discussions, practical exercises and feedback, presentation of assignments written reports.

Summative assessment practices will be implemented to assess the achievement of outcomes.

• Assessment of modules in the Postgraduate Diploma in Fashion will be in accordance with the assessment policy of the institution. The learning guides for the modules contain the module outcomes and assessment criteria which must be satisfied to pass.
• All the modules within the program are excessively assessed, both internally and externally. These assessments may include but are not limited to review by an external panel, industry experts, peer reviews, and lecturer evaluations.
• The research project in fashion is particularly assessed by external moderator(s) where students present their projects aligned with the associated assessment criteria and exit-level outcomes of the programme.
• Students will be assessed on their research proposal (oral and written) and on the fi report (written). An external moderator is needed for the final research reports.
• External moderators will be used to verify the standard of the summative assessments. These moderators will have the necessary qualifications, as outlined in the institution's assessment policy, and are appointed on a contract basis.

Summative assessment (CASS) will be a portfolio of evidence.

Summative assessments are done during and on completion of the five (5) modules.

Re-assessment opportunities included

Rewrites and resubmissions which shall only be accepted until CASS Policy are fully implemented on the HEQSF. Supplementary assessments proceed after the main assessment to be scheduled soon thereafter. Re-assessment is the final opportunity for assessments (this falls in line with the CASS Policy). Additional assessment opportunity includes special circumstance, which is only granted when written permission, with all supporting documents submitted. Assessments will take place within 7 days after the main assessment. Circumstances, which would allow for a special assessment, include illness supported by a medical certificate, serious injury, death of an immediate member and postponement decided upon by the institution. Special assessments are done during time slots scheduled for supplementary events.

Internal and external moderation/examination

Assessors and Moderators are appointed in the Faculty Board meeting and approved by Senate on the recommendation of the Dean and Deputy Vice-Chancellor for specific modules on a contract basis. Replacements are also authorised and approved by Senate. Moderators may be full- or part-time lecturers and can also include subject experts outside the campus.

Assessment tools aim to encourage students to give an account of their thinking and decision-making that underpins their demonstrated performance whether theoretical or practical of nature. The ratio between action and interpretation is flexible varying according to the nature of the module.

Assessment regulations are approved by Senate. Summative assessments are done on completion of modules. Assessors and moderators should be from the academia fashion and design sectors.