Textile Sustainability and Innovation MSc

Fashion and textile businesses across the world are seeking sustainable raw materials and manufacturing methods for designing innovative products whilst maintaining quality and meeting the needs of their consumers.

This course will prepare you to discover and drive sustainable and innovative textile solutions to address global environmental and societal challenges facing the global fashion and textile industries. You’ll gain an advanced understanding of the role of technology in the development of textile materials and products, including contemporary innovations in the fashion and textile industry.

You’ll also develop core skills in textile and apparel technology, whilst gaining commercial awareness and an understanding of product development, design and manufacturing processes. Optional modules will also give you the chance to specialise in areas aligned to your interests and career aspirations.

Practical experience including laboratory research, problem-solving and report writing will prepare you for your future career. You’ll be taught by leading academic staff with a range of expertise and industry experience spanning performance design, sustainability, textile technology, colour technology, healthcare and technical textiles.

This course is also available to study as a Postgraduate Diploma and Postgraduate Certificate.

Specialist facilities

We have excellent facilities to help you make the most of your time at Leeds. Specialist facilities include state of the art equipment for polymer synthesis, fibre extrusion, yarn and fabric development (including woven, knitted and nonwoven) as well as a digital printing studio and a laboratory for materials testing and characterisation.

Since 2013, we have invested over £9 million upgrading our facilities including labs, workshops, studios and student spaces. The School is also home to the Future Fashion Factory project which supports innovation in the UK fashion and textiles industry. In 2018, we opened our 3D Weaving Innovation Centre which is leading the way in 3D weaving technology, design and production.

You’ll have the opportunity to develop skills and techniques in these facilities, particularly in relation to the research you will undertake for your dissertation.

In the first semester you’ll build on foundational skills to develop your knowledge in textile and fashion design technology. You’ll also begin to explore issues surrounding sustainability in the specific context of the fashion and textile sector, and engage in activities to propose solutions that textile design technology could provide to tackle these issues.

In the second semester you’ll explore aspects of product development in the textile sector, whilst gaining an in-depth understanding of the innovative manufacturing processes, considering the impact on sustainability at all stages.

In line with your aspirations, selected optional modules in both semesters will enable you to gain a specialist understanding of key areas such as technical textiles, colour technology or a specific application of textiles such as in digital printing or healthcare.

You’ll undertake a major research dissertation, under the supervision of a subject specialist, which will give you the chance to direct your own study, developing key skills in laboratory research and conducting independent research into a specialist area of your interest.

The Programme Leader for this course is Dr Kaida Xiao.

Course structure

The list shown below represents typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our Terms and conditions.

For more information and a full list of typical modules available on this course, please read Textile Sustainability and Innovation MSc in the course catalogue

Modules

Year 1

Learning and teaching

You’ll have lectures, seminars, tutorials and practical lab sessions as part of this course. Discussion and interactive sessions will encourage you to critically examine key elements of textile sustainability and innovation further based on topics covered in the teaching provisions.

You’ll also undertake independent research as part of the dissertation module. You’ll benefit from support from both academic tutors and technical staff.

In addition, you’ll have the chance to take part in lecturers and seminars led by visiting speakers from other universities, research organisations, public organisations and textile sector professionals.

On this course you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.

Assessment

The course involves a diverse set of assessment activities, including essays and examinations as well as practical and project work, laboratory reports, literature reviews and presentations. This combination will develop and enhance your technical, professional and transferable skills. You’ll also benefit from timely and explicit feedback from your tutors to help develop your learning.

Entry requirements

You’ll need a bachelor degree with a 2:1 (hons) or equivalent qualification, preferably in: a textile-related subject, management, business, design, or a related science, engineering or social science subject.

We’ll also consider your application if you have a 2:2 degree combined with relevant experience, such as in employment, an internship, or a year in industry; we’ll also consider applicants without a formal degree who hold a relevant professional qualification, such as from The Textile Institute or Society of Dyers and Colourists.

You’ll be required to respond to the questions in the supporting statement section of the online application form.

English language requirements

IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in each component.

Improve your English

International students who do not meet the English language requirements for this programme may be able to study our postgraduate pre-sessional English course, to help improve your English language level.

This pre-sessional course is designed with a progression route to your degree programme and you’ll learn academic English in the context of your subject area. To find out more, read Language for Science (6 weeks) and Language for Science: General Science (10 weeks). 

We also offer online pre-sessionals alongside our on-campus pre-sessionals. You could study a part-time online course starting in January, or a full-time course in summer. Find out more about online pre-sessionals.

You can also study pre-sessionals for longer periods – read about our postgraduate pre-sessional English courses.

How to apply

Application deadline:

We operate a staged admissions process for our courses, with selection deadlines throughout the year.

If you do not receive an offer, or a notification that your application has been unsuccessful at a particular stage in the process, your application will be carried forward to be considered at the next stage.

Please see our How to Apply page for full details and the application timeline for the staged admissions process.

Apply

This link takes you to information on applying for taught programmes and to the University's online application system.

If you're unsure about the application process, contact the admissions team for help.

Documents and information you’ll need

• A copy of your degree certificate and transcripts, or a partial transcript if you’re still studying (including an official English translation if necessary)
• A personal statement in response to the questions asked in the supporting statement section of the application form, which explains why you wish to study this particular course and your future career plans
• Evidence of your English language qualifications, if English is not your first language

The Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures receives very large numbers of high-quality applications and regrets that it cannot make offers to all of its applicants. Some particularly popular schools may have to reject many that hold the necessary academic qualifications.

Read about visas, immigration and other information in International students. We recommend that international students apply as early as possible to ensure that they have time to apply for their visa.

Fees

• UK: £14,500 (total)
• International: £27,500 (total)

Read more about paying fees and charges.

For fees information for international taught postgraduate students, read Masters fees.

Additional cost information

Computers and digital equipment

To ensure you can make the most of your studies at Leeds, you’ll need to make sure your laptop meets the system requirements for your course.

Depending on your circumstances you can benefit from a laptop loan or further support from our Financial Assistance Fund.

There may be additional costs related to your course or programme of study, or related to being a student at the University of Leeds. Read more about additional costs.

Scholarships and financial support

If you have the talent and drive, we want you to be able to study with us, whatever your financial circumstances. There may be help for students in the form of loans, scholarships and non-repayable grants from the University and from the government.

Clothworkers’ Scholarship

Affordability route

The School of Design offers five Clothworkers’ Affordability Scholarships, worth £5,914, to enable eligible UK fee-paying students from under-represented groups to study a MSc Textile Sustainability and Innovation.

The scholarships do not have to be paid back and are in addition to the financial support you can receive from the government.

Applications for the 2023–24 academic year will open in Spring 2023. Please check the Leeds Masters Scholarship web page for further details.

Academic achievement route

All UK fee paying students who apply to this programme are considered for a Clothworkers’ Academic Achievement Scholarship. The Scholarships provide three students with £4,000 towards their study and are based on an applicant’s academic achievement.

All UK fee paying student who apply by 30th June 2023 will be considered. There is no separate application process and decision will be based on grades at undergraduate level.

The announcement for the scholarship will be made by 31st July 2023.

This degree will equip you with a diverse range of knowledge and professional skills. Career opportunities include sustainability management roles in fashion and textile industry and retailors, textile innovation and/or product development, fashion buyers, textile management, technical consultancy, garment technologists, testing laboratory professionals, technical marketing and support, colour technologists, retail and supply chain management, textile technology/engineering positions, project scientists and quality assurance. You could also choose to continue with postgraduate research at PhD level.

Careers support

We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.

The Careers Centre and staff in your faculty provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more at the Careers website.