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Free Level 3 Fashion Business and Retail Course in St Albans

CostFREE
Duration36 weeks
LevelLevel 3
DeliveryClassroom based
Start1 Sep 2026
Study modeFull-time
AttendanceDaytime
Awarding bodyUAL Awarding Body
Apply now →

About this course

Free Level 3 Fashion Business and Retail Course in St Albans. Classes run at Oaklands College St Albans Campus, full-time during the day.

The course runs over 36 weeks. You'll study eight units covering the full breadth of the industry. Topics include fashion buying and merchandising, fashion production and supply chain, visual merchandising, fashion management and marketing, and a collaborative retail project. You'll also develop communication skills specific to the sector.

You'll need at least four GCSEs at grade 4 or above, including maths and English, or a full Level 2 with a merit profile. You'll finish with a Level 3 Diploma in Fashion Business and Retail.

Who this course is for

Units and indicative content Level 3 Diploma Unit 1 Principles of fashion business and retail Unit 2 Communication for fashion business and retail Unit 3 Critical and contextual awareness Unit 4 Fashion production and supply chain Unit 5 Fashion buying and merchandising Unit 6 Fashion management and marketing Unit 7 Visual merchandising for fashion retail Unit 8 Collaborative fashion retail project Units and indicative content Level 3 Extended Diploma Unit 9 Specialist study and preparation for progression in fashion business and retail Unit 10 Fashion retail environments Unit 11 Fashion futures and sustainability Unit 12 Project proposal in fashion business and retail Unit 13 Extended project in fashion business and retail

Entry requirements

A minimum of 4 GCSEs grade 9 - 4 including maths and English or a full Level 2 with a merit profile and grades 9 - 4 in English & maths.

What you will learn

  • You'll explore the principles of fashion business and retail.
  • You'll develop communication skills for the fashion industry.
  • You'll build critical and contextual awareness of fashion.
  • You'll study fashion production and the supply chain.
  • You'll learn the fundamentals of fashion buying and merchandising.
  • You'll understand fashion management and marketing.
  • You'll practise visual merchandising for fashion retail.
  • You'll complete a collaborative fashion retail project.

How you will learn

You'll study in the classroom at Oaklands College St Albans Campus. Learning is delivered through taught sessions, practical projects, and unit-based assignments. Assessment is through coursework and project work across the eight units. The collaborative retail project gives you hands-on experience working as part of a team.

What you will need to bring

The centre will provide most materials. Oaklands College St Albans Campus will confirm anything else you need before you start.

Where next

Jobs you could do

  • Fashion buyer, sources and selects clothing ranges for retailers.
  • Visual merchandiser, designs in-store displays to drive sales.
  • Fashion marketing assistant, supports campaigns for fashion brands.
  • Retail assistant, works on the shop floor in a fashion environment.
  • Merchandising assistant, manages stock and sales data for a fashion retailer.
  • Fashion production coordinator, supports the supply chain from design to delivery.

What you could study next

  • Level 4 or Level 5 Diploma in Fashion or Business, for those wanting to specialise further before entering the industry.
  • BA (Hons) in Fashion Business or Fashion Marketing, a degree route for learners aiming for graduate-level roles in buying, marketing, or brand management.
  • Higher National Certificate in Business, a broader business qualification that complements fashion retail experience.
Apply on oaklands.ac.uk →
Apply now →

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