E-Textiles and Wearable Technologies (Taught)

About this course
Build in-depth knowledge and practical experience in e-textiles and wearable technologies at the UK's leading university for e-textile research. Study at Winchester School of Art and combine scientific and design thinking, informed by over 15 years of research and industry partnerships.
Develop your abilities in electronics, textiles, design, and e-textiles clothing whilst expanding your academic and entrepreneurial experience. Learn about advanced manufacturing techniques, innovative materials like graphene, digital printing, and industry-standard technologies through embedded partnerships. Throughout your studies, explore critical themes including sustainability, energy, data security, research ethics, and user-centred design approaches that benefit society.
Work with digital tools including Photoshop, Shima Seiki Apex4, Illustrator, and Clo3D to create pattern designs and technical illustrations. Access dedicated teaching labs, the E-textile Innovation Lab, and specialist facilities for experimentation, physical and virtual sampling, and prototyping. E-textiles are transforming sectors like workwear, medicine, and sports through innovations such as electrically heated workwear, biomonitoring garments with textile-based sensors, and GPS-enabled performance wear.
Your future career
You'll gain subject-specific and employability skills for diverse careers in design, engineering, e-textile material science, wearable technologies, and innovation sectors. Your interdisciplinary collaboration skills will prepare you for success across the growing e-textiles and advanced textiles industry.
Key features of this course
At Southampton you'll:

study at the UK's leading institution for e-textile research, combining scientific rigour with creative design practice
access dedicated teaching labs, the E-textile Innovation Lab, New Materials Lab, and advanced design, manufacturing, and testing tools
learn from industry and design experts through lectures, seminars, workshops, real-world project briefs, and technical mentoring
develop practical skills in electronics, textiles, conductive and sensing materials, scalable manufacturing, and sustainable e-textile development
work on live interdisciplinary group projects reflecting current sector concerns, applying inclusive design practices
learn advanced techniques including digital printing, functional materials application, and quantitative and qualitative research methods
complete an independent or industry live project for your final major work

Further information
This one-year full-time master's is structured across three semesters. In semester one, you'll learn fundamentals of textiles, electronics, sustainability, and user-centred design. Semester two advances your knowledge of functional materials, manufacturing techniques, market specialisms, and research methods. Your final semester focuses on an independent or industry project demonstrating original contribution to e-textiles practice.

Compulsory modules include: Textile Design; Professional and Academic Skills; FInal Project. Optional modules include: Digital Cultures; Entrepreneurship; Experimental Publishing; Exploring the Visual Language of Display; Global Marketing.

For a full list of modules please visit: https://www.southampton.ac.uk/courses/textile-design-masters-ma#modules

We will assess your knowledge through: your portfolio and final project collection, evidence of the research underpinning your studio practice, reflective assignments that critically evaluate aspects of your own learning and your approach to problem solving and team working.