Skip to content

New textile design course to be split between Galashiels and Philadelphia

Heriot-Watt University Marnie CollinsHeriot-Watt University
Assistant professor Marnie Collins said the inspiration for the course was partly drawn from her own experience

A Scottish and an American university are teaming up for the first time to offer a new course.

The MSc in global textile design will see students split their time between Galashiels and Philadelphia.

It is the first time in its 200-year history that Heriot-Watt has joined forces with a US institution.

Graduates of the programme - launching next year - will earn a joint degree from the Thomas Jefferson University and its Scottish counterpart.

The initial intake will see 12 students using each campus location as a base to "explore international textile trade fairs and artisanal heritage sites".

As well as studying textiles over 18 months they will also gain industry experience through a summer internship with an established brand.

Assistant professor Marnie Collins said: "This is the first time this university has introduced a joint-degree of this nature with a US-based university and it really is an unprecedented opportunity for students."

She said it would provide postgraduates with a "global perspective of the textile industry".

Ms Collins said the programme had been inspired by her own personal experience as a textile design student from Philadelphia who spent a year at the Scottish Borders campus.

Heriot-Watt University Galashiels campusHeriot-Watt University
Students will spend part of their time on the Scottish university's campus in Galashiels
Getty Images PhiladelphiaGetty Images
For the US part of the programme students will be based in Philadelphia

"I realised that the exposure to a combination of design practices, approaches, networks and brands strengthened my understanding of the global textiles industry," she said.

"This experience gave me confidence that what I was creating was relevant and it provided me with a competitive advantage over other graduates who lacked this international perspective.

"Throughout my career as a practising textile designer, I have drawn most from what I have learned in my travels, starting with my unconventional study path."

Prof Marcia Weiss of Thomas Jefferson University, the world's oldest textile institution, said: "We're very excited to introduce this first-of-its-kind program that establishes the global model for 21st Century professional education.

"It unites and builds on the textile legacy of these two institutions, while forming an exciting springboard for the future."