COURSE CURRICULUM

The Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Design requires a minimum of 120 credit hours, including major courses, electives, general education, and study away experiences. Major requirements, which count toward the major GPA, include foundational courses in fashion fundamentals, fashion visuals, fabrics, sustainable fashion, fashion technology, and apparel construction. Students progress through courses in fashion drawing, design concepts, 2-D and 3-D design practice, contemporary fashion designers, fashion portfolio development, and a professional internship. A study away or study abroad experience is also required to enhance global perspective and exposure to international fashion markets.Students complete additional major electives totaling 15 credit hours, which may include upper-division courses in fashion design and merchandising, accounting, art history, art studio, business, design innovation, economics, entrepreneurship, finance, management, marketing, media and journalism, theatre, or visual communication design. Fashion Design Studio electives, totaling 12 credit hours, allow students to choose from domestic and international studios, including Florence, Paris, and New York City, providing hands-on experience in professional-level design environments.Other requirements outside the major include art history, microeconomics, introductory statistics, principles of marketing, UC 10001: Flashes 101, and Kent Core courses in composition, social sciences, humanities, basic sciences (including laboratory), and additional electives. General electives are included to ensure students meet the 120-credit-hour minimum and achieve at least 39 upper-division credit hours.This curriculum is structured to develop technical competence, creative problem-solving, and conceptual understanding. Students graduate prepared to enter professional fashion design careers, present strong portfolios for industry positions, and engage in global and cross-disciplinary design practices.