Fashion Design (B.A.)
The fashion design major prepares students for assistant designer and pattern/drafting/tailoring specialist positions in the fashion industry as well as positions in apparel manufacturing and product development and merchandising and buying opportunities in the garment industry.
Students in fashion design participate in an annual juried fashion show, Portfolio in Motion, featuring garments they have designed and constructed. The program culminates in a noted designer’s professional evaluation of the student’s original designs. Opportunities to cultivate professional skills are developed through participation in the Marymount Fashion Club and the Pattern Makers Club; affiliations with the Fashion Group International of Greater Washington, DC, Inc.; and internships.
Upon successful completion of the fashion design program, students will be able to
- conduct design research with an in-depth understanding of various customer profiles and global and domestic fashion markets to critically analyze a design problem and explore various design solutions in the creation of a fashion line that meets the needs of the specified target market;
- critically assess and research a design problem to appropriately source fabrics and notions for a fashion line based on specific criteria;
- demonstrate skills in drawing the fashion figure, rendering fabrications, and applying color in a professional manner for presentation in a professional portfolio upon entry into the industry;
- demonstrate digital communication skills (digital/CAD software) in the presentation of detailed technical flats and tech packs for a professional presentation to factories for successful product manufacturing on- and/or offshore; and
- create a cohesive line of garments that demonstrate quality construction and workmanship, functional properties, and aesthetic merits that the fashion industry would submit to seasonal runway shows.
Minimum Grade Requirements: To continue in the Fashion Design program, a C or better must be earned in each of the following courses: FD 102, FD 203, FD 265, FD 305, FD 307, FD 308, FD 485, VIS 224, GMD 308, VIS 101, VIS 111, and VIS 121.
Degree Requirements - Fashion Design
This degree requires a total of 120 credits.
Liberal Arts Core Requirements
See the Liberal Arts Core for details.
Major Requirements
To fulfill the requirements of the major, all students in this program will take the following coursework in a sequence determined in collaboration with an advisor. Some courses also satisfy Liberal Arts Core requirements.
Sample Degree Plan - Fashion Design
Please note that this is a sample plan; all students must consult with an advisor in making course selections.
Year One - Fall
| EN 101 | Composition I * | 3 |
| FD 102 | Sample Room Techniques | 3 |
| VIS 101 | User Centered Design | 3 |
| VIS 121 | Intro to Digital Tools | 3 |
| HI | History (HI) core course * | 3 |
Year One - Spring
| EN 102 | Composition II * | 3 |
| TRS 100 | Theological Inquiry * | 3 |
| VIS 111 | Intro to Color and Design * | 3 |
| VIS 112 | Drawing I * | 3 |
| MA | Mathematics (MT) core course * | 3-4 |
Year Two - Fall
| FD 203 | Apparel Design I | 3 |
| FD 251 | Textiles | 3 |
| | | |
| GMD 308 | Web and Social Media Design | 3 |
| | OR | |
| VIS 224 | Digital Publishing | 3 |
| | | |
| | Philosophy (PH) core course * | 3 |
| | One (1) elective | 3 |
Year Two — Spring
| FD 265 | Fashion Illustration I | 3 |
| | | |
| FD 361 | Survey of Fashion | 3 |
| | OR | |
| VIS 204 | History of Modern Design | 3 |
| | | |
| | Literature (LT) core course * | 3 |
| | Social Science (SS) core course * | 3 |
| | Natural Science (NS) core course with lab * | 4 |
Year Three — Fall
| FD 305 | Draping | 3 |
| FD 355 | CAD/CAM Fashion Design Fundamentals | 3 |
| VIS 225 | Digital Photography | 3 |
| | Social Science (SS) core course * | 3 |
| | Depth in Faith and Reason core course * | 3 |
Year Three — Spring
| FD 307 | Product Development I | 3 |
| FD 308 | Advanced Problems in Fashion Design I | 3 |
| | Depth in Sciences (DSCI) core course * | 3 |
| | Two (2) electives | 6 |
Year Four — Fall
| FD 407 | Product Development II | 3 |
| FD 485 | Senior Design Research and Development | |
| | Depth in Humanities core course | 3 |
| | Two (2) electives | 6 |
Year Four — Spring
Note: Students need 120 credits to graduate. One of the elective courses could be 2 credits.
* Fulfills Liberal Arts Core Requirements. See the Liberal Arts Core and Course Descriptions for further information.