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The fashion design major prepares students for positions in the fashion industry related to the roles of an assistant designer.
Students in fashion design participate in an annual juried fashion show featuring garments they have designed and constructed. An opportunity to cultivate professional skills can be developed through participation in the Marymount Fashion Club and through affiliations with the Baltimore-Washington, DC, Fashion Group International, Inc.
Students are prepared to work for apparel manufacturers or in departments of product development. Advanced students produce a line of fashions and a portfolio, and all senior students are expected to complete an off-campus internship with a cooperating employer. The program culminates in a noted designer’s professional evaluation of the student’s original designs.
Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to
Course Enrollment Policy: Applied arts courses are open only to declared majors and minors in the fashion design or fashion merchandising program.
Minimum Grade Requirements: A minimum grade of C is required in any course within the fashion design major that serves as a prerequisite for a higher-numbered course.
Degree Requirements — Fashion Design
Liberal Arts Core and University Requirements
See University Requirements and the Liberal Arts Core for details. Fashion design majors will satisfy the three-course university Writing-Intensive (WI) requirement in the following way: AA 320 Fashion Research and Communication (a major elective) and two other WI courses in the Liberal Arts Core or university electives.
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 a faculty advisor. Some courses also satisfy Liberal Arts Core and/or University Requirements.
AA 151 Textiles
AA 250 Sample Room Techniques I
AA 260 Sample Room Techniques II
AA 265 Fashion Illustration I
AA 272 Textile Design I
AA 274 Fashion Industry and Its Promotion
AA 307 Product Development I
AA 350 Apparel Design I
AA 361 Survey of Fashion
AA 365 Fashion Illustration II
AA 385 Apparel Design II
AA 395 Digital Presentation for Fashion
AA 400 Internship
AA 407 Product Development II
AA 415 Apparel Design III
AA 418 Advanced Problems in Fashion Design I
AA 420 Advanced Problems in Fashion Design II
AA 423 Senior Fashion Design Portfolio
FA 103 Two-Dimensional Design
FA 104 Color Theory
FA 105 Drawing I
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
AA 151 Textiles §
AA 250 Sample Room Techniques I §
FA 105 Drawing I §
EN 101 Composition I (WR core course)*
DSC 101 DISCOVER First-Year Seminar*
Year One — Spring
AA 260 Sample Room Techniques II §
AA 274 Fashion Industry and its Promotion§
FA 103 Two-Dimensional Design (FNA core course) § *
EN 102 Composition II (WR core course)*
Mathematics (MT) core course*
Year Two — Fall
AA 265 Fashion Illustration I § *
AA 307 Product Development I §
FA 104 Color Theory §
Introductory Social Science (SS-1) core course (Politics, Psychology, Sociology)*
TRS 100 Theological Inquiry (TRS-1 core course)*
Year Two — Spring
AA 272 Textile Design §
AA 361 Survey of Fashion §
AA 350 Apparel Design I §
ECO 210 Principles of Microeconomics (SS-1 core course)*
PH 200 Introduction to Philosophy (PH-1 core course)*
Year Three — Fall
AA 385 Apparel Design II § *
Introductory History (HI-1) core course*
Introductory Literature (LT-1) core course*
Advanced Social Science (SS-2) core course*
Advanced Theology/Religious Studies (TRS-2) or Theological Ethics (TRS-E) core course*
Year Three — Spring
AA 365 Fashion Illustration II §
AA 395 Digital Presentation for Fashion §
AA 415 Apparel Design III §
Advanced History (HI-2) or Advanced Literature (LT-2) core course*
Natural Science (NS) core course*
Year Four — Fall
AA 407 Product Development II § *
AA 418 Advanced Problems in Fashion Design I §
Advanced Philosophy (PH-2) or Philosophical Ethics (PH-E) core course*
Introductory Social Science (SS-1) or Natural Science (NS) core course*
One (1) elective
Year Four — Spring
AA 400 Internship § *
AA 420 Advanced Problems in Fashion Design II §
AA 423 Senior Fashion Design Portfolio §
One (1) elective
§ Requirement for the major
* Fulfills Liberal Arts Core/University Requirements. See University Requirements and the Liberal Arts Core and Course Descriptions for further information.
Course Enrollment Policy: Applied arts courses are open only to declared majors and minors in the fashion design or fashion merchandising program.
Minor Requirements
Twenty-one (21) credits from the following: AA 250 Sample Room Techniques I, AA 260 Sample Room Techniques II, AA 265 Fashion Illustration I, AA 272 Textile Design I, AA 307 Product Development I, AA 350 Apparel Design I, AA 365 Fashion Illustration II, AA 372 Textile Design II, AA 385 Apparel Design II, AA 395 Digital Presentation for Fashion, AA 407 Product Development II, AA 415 Apparel Design III, AA 418/420 Advanced Problems in Fashion Design I and II, AA 423 Senior Fashion Design Portfolio
The major in fashion merchandising focuses on buying, product development, visual merchandising, public relations and fashion events, writing and media, and international trade in the fashion industry. Graduates attain positions such as department manager, assistant manager, assistant buyer, and fashion events coordinator. Liberal Arts Core requirements sharpen communication and organization skills; ample provision for elective choices permits a variety of minors. Many students choose a minor in business administration, communication, or fashion design.
The required internship in the senior year brings students valuable experience with department stores, retail shops, and clothing manufacturers and distributors.
Students in fashion merchandising participate in the Marymount Fashion Club, in activities sponsored by the Baltimore-Washington, DC, Fashion Group International, Inc., and in fashion shows on and off campus.
There is an opportunity to study product development related to prominent businesses and agencies, such as Nordstrom, L.L. Bean, and Cotton Incorporated.
Fashion merchandising students plan and produce the annual student fashion show, Portfolio in Motion.
Seniors complete a seminar in which merchandising problems are solved using the case method. The case analysis is evaluated by representatives from the industry.
Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to
Course Enrollment Policy: Applied arts courses are open only to declared majors and minors in the fashion merchandising or fashion design program.
Degree Requirements — Fashion Merchandising
Liberal Arts Core and University Requirements
See University Requirements and the Liberal Arts Core for details. Fashion merchandising majors will satisfy the three-course university Writing-Intensive (WI) requirement in the following way: AA 320 Fashion Research and Communication and two (2) additional WI courses from the Liberal Arts Core or university electives.
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 a faculty advisor. Some courses also satisfy Liberal Arts Core and/or University Requirements.
AA 151 Textiles
AA 250 Sample Room Techniques I
AA 273 Visual Merchandising
AA 274 Fashion Industry and Its Promotion
AA 281 Fashion Retailing
AA 307 Product Development I
AA 320 Fashion Research and Communication
AA 361 Survey of Fashion
AA 381 Buying Fashion Apparel
AA 382 Merchandise Planning and Analysis
AA 400 Internship
AA 405 Fashion in the Global Marketplace
AA 407 Product Development II
AA 410 Clothing Selection and Behavior
AA 414 Fashion Show Production
AA 422 Senior Seminar in Fashion Merchandising
MKT 301 Principles of Marketing
Sample Degree Plan — Fashion Merchandising
Please note that this is a sample plan; all students must consult with an advisor in making course selections.
Year One — Fall
AA 151 Textiles §
EN 101 Composition I (WR core course)*
Introductory History (HI-1) core course*
Mathematics (MT) core course*
DSC 101 DISCOVER First-Year Seminar*
Year One — Spring
AA 274 Fashion Industry and Its Promotion §
EN 102 Composition II (WR core course)*
PH 200 Introduction to Philosophy (PH-1 core course)*
Natural Science (NS) core course*
One (1) elective
Year Two — Fall
AA 250 Sample Room Techniques I §
AA 273 Visual Merchandising § *
AA 281 Fashion Retailing §
Introductory Literature (LT-1) core course*
TRS 100 Theological Inquiry (TRS-1 core course)*
Year Two — Spring
AA 307 Product Development I §
AA 320 Fashion Research and Communication § *
AA 361 Survey of Fashion §
MKT 301 Principles of Marketing §
Fine Arts (FNA), Advanced History (HI-2), or Advanced Literature (LT-2) core course*
Year Three — Fall
AA 381 Buying Fashion Apparel §
AA 407 Product Development II § *
ECO 210 Principles of Microeconomics (SS-1 core course)*
Introductory Social Science (SS-1) core course (politics, psychology, sociology)*
Advanced Theology/Religious Studies (TRS-2) or Theological Ethics (TRS-E) core course*
Year Three — Spring
AA 382 Merchandise Planning and Analysis §
AA 410 Clothing Selection and Behavior §
AA 414 Fashion Show Production §
Advanced Philosophy (PH-2) or Philosophical Ethics (PH-E) core course*
One (1) elective
Year Four — Fall
AA 405 Fashion in the Global Marketplace § *
Fine Arts (FNA), Advanced History (HI-2), or Advanced Literature (LT-2) core course*
Advanced Social Science (SS-2) core course*
Two (2) electives
Year Four — Spring
AA 400 Internship § *
AA 422 Senior Seminar in Fashion Merchandising § *
Introductory Social Science (SS-1) or Natural Science (NS) core course*
Two (2) electives
§ Requirement for the major
* Fulfills Liberal Arts Core/University Requirements. See University Requirements and the Liberal Arts Core and Course Descriptions for further information.
Course Enrollment Policy: Applied arts courses are open only to declared majors and minors in the fashion merchandising or fashion design program.
Minor Requirements
AA 281 Fashion Retailing
AA 361 Survey of Fashion
AA 381 Buying Fashion Apparel
Twelve (12) additional credits from the following: AA 151 Textiles, AA 273 Visual Merchandising, AA 274 Fashion Industry and Its Promotion, AA 307 Product Development I, AA 320 Fashion Research and Communication, AA 382 Merchandising Planning and Analysis, AA 405 Fashion in the Global Marketplace, AA 407 Product Development II, AA 410 Clothing Selection and Behavior, AA 412 The Great Designers, AA 414 Fashion Show Production, MKT 301 Principles of Marketing.
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