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Fashion Design (B.A.)

The fashion design major prepares students for positions in the fashion industry related to the role of an assistant designer.

Students in fashion design participate in an annual juried fashion show featuring garments they have designed and constructed. Opportunities to cultivate professional skills are developed through participation in the Marymount Fashion Club; affiliations with the Fashion Group International of Greater Washington, DC, Inc.; and internships.

Students are prepared to work for apparel manufacturers or in departments of product development. Seniors produce an original line of fashions and a portfolio, and complete an 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 the fashion design program, students will be able to

create garments worthy of acceptance to Marymount’s prestigious fashion show that are of appropriate quality, function, and aesthetics;
design an aesthetically pleasing and functional line of apparel that is appropriate for a target market and visually expressed in a portfolio for entry into the industry;
make technical drawings of apparel (flats and specs), fashion illustrations, and fashion presentations; and
demonstrate competency in design research and its application to design problems.

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 350 Apparel Design I §

FA 104 Color Theory §

Introductory Social Science (SS-1) core course*

TRS 100 Theological Inquiry (TRS-1 core course)*

Year Two — Spring

AA 307 Product Development I §

AA 361 Survey of Fashion §

ECO 210 Principles of Microeconomics (SS-1 core course)*

PH 200 Introduction to Philosophy (PH-1 core course)*

Introductory History (HI-1) core course*

Year Three — Fall

AA 272 Textile Design I §

AA 385 Apparel Design II § *

Introductory Literature (LT-1) core course*

Introductory Social Science (SS-1) or Natural Science (NS) 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*

Advanced Social Science (SS-2) 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*

Natural Science (NS) core course with lab*

One (1) elective

Year Four — Spring

AA 400 Internship § *

AA 420 Advanced Problems in Fashion Design II §

AA 423 Senior Fashion Design Portfolio §

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.

Fashion Design (Minor)

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

Fashion Merchandising (B.A.)

The major in fashion merchandising focuses on retail buying, product development, and fashion promotion, which includes visual merchandising, public relations and fashion events, and writing and media. 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 media design, or fashion design.

The required internship in the senior year brings students valuable experience with department stores, retail shops, clothing manufacturers, and distributors.

Students in fashion merchandising participate in the Marymount Fashion Club; activities sponsored by the Fashion Group International of Greater Washington, DC, Inc.; and 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 sometimes evaluated by representatives of industry.

Upon successful completion of the fashion merchandising program, students will be able to

identify and foster salable apparel based on quality, appropriateness, price, target market, and aesthetic appearance, for the purpose of retail buying;
promote apparel effectively through visual merchandising, writing and media, public relations, and fashion events;
apply the process of product development, including consumer and trend research, forecasting, fabricating, garment styling and line development, technical design, pricing, sourcing, and retail distribution; and
conduct merchandising research and consumer and data analysis, and apply findings to merchandising problems.

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

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 395 Digital Presentation for Fashion

AA 400 Internship

AA 405 Fashion in the Global Marketplace

AA 407 Product Development II

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 with lab*

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 361 Survey of Fashion §

MKT 301 Principles of Marketing §

Fine Arts (FNA), Advanced History (HI-2), or Advanced Literature (LT-2) core course*

Introductory Social Science (SS-1) core course*

Year Three — Fall

AA 320 Fashion Research and Communication § *

AA 381 Buying Fashion Apparel §

ECO 210 Principles of Microeconomics (SS-1 core course)*

Introductory Social Science (SS-1) or Natural Science (NS) core course*

Advanced Theology/Religious Studies (TRS-2) or Theological Ethics (TRS-E) core course*

Year Three — Spring

AA 382 Merchandise Planning and Analysis §

AA 395 Digital Presentation for Fashion §

AA 405 Fashion in the Global Marketplace § *

AA 414 Fashion Show Production §

Advanced Philosophy (PH-2) or Philosophical Ethics (PH-E) core course*

Year Four — Fall

AA 407 Product Development II § *

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 § *

Three (3) 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.

Fashion Merchandising (Minor)

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 395 Digital Presentation for Fashion, AA 405 Fashion in the Global Marketplace, AA 407 Product Development II, AA 410 Fashion Consulting and Culture, AA 412 The Great Designers, AA 414 Fashion Show Production, MKT 301 Principles of Marketing.