- Details
The Fashion Design and Technology curriculum for the BLPS Degree in Liberal and Professional Studies requires Undergraduate Core, Major, and Elective requirements and requirement subcategories as illustrated below. Courses provide an overview of the fashion industry and business with a focus on fashion design. The curriculum is supported by experiential learning methodologies that directly involve students in industry experience and the local community.
PROGRAM CURRICULUM
UNDERGRADUATE CORE CURRICULUM
Area I: Math/Natural Science
1. Finite Mathematics SMMAFM150
2. Introduction to Nutrition FWDNIN200
3. The Italian Food Industry: From Farm to Table HPFBSF250
4. Fairfield online course: Mathematics or Natural Science 1000-level
Area II: History/Social Science
1. Saints and Sinners LAHSSS330
2. The Medici Family: A Florentine Dynasty LAHSMF230
3. One of the following courses: Social Media CPMCSM250; Culture Shock: Cross-Cultural Psychology LAPYCS190; Cultural Introduction to the Italian Family FWFSIF180; The Italian-American Experience ISISIA225; Food, Culture, and Society in Italy FWFCFC240
4. Intercultural Communication CPMCCM190
5. Fairfield online course: AANTH 1110 Cultural Anthropology
6. Fairfield online course: COMM 1100 Human Comm. Theories
Area III: Philosophy/Religious Studies
1. World Religions LARSWR280
2. Philosophy and Science in Early Modern Italy LAPLPS215
3. Fairfield online course: RLST 1101 Exploring Religion
Area IV: English/Visual & Performing Arts
1. Introduction to Art History LAAHAH210
2. Fashion Design Studio I FTFDFD230
3. Dante Alighieri's Florence: Readings and Cultural Walks ISILDF340
4. Fairfield online course: ENGL 1001
Area V: Humanities Electives
1. Italian language
2. Italian language
3. Fairfield online course: A Humanities Elective (ENGL/HIST/MLL/PHIL/RLST/VPA) 1000-level
LIBERAL STUDIES MAJOR COURSES
General Area I: Fashion Design
1. Fashion Design Studio II Experiential Learning (6cr) FTFDFD375
2. Fashion Collection Design and Production Experiential Learning (6cr) FTFDFC355
3. Introduction to Knitwear Design FTFDKW200
4. Digital Knitwear Design FTFDDK300
5. Line Development for Fashion FTFDLD370
General Area II: Fashion Design and Production
1. Sewing and Construction Techniques I FTFDSC315
2. Sewing and Construction Techniques II FTFDSC380
3. Draping FTFDDR340
4. Fashion Show Production, Coordination, and Promotion FTFCCF390
Senior Project
Portfolio Development PSPDPO380
Diversity Courses
1. US Diversity: Intercultural Communication CPMCCM190
2. World Diversity: World Religions LARSWR280
FREE ELECTIVES
1. Sketching and Rendering Accessories FTADSR210
2. Fashion Retail Management Experiential Learning (6cr) FTFCSF365
3. Visual Merchandise and Display FTFMVM325
4. Introduction to Fashion Marketing BUMKFM280
5. Fashion Styling FTFDFS350
6. Flat and Digital Patternmaking FTFDPM260
7. Introduction to Health and Safety PSELHS300S 1cr
8. Introduction to Accessory Design and Production: Shoes, Bags, and Belts Experiential Learning (6cr) FTADAD255
9. Fashion, Media, and Culture FTFCFM300
10. Faces, Facts, and Places in Italian Fashion FTFCPF280
TOTAL CREDITS: 130
PROGRAM OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES
Objectives
- Acquire knowledge of design, production, and business theory and practice applicable to the fashion industry.
- Adopt interdisciplinary methods in creative and aesthetic processes.
- Develop competency for problem-solving, addressing challenges, and design future visions for fashion systems.
- Integrate the technologies and traditional craftsmanship of local contexts and territories in global environments.
- Apply critically-minded and innovative approaches to business and communication strategies in the fashion industry.
- Identify and develop areas of talent and opportunity in redefining the future of fashion from a sustainable perspective.
- Produce a body of work that culminates in a coherent vision and applicability to industry practices as developed by the student throughout the program of study.
Outcomes
- Management and curation of digital content.
- Project management.
- Production of digital content for collaborative and individual projects.
- Application of digital media theory and skills to professional projects related to photography, videomaking, books, periodicals, and multimedia.
Career opportunities
The program prepares students to enter the fashion industry related to design, communication, and merchandising/retail through roles such as:
- Senior designer
- RD and production specialists
- Merchandisers
- Buyer
- Journalist
- PR strategist
- Digital editor
- Communication manager or consultant
Upon completion of the program, students will be able to further pursue studies at the graduate level.