This major prepares you for a broad range of careers such as apparel designer, fashion editor, stylist, technical designer, fabric coordinator, product developer, sourcing specialist, apparel/textiles quality control manager, art director, pattern-maker, costume designer for films and plays, curator, and entrepreneur.
- A minimum 78 credits are required for this major, including 25 upper-division credits.
- This major requires completion of the Family and Consumer Sciences Core, which includes:
- FCS 1050 Introduction to FCS, completed in your freshman or sophomore year. (If you are a transfer student, you may complete this in your junior year.)
- FCS 3240 Individual and Family Development, completed after FCS 1050.
- FCS 4899 Senior Capstone, completed after FCS 3240 and during your senior year.
- You will participate in the Student Fashion Show to present your design lines as an apparel design student.
- All students in this major are required to participate in the Senior Portfolio Show.
- In FCS 4846 CAD for Apparel Portfolio, you will have the opportunity to create a professional apparel design portfolio through CAD.
- An Internship is highly recommended for this major.
Spreadsheet Competency Requirement
Demonstration of spreadsheet competency, explained in detail on the website of the School of Business, Government, and Economics, is required of all students graduating with this major. You can document this by passing BUS 1700 or by scoring at least 60 percent on the basic Microsoft Office Specialist exam for Microsoft Excel 2013, 2016, or later. For questions regarding the Spreadsheet Competency Requirement, contact Dr. Richard Sleight at sl8@ctienviron.com.
This major prepares you for a broad range of careers, such as retail buyer, retail merchandiser, sales manager, marketing director, fashion coordinator, production manager, sourcing specialist, product developer, brand manager, visual merchandiser, image consultant, business owner, entrepreneur, fashion stylist, and store manager.
- A minimum 85 credits are required for this major, including 25 upper-division credits.
- This major requires completion of the Family and Consumer Sciences Core, which includes:
- FCS 1050 “Introduction to FCS,” completed in your freshman or sophomore year. (If you are a transfer student, you may complete this in your junior year.)
- FCS 3240 “Individual and Family Development,” completed after FCS 1050.
- FCS 4899 “Senior Capstone,” completed after FCS 3240 and during your senior year.
- An Interniship is highly recommended for this major.
Spreadsheet Competency Requirement
Demonstration of spreadsheet competency, explained in detail on the website of the School of Business, Government, and Economics, is required of all students graduating with this major. You can document this by passing BUS 1700 or by scoring at least 60 percent on the basic Microsoft Office Specialist exam for Microsoft Excel 2013, 2016, or later. For questions regarding the Spreadsheet Competency Requirement, contact Dr. Richard Sleight at sl8@ctienviron.com.
Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT)
If you are majoring in one of the Apparel Design and Merchandising majors and have maintained a minimum 3.0 GPA, you may apply for one of the specializations offered by the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City liaison program.
Specializations offered through the liaison program with FIT include these:
- Fashion buying and merchandising
- Advertising and communication
- Advertising design
- Apparel production management
- Textile technology
- Textile design
- Fashion design
- Accessories design
If accepted, you will study at FIT your senior year and earn a dual degree — a BA from SPU and an AAS from FIT — upon completion for graduation.
If you are considering this option, speak with your academic counselor and faculty advisor early in your academic career in order to meet the requirements of both FIT and SPU.
A minimum 33 credits are required for this minor, including 15 upper-division credits.
entering and completing a major or minor
In order to earn a degree, you must complete an academic major. SPU encourages students to explore various academic paths, and students are not required to enter a major immediately upon admission to the University. However, you should enter a major by the end of your sophomore year to help ensure your timely completion of a degree. Students who transfer as juniors and seniors should identify and enter their major within their first two quarters at SPU.
- If this is your first quarter at SPU and you wish to enter a major in this department, you may select a program by using the online Major or Minor Application form. You will receive an email notification of acceptance.
- If you are an SPU student with an SPU cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better, use the online Major or Minor Application form to select your major. You will receive an email notification of acceptance. Students on academic probation (with an SPU cumulative GPA below 2.0) will not be permitted to enter a new major or minor until they regain good academic standing.
- The University requires a grade of C- or better in all classes that apply to a major or minor; however, programs may require higher minimum grades in specific courses. You may repeat an SPU course only once for a higher grade.
- To advance in this program, meet with your faculty advisor regularly to discuss your grades, course progression, and other indicators of satisfactory academic progress. If your grades or other factors indicate that you may not be able to successfully complete the major, your faculty advisor can work with you to explore options, which may include choosing a different major.
- You must complete the major requirements in effect in the SPU Undergraduate Catalog for the year of admittance to the major.