The fashion design program provides students with the skills to design, create and develop product from concept to production.
This intellectually stimulating program approaches the making and study of fashion through multiple lenses, incorporating the historic and contemporary impact of fashion on society and emerging technologies within a global landscape.
As one of our students, you will progress over four years to learn industry-standard skills of fashion design, construction and presentation. In every class, whether fashion illustration or flat pattern making, creative design is married to technical skill. Fashion courses, including specific instruction in Optitex CAD and Adobe Suite geared toward the fashion industry, are complemented by a host of elective art and design based courses.
Professional designers and retail experts frequently visit, maintaining strong connections between the program and industry.
The program presents an annual fashion show of seniors' collections.
Many fashion design majors choose participate in the Fashion and Beauty Communications Milestone, which is collaboratively offered by the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and School of Design, and the Martin J. Whitman School of Management’s entrepreneurship and emerging enterprises minor, which serves to strengthen students’ business skills.
Our graduates work for design houses in small-scale or mass distribution, trade magazines, fashion periodicals and support industries.
This four-year bachelor of fine arts (B.F.A.) degree program is one of a handful of programs to be recognized by the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) and is included in all of the activities and competitions sponsored by the CFDA.
Please note that students interested in fashion design must declare their major before they begin their first year.
Curriculum
The 120-credit curriculum includes major and academic requirements as well as studio and academic electives. As one of our students, you will be assigned a professional academic advisor who will guide you through your academic career and help you navigate class schedules, course selection and more.
Global Study
A direct placement program through Syracuse Abroad with the London College of Fashion offers students majoring in fashion design a professional semester in London, England, in the spring semester of their third year.
Career Exploration
In addition to the career exploration opportunities offered by their major, fashion design students have access to career advisors and services through the College of Visual and Performing Arts’ Office of Academic and Career Advising. The office connects VPA students with networking events, mentors and more.
M.A. "+1" Degree in Design
Did you know that School of Design B.F.A. and B.S. students can earn a master of arts (M.A.) in design in only one additional year? You apply for the program in your junior year and take two graduate-level classes in your senior year. You then participate in a short summer “bootcamp” and finish the M.A. in just one year after earning your undergraduate degree.
The fashion design program is home to the Sue Ann Genet Costume Collection and Research Center, established by Leon Genet ’53 in memory of his late wife Sue Ann Genet. Used for exhibition, research and classroom examples, the focus of this costume collection is women’s high fashion and includes examples of garments that are indicative of each era, are by well-known designers or were worn by notable women.
