Fashion, Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in fashion design
VCU
Uniform Certificate of General Studies
Associate of Fine Arts in Visual Arts (please consult with the VCU Transfer Center for additional course recommendations)
The concentrations in fashion merchandising and fashion design are focused on providing the coursework necessary to prepare for a successful career in the fashion industry.
The path through the merchandising track begins with an introduction to fashion, textiles, and fashion history. Forecasting, buying, line development, branding, and importing and exporting fashion, and entrepreneurship are simulation classes and call on students to work in environments similar to the fashion industry. The entire curriculum provides students with a strong and disparate foundation of fashion knowledge. Ancillary requirements in business and marketing enhance fashion education. Students are directed toward assignments to develop their skills in research, writing, presentation, and critical thinking.
The fashion design curriculum offers technical and design courses that provide skills required in the fashion industry, including salient patterning and draping principles, advanced tailoring and construction techniques as well as digital and 3D design. Individual concepts are presented in two-dimensional form, developed and perfected through methods used in the fashion industry, and then executed in final and three-dimensional form in textiles appropriate to the design. The curriculum encourages explicative research, autonomous thinking, and innovative problem solving.
Merchandising and design majors are strongly encouraged to complete Internships, which provide experience and industry contacts. Study abroad programs provide opportunities to see fashion from a global perspective while expanding students’ horizons.
Graduates find career opportunities in fashion forecasting, product development, technical design, advertising and promotion, retail management, buying, sustainability, and international marketing. Graduates work nationally and internationally. Fashion alumni currently work for World Market, Eileen Fisher, Sam’s Club, Walmart, Conde’ Nast, Veronica Beard, Nordstrom, Under Armour, Fashion Snoops, Sandro Homme, GAP, Urban Outfitters, GUESS, Belk, American Eagle, Spanx, and Adidas.
- Designer
- Fashion Illustrator
- Garment Technologist
- Pattern Maker, Grader, Lay Planner
- Textile Technician
- Textiles (Print) Designer
- Buyer
- Designer
- Marketing Manager
- Trend Forecaster
Telephone: (804) 827-1349
Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu
VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist
Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638
Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.
- No guaranteed admission.
- Apply for admission during first year at community college.
- Review deadlines and portfolio requirements for transfer applicants here.
- Quantitative Foundations requirement only
- Natural Sciences requirement only
- Yes
- Yes
Fashion, Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in fashion design
Virginia Community College System (Uniform Certificate of General Studies)
| MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING | GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY | DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY | EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS | PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE | ||
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| Explore | Year 1 |
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| Experience | Year 2 |
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MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Schedule an appointment with your community college advisor to map out your course plan.
- Submit a transfer advising request to the VCU Transfer Center.
- Explore GRASP financial aid resources and submit the FAFSA on time.
- Complete your math and english requirements.
- Prepare a portfolio as part of your application to VCU.
- Enroll in the SDV student success course.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Research housing options for next year.
- Register to vote.
- Volunteer for community service projects.
- Get involved with student clubs and organizations at your community college.
- Review application deadlines and portfolio requirements for visual arts applicants.
- Explore the School of the Arts website.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
- Attend diversity-focused events on your community college campus and in your community (e.g., international festival).
- Identify a mentor in a diversity organization.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Find out about VCU REAL and learn about VCU's REAL graduation requirement.
- Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis.
- Browse information about occupations and job titles associated with fashion.
- Complete career assessments through the Virginia Education Wizard.
- Create LinkedIn profile.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.
- Create a weekly and monthly budget.
- Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
- Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Fashion, Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in fashion design
Virginia Community College System (Uniform Certificate of General Studies)
| Course | Title | Equivalent course | Credits | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students who earn the Uniform Certificate of General Studies before enrolling at VCU will be eligible for a waiver of VCU's general education requirements. | ||||
| SDV 100 | College Success Skills | UNIV 101 | 1 | Elective |
| ENG 111 | College Composition I Note: students with credit for AP English Language and Composition will only receive credit for UNIV 111 at VCU and should take ENG 112 to fulfill the VCU composition requirement. | UNIV 111-112 | 3 | General education |
| ENG 112 | College Composition II | UNIV 200 | 3 | General education |
| MTH 154 | Quantitative Reasoning (or any other approved MTH course) | MATH 131 | 3 | General education |
| ART 101 | History of Art: Prehistoric to Gothic (this course fulfills a requirement for the Art Foundation program at VCU) | ARTH 103 | 3 | Major (Art Foundation) |
| ART 102 | History of Art: Renaissance to Modern (this course fulfills a requirement for the Art Foundation program at VCU) | ARTH 104 | 3 | Major (Art Foundation) |
| ART 121 | Foundations of Drawing (depending on your portfolio and admission to VCU Arts, this courses will either transfer as an ARTS 1XX elective or as ARTF 131). | ARTS 1XX or ARTF 131 | 3 | Major (Art Foundation) |
| ART 131 | Two-Dimensional Design (depending on your portfolio and admission to VCU Arts, this courses will either transfer as an ARTS 1XX elective or as ARTF 132). | ARTS 1XX or ARTF 132 | 3 | Major (Art Foundation) |
| Science | Physical or Life Science elective with lab | VCU equivalent | 4 | General education |
| Social/Behavioral | Social/Behavioral Science elective | VCU equivalent | 3 | General education |
| History | Select any approved HIS course | HIST | 3 | General education |
| Community college credits transferred to VCU | 32 | |||
| Course | Title | Credits | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your GPA Doesn't Transfer With You Although you worked hard to earn your grades at your current institution, they will only be considered by VCU for an admission decision. Once you enroll at VCU, your GPA will reset to 0.0, and your new GPA will be determined by your level of success in your classes at VCU. | |||
| Art Foundation Program. Students must complete the Art Foundation program at VCU or equivalent courses at another institution to be eligible for admission to the Fashion Design degree. | |||
| ARTF 133 | Space Research (ART 132 at community college will fulfill this requirement if admitted to VCU Arts) | 3 | Major (Ancillary) |
| ARTF 134 | Time Studio (ART 130, ART 203, or ART 208 will fulfill this requirement if you are admitted to VCU Arts) | 3 | Major (Ancillary) |
| ARTF 139 or ARTF 138 | Project Studio or Project Seminar | 2 | Major (Ancillary) |
| Fashion Design concentration requirements | |||
| FASH 201 | Construction Techniques | 3 | Major |
| FASH 203 | Patternmaking I | 3 | Major |
| FASH 204 | Patternmaking II | 3 | Major |
| FASH 205 | Fashion Drawing I | 3 | Major |
| FASH 206 | Fashion Drawing II | 3 | Major |
| FASH 290 | Textiles for the Fashion Industry | 3 | Major |
| FASH 301 | Design I Studio: Draping (taken twice) | 6 | Major |
| FASH 302 | Design I Studio: Tailoring (taken twice) | 6 | Major |
| FASH 303 | Design Theory and Illustration I | 3 | Major |
| FASH 304 | Design Theory and Illustration II | 3 | Major |
| FASH 319 | Fashion History: The Modern Era | 3 | Major |
| FASH 345 | Fashion Communication | 3 | Major |
| FASH 401 | Design II Studio | 3 | Major |
| FASH 402 | Design II Studio | 3 | Major |
| FASH 404 | Design Portfolio | 4 | Major |
| Studio courses (select six credits) | 6 | Major | |
| Select from FASH 320, THEA 309, THEA 310 or any additional ARTH course | 3 | Major (Ancillary) | |
| Upper-level electives (300 or 400-level courses) | 13 | Elective | |
| REAL | The REAL requirement may be satisfied by successfully completing a 300-level (or higher) course that has received a REAL attribute of Level 2, 3 or 4 or through an approved “REAL” co-curricular experience that has received a REAL attribute of Level 3 or 4. See VCU advisor for options. | 0 | Major |
| Credits completed at VCU | 88 | ||
| Minimum credits required for bachelor's degree | 120 | ||