The mission of the Fashion Studies Department at Columbia College Chicago is to provide a comprehensive, integrated education designed to support a wide range of career opportunities in fashion. The curriculum helps students develop a broad range of practical, aesthetic, and intellectual skills, devised to anticipate and incorporate the ongoing changes synonymous with the dynamic nature of the international fashion industry. Our faculty is comprised of industry professionals, designers, and scholars who are active practitioners in their field of expertise and share their wealth of real-world experiences in the classroom. In Fashion Studies the students work in collaboration with the faculty to co-author their course of study and actualize their career aspirations.

The BA in Fashion Design comprises a 48 credit hour course of study in the major, leaving ample room for students to pursue interdisciplinary course options, a minor, or a double major. The Fashion Design curriculum offers the creative foundation from which students can grow as artists and acquire skills related to the profession.

Students who successfully complete this program should be able to:

• Demonstrate an understanding of design concepts and solutions in written/verbal/visual/sensorial format.
• Apply materials, techniques, technology, concepts to the vocabulary/terminology relative to desired end product and solution.
• Critically contextualize and analyze ideas and work in relation to dress and fashion history.
• Apply all of the above referenced skills and abilities in conjunction with creative problem solving in design and across disciplines.
• Describe, analyze, interpret, and contextualize their work.
• Develop and maintain effective, ethical, professional and sustainable work habits.
• Develop and present a body of work.
• Work in collaboration to propose and execute solutions in the fashion industry.

Fashion is a complex field of study and ultimately reflects and shapes the aesthetic taste, social status, political mood, economic condition, and technical achievements of society through the personal expression of dress. This curriculum gives students the opportunity to explore creativity and practicality. The BA degree prepares students with the skill-sets to better understand the variety of career tracks available in the fashion industry. Students participate in a true fashion experience throughout their education with exposure to recognized guest designers, industry leaders, and accomplished alumni, and through fashion competitions, presentations and exhibitions.

A grade of “C” or better is required in all major coursework.

For students who have already earned a Bachelors degree or Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, a Second Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Design is available.

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