Master of Science in Fashion Design

Master of Science: 63.0 quarter credits

About the Program

The MS in Fashion Design is a full-time program that stresses the development of technical skills and research and experimentation. A typical graduate sequence may consist of seven terms of graduate courses and five terms of prerequisite coursework, beginning with the summer term accelerated design and drawing courses.

The curriculum is organized so that studio, laboratory, and classroom work give the graduate student a directed experience in the study of aesthetics, criticism, and contemporary art concepts; contemporary and historic art and design; current technology; the discipline of drawing; and the making of art. Students learn to integrate design's aesthetic, psychological, and social needs with the construction of clothing.

The goal of the MS program in fashion design is to integrate the understanding of design with the construction of clothing so that the final products answer physical, aesthetic, psychological, and social needs within the context of contemporary fashion and industrial limitations. This approach provides a sound basis for a broad range of employment in the fashion industry and in education. Other professional opportunities lie in merchandising, costume design, curatorial work, and computer-aided design.

The faculty of the Department of Fashion, Product and  Design & Merchandising includes art historians, CAD specialists, designers, fiber artists, merchandising specialists, painters, and sculptors. The department also draws on practicing professionals as adjunct professors for specialized coursework and for critique of student work.

A limited number of graduate assistantships are available to students after completing the first year.

The Fashion and Design & Merchandising programs produce a professionally juried annual fashion show which provides competitive fashion industry and department awards and excellent exposure for the graduate students' design thesis. At Drexel, students can participate in the activities of the Fashion Group of Philadelphia, the local chapter of an international fashion industry organization. Students may also participate in the Fashion and Design Student Organization and attend trips to fashion events in New York City.

The 63.0 graduate quarter credits does not include any of the required prerequisite coursework. See the Admission Requirements for a list of courses students are expected to have completed prior to beginning their graduate study.

Additional Information

For more information about this program, please contact the Program Director:
Kathi Martin
martink@drexel.edu

Admission Requirements

Students enter the program from diverse backgrounds, including liberal arts, fine arts, and business. A personal interview is required. The admission criteria for the graduate program consist of the requirements of the University for graduate admission plus satisfaction of undergraduate coursework in basic fashion design skills and concepts. These prerequisites comprise 31.0 credits in design, drawing, and art history in addition to 32.0 credits in specific undergraduate fashion design professional courses, or their equivalent.

Beginning in the summer term, the department offers a four-term prerequisite year to prepare candidates for the graduate coursework. A portfolio review and departmental evaluation determine what prerequisites have been satisfied. Contact the graduate advisor for specific information about prerequisites or to make an appointment for evaluation.

For additional information on requirements and how to apply, visit Graduate Admissions at Drexel University.

Degree Requirements 

The two years of full-time graduate coursework combine four terms of faculty-directed studio work in fashion design and two terms of student-directed independent studio work with required courses in design, aesthetics, and the art process. Elective coursework in fashion or specific topics; advanced studies in art, computer-aided design, art history, and fashion design; and independent studies allow individual flexibility in curriculum design.

Graduate Problems in Fashion Design I and II (FASH 865 and FASH 866) emphasize the development of an original statement of design intent, allowing students to synthesize their academic experiences and prepare for the marketplace. Each graduate student develops his or her personal collection which is then produced and presented in a professional fashion show.

Professional Portfolio (FASH 864) is a capstone course in which students create a professional quality collection of drawings geared to their market preferences.

Students are required to participate in at least three national and international fashion design competitions (FASH 899). These competitions provide awareness of world-wide design sensibilities and the overall level of competition in various facets of the marketplace.

The fashion industry internship (FASH 600) promotes spirit of entrepreneurship and provides perspective on success in the fashion industry. A full-time ten week position in industry is required and provides experience in design and production processes.

Facilities

The open design of the URBN Center studio spaces fosters collaboration across our diverse design, media and art disciplines. It provides spaces where students can see what their classmates are creating; where making labs can be shared by students from many majors; and where creative connections can be made.

All majors in the college integrate use of discipline-specific and general use software in the 35 computer labs at Drexel's Westphal College of Media Arts & Design which house over 550 computers (Apple iMacs, Apple MacPros, BoxxTech, Dell, and HP). Also available within our college are five premier Music Industry recording studios and a motion capture/green screen compositing space. The Hybrid Lab contains traditional metal and woodworking machines as well as a rapid prototyper, a laser cutter, and access to a 3D router for multi-disciplinary design and product making. In The Shima Seiki Haute Technology Laboratory students experiment with production methods that advance the field of wearable technology using sixteen SDS-ONE APEX3 workstations, three state-of-the-art knitting machines.

The Robert and Penny Fox Historic Costume Collection (FHCC), one of the finest teaching collections in the United States, is an educational resource for the students of Drexel University. Our mission as a University-based collection is to educate and inspire, while providing a significant resource for an ever-expanding community of historians, scholars, artists, and designers. Westphal College’s new URBN Center facility has greatly improved the accessibility and visibility of the FHCC and allowed us to honor A. J. Drexel’s original educational intent in taking a leadership role in research and scholarship, while preserving the collection for future generations. The Charles Evans Library contains books, periodicals, DVDs and other sources of inspiration for the fashion student.

The fourth floor of the Academic Building is occupied by a 10,000- square-foot photography lab, lighting studios, and two digital imaging labs. It offers professional-quality equipment in a comfortable working environment.

Film and video facilities include two fully equipped television studios; digital editing facilities; video-editing suites; film editors; and specially outfitted multimedia rooms for all courses. Loan equipment available to students includes digital video cameras; Bolex, Gizmo and Arriflex film cameras; and field lighting and audio equipment. Additionally, the college operates a cable television station reaching over 400,000 households.

The music industry major’s digital audio labs and recording studios in MacAlister Hall and University Crossings offer opportunities for the creation, modification, analysis, and recording of sound and music using analog and digital media.

The Mandell Theater provides a 420-seat proscenium theater with scene shop, dressing rooms, and costume shop. Costume is taught with primary source material from Drexel’s 7,000- piece Historic Costume Collection.

The Ellen Forman Memorial Dance Studio, adjacent to the Mandell Theater is the primary studio for the Dance major.

In University Crossings, a 25,000 square foot space houses offices for film, video, screenwriting, and playwriting faculty as well as two state-of-the-art digital editing facilities, a shooting and motion capture studio with special effects capability, two screening rooms, several multi-media classrooms, a laboratory for game development and research, laboratories for other digital media purposes and for music industry, and a well-stocked equipment room.

Fashion, Product Design & Merchandising Faculty