FIT Faculty
FIT’s approach to teaching blends theory and practice, and the college is deeply aligned with the leaders in the fields it serves. With a faculty drawn from professionals in design, art, business, and academia, FIT offers a curriculum rich in insight gained from their continuing professional activity, combined with the traditional educational values of the liberal arts. Student-instructor interaction is encouraged. Courses are structured to foster participation, independent thinking, and self-expression.
Liberal Arts
The School of Liberal Arts’ offerings include focused curricula that foster critical thinking as well as three degree programs. The school also administers Presidential Scholars, FIT’s honors program, which is available to academically exceptional students in all disciplines. The program offers challenging courses, projects, colloquia, and extracurricular activities.
minors
FIT offers students the opportunity to declare liberal arts minors, which are offered in two forms: traditional subject-based minors and interdisciplinary minors unique to the college’s liberal arts curriculum. There is a wide range of options, including Dance and Performing Arts; Economics; Film and Media Studies; International Politics; several foreign languages; and concentrations in Asian Studies and Latin American Studies.
Industry Advisory Boards
Many of FIT’s degree programs are supported by advisory groups of professionals, drawn largely from the college’s highly placed alumni. Group members consult with faculty to review the curriculum and recommend updates and innovations. They arrange for student field trips to professional workspaces, participate in student recruitment, and help students identify career possibilities. Advisory groups also plan seminars on technical subjects and the latest advancements in their fields, and work to maintain close ties between industry and the college.
In the Classroom and Beyond
FIT makes extensive use of New York City’s resources through industry-sponsored competitions, projects, and field trips—all of which bridge the gap between classroom and workplace. Students have designed window displays at Saks Fifth Avenue and had advertising campaigns implemented by state tourism agencies. They have won prizes from companies such as DSW, Kornit, Carolee, and Sephora and had their designs implemented by firms such as Estee Lauder.
Internships and Career Placement
Internships and job placement are an essential part of the FIT experience. The college’s extensive internship program provides students with vital experience in a vast array of New York City businesses. Sponsor organizations have included American Eagle, Bloomingdale’s, Calvin Klein, L'oréal, Hearst Magazines, MTV, and Saatchi & Saatchi. Nearly one-third of FIT student interns are offered employment on completion of their internships. FIT’s Career and Internship Center provides a wide range of career-building workshops and resources, and offers lifetime services to all alumni.