Fashion Design AAS Degree Program
This is an archived copy of the 2023-24 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.fitnyc.edu/.
http://fitnyc.edu/fashiondesign
School of Art and Design
Applications accepted for fall and spring. NYSED: 00835 CIP: 50.0407
The Fashion Design AAS program offers qualified students the opportunity to prepare for positions as designers, assistant designers, technical designers, or stylists. Through the application of design knowledge and experiential learning, the students develop their unique sense of aesthetics. Successful students will be able to adapt and apply their acquired knowledge to the evolving fashion industry, related design fields, and other creative careers. Curriculum below is for the entering class of fall 2023.
| Semester 1 | Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| MAJOR AREA | FD 117 - Design Studio I - Introduction to Draping | 2 |
| FD 133 - Materials and Construction I | 2 | |
| FF 111 - Visual Design Concepts I | 2 | |
| FF 143 - Digital Design Studio | 3 | |
| RELATED AREA | TS 131 - Textile Principles for the Fashion Designer | 3 |
| ART HISTORY | choice - see Requirements* | 3 |
| GENERAL EDUCATION | choice - see Requirements* | 3 |
| Semester 2 | ||
| MAJOR AREA | FD 127 - Design Studio II - Soft Draping | 3 |
| FD 134 - Materials and Construction II | 2 | |
| FF 121 - Fashion Research and Inspiration | 2 | |
| FF 161 - Fashion Art Studio | 3 | |
| RELATED AREA | FA 105 - Life Drawing * | 1.5 |
| GENERAL EDUCATION | choice - see Requirements* | 6 |
| Semester 3 | ||
| MAJOR AREA | FD 217 - Design Studio III - Structured Draping | 3 |
| FD 243 - Apparel Design Studio - Patternmaking | 3 | |
| FF 211 - Visual Design Concepts III | 2 | |
| FF 245 - Digital Design: Flats and Floats | 1.5 | |
| ART HISTORY | choice - see Requirements* | 3 |
| GENERAL EDUCATION | choice - see Requirements* | 3 |
| Semester 4 | ||
| MAJOR AREA | Apparel Specialization1 | 6.5 |
| or Art Specialization2 | ||
| GENERAL EDUCATION | choice - see Requirements* | 6 |
| TOTAL CREDIT REQUIREMENTS | ||
| ART HISTORY | 6 | |
| GENERAL EDUCATION | 18 | |
| MAJOR AREA | 35 | |
| RELATED AREA | 4.5 | |
| Total Credits: | 63.5 | |
Apparel Specialization 1
| FD 227 | Design Studio IV: Advanced Draping | 3 |
| FD 244 | Design Development: Digital Communication and Management | 1.5 |
| FF 212 | Visual Design Concepts IV | 2 |
| Total Credits | 6.5 | |
Art Specialization 2
| FD 244 | Design Development: Digital Communication and Management | 1.5 |
| FF 213 | Model Visualization Techniques | 1 |
| FF 244 | Design Collections: Visual Solutions | 2 |
| FF 291 | Fashion Portfolio Collection | 2 |
| Total Credits | 6.5 | |
*Fall 2023 Requirements: See below.
- Three (3) credits from each required General Education area, totaling 9 credits: G1, G2, and G3
- Six (6) credits from two (2) different areas in non-HA liberal arts courses in G4–G10
- Three (3) credits of any 200- or 300-level English literature or speech course
- Six (6) credits from Art and Design History courses: HA 112 (3 credits, required for all Art and Design majors), plus another 3-credit HA course
FIT's Gen Ed courses are organized into the following categories: G1 Basic Communication; G2 Mathematics; G3 Natural Sciences; G4 Social Sciences; G5 Western Civilization; G6 The Arts; G7 Humanities; G8 Foreign Language; G9 Other World Civilizations; G10 American History.
See list of Gen Ed approved courses under FIT's General Education Requirements and Courses. An FIT Gen Ed course cannot be used to meet more than one General Education area.
Certain majors require specific courses. Please review your DARS audit to determine if a particular course is required by your major to meet General Education credits.
Related Area Elective(s): 1.5 credits (minimum)
FA 105 or CHOICE of another Fine Arts course
Evening/Weekend Option
An evening/weekend option is available for this degree program (see Curricula or visit the FIT website at fitnyc.edu/evening_weekend).
Upper Division Alternative(s)
Graduates of this program are eligible to apply for admission to the Bachelor of Fine Arts programs in Fabric Styling, Fashion Design–Children's Wear, Fashion Design–Intimate Apparel, Fashion Design–Knitwear, Fashion Design–Special Occasion, Fashion Design–Sportswear, Textile/Surface Design, and Toy Design, and the Bachelor of Science programs in Production Management: Fashion and Related Industries, Technical Design, and Textile Development and Marketing.
Additional Location
The two-year AAS in Fashion Design is offered in Incheon, South Korea, as part of FIT at SUNY Korea.
International Option
The two-year AAS in Fashion Design has an international option in in collaboration with Polimoda in Florence, Italy.
Students who successfully complete the Fashion Design AAS program will be able to:
- Create garments that reflect creativity and innovation through the use of foundational techniques achieved through shape, color, silhouette, proportion and fabrication.
- Adapt and develop artistic abilities to form original fashion designs with understanding of diverse fashion proportions, utilizing hand and digital rendering techniques.
- Effectively use appropriate, innovative technologies to conceptualize, create, produce and communicate fashion design and related concepts.
- Develop an understanding of ethical and sustainable principles in fashion design considering environmental, social, economic, and political impacts of climate change.
- Recognize and apply foundational concepts of diversity, equity and inclusion in the fashion design development process that honor communities and people who have been marginalized and excluded from the dominant fashion discourse.
- Utilize information and communication technologies to research, evaluate, create, and communicate information as it relates to fashion design concepts at a foundational level.