Fashion Courses

FAS1101 Introduction to the Fashion Business

Provides an overview of the fashion industry and its global reach, familiarizing students with fashion history and milestones, key business categories within fashion, including women's, men's, and children's ready-to-wear, plus consumer behaviors, marketing, product development and retail sales. Various related fashion careers and opportunities are explored. Current events in the industry are discussed and ethical issues in the industry examined.

3 Credit Hours

FAS1111 Photoshop and Digital Graphics I

In Photoshop and Digital Graphics I, students explore the role of designing visual graphics. With the introduction of Adobe Photoshop, digital concepts, processes, and creativity, the course focus is to create original graphics for promotion and marketing materials.

3 Credit Hours

Equivalent: GRD1101

FAS1112 Illustrator and Digital Graphics II

A continuation from Photoshop and Digital Graphic I. In this course, students will explore Photoshop and image manipulation techniques. We will introduce Adobe Illustrator for the use of print, and web services, original graphics for artboards, and marketing materials.

Prerequisite: FAS1111

3 Credit Hours

Equivalent: GRD1102

FAS2210 Fashion Forecasting

Provides an overview and analysis of current color, fiber, and fashion trends, as well as their impact upon sales forecasting. Students will research, analyze, and develop fashion forecasts related to specific seasons in the apparel industry.

Prerequisites: FAS1101

3 Credit Hours

FAS2224 Fashion Product Knowledge

Provides an overview of the buying, merchandising and marketing of all accessory classifications, including footwear, handbags, small leather, luggage, belts, hosiery, scarves, ties, handkerchiefs, headwear, hair accessories, wigs, gloves, umbrellas, eyewear, fine jewelry, costume jewelry and watches. This course also explores the world of home furnishings.  Classifications include tableware, bedding, furniture and giftware with a focus on consumer behavior, needs, technology, marketing, and sales. 

3 Credit Hours

FAS2230 Fashion Textiles for Apparel and Home

Provides an overview of the textiles industry. Students acquire the basic knowledge of fibers, yarns, cloth construction, finishes, and embellishments necessary to determine quality and to make appropriate fabric choices for contemporary fashion apparel and home furnishings. Students learn principles of sustainability as they relate to textile development, manufacturing, and reuse.

3 Credit Hours

FAS2240 Visual Merchandising

Examines the ways in which visual presentation is used in a variety of settings. Students learn color theory and principles of visual design and apply this knowledge in venues that include department and specialty stores, malls, and restaurants. 

3 Credit Hours

FAS2245 Merchandise Planning and Buying

Provides an overview of contemporary inventory control systems, sales records, and projections. Students learn the retail method of inventory, how to read operating statements, techniques for planning, and formulas to determine mark-ups, markdowns, open-to-buy, and terms of sales.

3 Credit Hours

Provides an overview of how color, fiber, and style trends are determined, researched, and analyzed to develop fashion products appropriate to a brand’s unique selling proposition and target market. Students examine the product development process, learn product lifecycle management fundamentals, develop a product line, and apply strategies to achieve profitability.

Prerequisites: FAS1101, FAS2230

3 Credit Hours

*This course replaces FAS2261

FAS2270 Special Topics in Fashion

Involves readings and discussions organized around selected topics in fashion. Themes will vary each semester.

1 to 3 Credit Hours

Examines the aesthetics of major fashion designers from the 19th to the 21st centuries through lecture and study of museum clothing collections. Students will gain knowledge of historic fashion influences with application to contemporary and future fashion apparel.

Prerequisite: FAS1101

3 Credit Hours

FAS3335 Omni-Channel Retail Management

This course provides an in-depth analysis of omni-channel retailing. Students learn to develop and manage a layered, digitally connected and coordinated shopping experience across channels, including brick and mortar, catalog, e-commerce, and mobile with a focus on a customer-centric experience. Students learn to identify effective interactive marketing strategies, including social media and search engine optimization.

Prerequisites: FAS2222*, MKT2220

3 Credit Hours

FAS3361 Fashion Public Relations and Events

Provides an overview of fashion public relations. Students learn skills and techniques to develop and present a fashion brand and collection to a target audience, with a focus on media communications, advertising, and sponsorship.

Prerequisites: FAS1101

3 Credit Hours

FAS3365 Interactive Fashion Communication

Provides an overview on communicating a consistent fashion brand across multiple channels to a target consumer. Students will learn how to develop and create engaging brand experiences, promotions, and content through writing, photography, video, 3D displays, and brand partnerships.

Prerequisites: MKT2220, FAS2222*

3 Credit Hours

FAS4000 Sustainability in Fashion

This course introduces students to the concept of sustainability and its relationship with fashion. Students will examine the environmental impact of the textiles industry, issues concerning works’ rights and the economics of a sustainable global fashion industry. In addition, the implications of “fast fashion” will be reviewed as students analyze how sustainability issues are being communicated to the public and how consumer attitudes can impact a fashion brand.

The course will include class discussions, research assignments and industry field trips.

Prerequisites: FAS1101, FAS2230

3 Credit Hours

FAS4110 Fashion Innovation & Digital Transformation

Innovation in digitization is transforming the fashion industry from design to distribution. This course examines how to remodel fashion’s traditional systems and strategies through radical change and disruption. It explores the process of broadening digital transformation to accommodate new and longstanding challenges that have shifted the fashion industry’s course towards a more digital and sustainable future. The fundamental works regarding innovation management, changes in consumer demands, and market behavior with digital solutions that revolutionize the process will be explored. Through research and case studies, students will identify the best strategies for organizational transformation, e-commerce, social media, social commerce, and Artificial Intelligence. Students will be able to assess and analyze these technologies and their related developments, address changing values with digital transformation, and act in a strategic and project-oriented manner to explore the industry's necessity to adapt.

3 Credits

FAS4470 Special Topics in Fashion

Involves readings and discussions organized around selected topics in fashion.

Prerequisite: Any 2000-level course in Fashion

1 to 3 Credit Hours

FAS4475 Fashion Innovation Capstone

Utilizes skills learned in previous courses to develop a successful fashion business. Students analyze current market trends and activities, assess consumer needs, and develop sustainable products/services that will meet market demand. Students develop strategies to sell and promote their products/services competitively across multiple distribution and marketing channels.

Prerequisites: FAS2245, FAS2222*, FAS3335