How to Get an MFA or MDes in Fashion

Fashion design touches the realms of art, commerce, and sociology. Fashion is, in the words of one prominent design school, "key to the formation and connection of identities, histories, and cultures in the contemporary world." As an academic discipline, fashion is "informed by the changing cultural, psychological, and economic milieu, and in turn, shapes the larger social structure." Adding your creative vision to this evolving cultural practice takes more than raw talent; you'll also need design expertise, a historical perspective on worldwide fashion, and insight into the business of fashion design.

A graduate degree in fashion design offers a foundation in the art and business of fashion--and an opportunity to learn from the masters of today's leading fashion design houses. The Master of Fine Arts (MFA) and Master of Design (MDes) are the standard terminal degrees in the field. These degrees qualify you for a career as a fashion designer, merchandising expert, or design school professor.

A graduate degree in fashion calls for careful planning and introspection. This guide leads you through the process of preparing for an online or campus-based MFA or MDes in fashion. Chart a course for your fashion education, and transform your creative vision into a creative career.

A Guide to the Master's Degree in Fashion

The first fashion design houses emerged in the nineteenth century in Paris. Since then, fashion has evolved into a thriving industry engaging the art, craft, and merchandising of apparel. Fashion education traditionally approached the discipline as an applied art, emphasizing hands-on training and apprenticeships. In the past few decades, fashion has evolved into an academic degree in the tradition of fine arts degree programs. Today's leading fashion schools offer a range of graduate fashion degrees, including the MFA and MDes in fashion.

This guide to graduate fashion programs can help you focus your career goals and plan a path to achieving them. You'll find more information about fashion as an academic discipline at WorldWideLearn.com's Guide to Majors.

MFA or MDes?

Your graduate fashion degree options are steadily expanding, as more and more design schools and universities add advanced academic programs in fashion design or merchandising. Currently, the standard terminal degrees are the master's degrees in fine arts or design:

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How to Get an MFA or MDes in Fashion

Fashion design touches the realms of art, commerce, and sociology. Fashion is, in the words of one prominent design school, "key to the formation and connection of identities, histories, and cultures in the contemporary world." As an academic discipline, fashion is "informed by the changing cultural, psychological, and economic milieu, and in turn, shapes the larger social structure." Adding your creative vision to this evolving cultural practice takes more than raw talent; you'll also need design expertise, a historical perspective on worldwide fashion, and insight into the business of fashion design.

A graduate degree in fashion design offers a foundation in the art and business of fashion--and an opportunity to learn from the masters of today's leading fashion design houses. The Master of Fine Arts (MFA) and Master of Design (MDes) are the standard terminal degrees in the field. These degrees qualify you for a career as a fashion designer, merchandising expert, or design school professor.

A graduate degree in fashion calls for careful planning and introspection. This guide leads you through the process of preparing for an online or campus-based MFA or MDes in fashion. Chart a course for your fashion education, and transform your creative vision into a creative career.

A Guide to the Master's Degree in Fashion

The first fashion design houses emerged in the nineteenth century in Paris. Since then, fashion has evolved into a thriving industry engaging the art, craft, and merchandising of apparel. Fashion education traditionally approached the discipline as an applied art, emphasizing hands-on training and apprenticeships. In the past few decades, fashion has evolved into an academic degree in the tradition of fine arts degree programs. Today's leading fashion schools offer a range of graduate fashion degrees, including the MFA and MDes in fashion.

This guide to graduate fashion programs can help you focus your career goals and plan a path to achieving them. You'll find more information about fashion as an academic discipline at WorldWideLearn.com's Guide to Majors.

MFA or MDes?

Your graduate fashion degree options are steadily expanding, as more and more design schools and universities add advanced academic programs in fashion design or merchandising. Currently, the standard terminal degrees are the master's degrees in fine arts or design:

• The MFA in fashion follows the tradition of a studio fine arts degree, emphasizing the development of the student's unique creative vision in addition to design expertise
• The MDes in fashion is a two-year professional practice degree combining academic coursework with an applied research project; while the MFA involves full-time studio practice, the MDes requires "a direct contribution to the profession" in the form of an academic research project

WorldWideLearn.com offers information about the distinctions among master's degrees in fashion.

Specializations

Whether you choose a studio design or research-focused graduate degree, you'll have the opportunity to specialize in a particular area of fashion design. Some common specialties are:

• Womenswear
• Menswear
• Knitwear
• Textiles
• Accessories
• Footwear

Disciplines closely related to fashion include fashion merchandising, fashion journalism, and fiber arts or materials design.

Career Track

The degrees and specializations you choose shape your fashion career opportunities. Fashion career options include:

• Assistant or associate designer
• Couturier
• Fashion illustrator
• Fashion tailor or seamstress
• Image consultant
• Pattern expert
• Textile designer
• Costume designer

The MFA in fashion, which offers the most opportunity for creative development, offers a good springboard for careers in design. You can work as an associate designer at an established design house or establish your own label. An online or on-campus MDes in fashion prepares you to work in a range of creative and business roles in the fashion industry. Both master's degrees qualify you to teach at the college level.

Unsure of your career goals? WorldWideLearn.com's Career Pathways resource offers career planning and assessment tools to help you determine which career direction best suits you.

How to Apply for the MFA or MDes in Fashion

A strong fashion career sense serves you well as you navigate online and on-campus MFA and MDes programs in fashion. You'll find dozens of graduate fashion programs nationwide. Introspection and research help guide you to the right programs for you.

Find the Right Graduate Fashion Program

This step-by-step guide takes you through the program research process. You'll find links to useful online resources for each step.

Step One: Develop a List of Accredited Programs

Begin your search by building a list of accredited MFA or MDes programs in fashion design. Accreditation is an important baseline criterion for quality--a program shouldn't make it onto your list without it. Independent accrediting agencies conduct regular program reviews to ensure quality. Their stamp of approval ensures the value of your degree, and can factor into your eligibility for financial aid. The U.S. Department of Education maintains a database of approved accreditation agencies.

Resources. Online directories and accrediting agency member lists offer good starting points for your research:

• National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) is an accreditation organization representing 268 degree-granting art and design schools. Search NASAD's member list by keyword and location to find a list of fashion programs.
• The Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design (AICAD) represents 36 leading art schools in the U.S. AICAD's site allows you to search schools by major and degree level, and offers practical information for applying to a MFA program.
• WorldWideLearn.com features a database of accredited online MFA and MDes programs in fashion. Search Degrees by Subject to find an online or on-campus program in fashion. The site maintains a high-quality standard for all its education partners, taking into account accreditation and other factors. Learn more about the accreditation process, or browse a list of university partners.

Step Two: Online or On-Campus Format?

Advances in multimedia design and Internet communications technology have made online degrees a viable alternative to campus-based design programs. Even the studio MFA in fashion can be completed online; students work on assignments and design projects at home, and upload images for critique and feedback.

The decision to study online or on campus comes down to your learning style and life circumstances:

• Earning an online MFA or MDes degree in fashion is a good choice for working professionals balancing professional, family, and educational commitments. The opportunity to work and study at the same time produces compelling thesis projects for students completing a professional-practice MDes in fashion.
• The on-campus option works well for students who prefer more consistent, face-to-face interaction with faculty and peers throughout the creative design process.

If you choose an online degree, look for in-person networking opportunities outside of the classroom instead. Industry events, fashion shows, and internships offer opportunities to rub elbows with established fashion professionals.

Resources. Explore program format options at WorldWideLearn.com. The Online Degree Programs and Campus Education sections help you find programs with the delivery format that best meets your circumstances and career goals. If you choose a campus-based program, search campus degrees by location.

Step Three: Explore Academic Programs

Next, narrow down your list by taking a close look at each program. Top priorities at this stage include:

• Faculty expertise and research interests
• Specializations
• Interdisciplinary programs
• Special events like design showcases, fashion shows, etc.
• Internships

Your academic objective and career goal influence how you weigh these factors. For example, the quality of your studio MFA experience may depend on your access to fashion experts and to a public venue for displaying your work. The availability of internships is important if you're heading into a professional design or business career. Cross-fertilization from other school departments could play into your decision if you plan to draw on other fields; for example, a strong materials science research lab could benefit your work designing with advanced synthetic or eco-friendly fibers. And if you're pursuing a research-intensive MDes in fashion, professor research interests help guide your decision.

Resources. It's vitally important to get as much information as you can about a program before you sign on the dotted line:

• WorldWideLearn.com removes some of the legwork of researching programs by putting you in touch with school representatives. Simply fill out an online form indicating your academic program criteria, and the system automatically matches you with schools that meet your specifications. A representative or admissions counselor may contact you by phone or e-mail to answer any questions you have about the program. The system saves you time, allowing you to collect information about more schools.
• School Web sites allow you to drill deeper in your research. You'll find faculty CVs and research bibliographies, examples of faculty and student designs, and photos from past fashion shows, as well as course information and degree requirements.

Step Four: Evaluate Program Quality

In this last step, you'll rank programs based on quality, choosing six or more schools to which you'll apply. Factors to consider include:

• Reputation
• Selectivity
• Graduation rate
• Job placement statistics
• Career support resources

Gathering this information isn't always easy. Be sure to check out the following:

Rankings. Rankings offer a general starting point for gauging reputation. Major publications include:

• U.S. News & World Report's Best Graduate Schools in Fine Arts
• BusinessWeek's Top Innovation & Design Schools

For more detailed information about fashion school reputations, ask your undergraduate faculty advisors or industry professionals.

School data gives you a sense of how MFA or MDes graduates in fashion design have fared on the job market. Schools typically list names of companies or universities that have hired recent graduates. Some even offer detailed, anonymous data on salary offers, industry awards, and other graduate career data.

Preparing for an MFA or MDes in Fashion

After you've found a list of programs aligned with your research or artistic interests, preparing for the MFA or MDes in fashion becomes a straightforward logistics exercise. The following steps take you straight to the (online or on-campus) classroom door. For more information on preparing for graduate education--including test preparation tools, online learning advice, and financial aid guidance--consult WorldWideLearn.com's Education Resources Guide.

Step One: Apply to a Campus-Based or Online MFA or MDes in Fashion

Armed with a short list of schools, you're ready to complete the application process. Each school indicates its admission requirements. Typically, the application requires:

• A bachelor's degree or equivalent in a related field; if your undergraduate degree is in a discipline other than fine arts, you may be required to complete basic design course prerequisite(s) before beginning the graduate degree
• A portfolio of your work
• GRE test scores
• Demonstrated English language proficiency; the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is a standard requirement for international students
• Resume indicating relevant fashion, business, or retail work experience
• Faculty or professional letters of recommendation
• A personal statement indicating your research or specialization interests

Step Two: Secure Financial Aid

A graduate fashion design degree represents an important investment in your future. You'll find a range of sources to help you fund the degree. Your options include:

• Scholarships
• Federal and state student loans
• Paid internships or work-study
• Teaching or research assistantships (for academic MDes programs)

For more information, visit the WorldWideLearn.com resource page on graduate education funding.

Step Three: Join the Design Community

Your admission into an online MFA or MDes program in fashion signifies your entry into an elite community of design professionals. The opportunity to network with established designers is one of the distinct privileges of graduate education. You can start building relationships now by:

1. Attending industry events, such as fashion shows

2. Reading academic journals and fashion trade magazines. Some of the major fashion publications include:

• Journal of Design History
• Fashion Practice
• International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education
• Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management
• FIDM Magazine (Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising)
• Women's Wear Daily (WWD)
• FashionTribes.com blog

3. Joining professional fashion associations, such as:

• American Apparel & Footwear Association
• FFANY (Fashion Footwear Association of New York)
• American Sewing Guild
• Association of Knitwear Designers
• National Fashion Accessories Association

Whether you're headed for a campus-based or online MFA in fashion, it's important to get involved. Start networking now, and you'll hit the ground running when you start your degree program.

The key to making the most of your graduate fashion program is a clear career focus and careful planning. An MFA or MDes in fashion is the last word in formal fashion education, and a powerful springboard into a professional or academic career. Take the time to research your options, and you'll discover your path to the top of the fashion profession.

Sources

• Academy of Art University, School of Fashion MFA Program
• Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design (AICAD)
• BusinessWeek, D-Schools: The Global List
• College of Visual Arts+Design, University of North Texas, Fashion Design Graduate Program
• Cornell University, Apparel Design Graduate Programs
• Fashion Institute of Technology, Graduate Programs
• National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD)
• Royal College of Art, MA Programme in Fashion
• Savannah College of Design, Thoughts on the Relationship Between the Masters of Design (M.Des) and the Masters of Fine Arts (MFA), by Jon Kolko
• School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), Master of Design in Fashion, Body, and Garment
• U.S. News & World Report, Best Graduate Schools in Fine Arts
• U.S. Department of Education, Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs

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