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Twin Cities Campus

Apparel Design B.S.

DESGN GARP Administration
College of Design
  • Program Type: Baccalaureate
  • Requirements for this program are current for Fall 2014
  • Required credits to graduate with this degree: 120
  • Required credits within the major: 81 to 88
  • Degree: Bachelor of Science
Apparel design students learn to design, produce, and market apparel products by developing the creative thinking and technical expertise to address contemporary issues while using industry technologies, communicating design ideas, and gaining an understanding of the global apparel industry. The program incorporates custom design and industry production approaches and features projects that emphasize fashion and function. The program focuses on a research-based design process used by many design industries, and courses incorporate industry-sponsored projects and community service projects. Studio courses closely replicate the professional working methods of apparel designers. In addition to providing a strong liberal arts curriculum, courses offer essential background in costume history, consumer behavior, and social and cultural meanings of apparel. A required internship and mentor experience provides students with professional experience. An annual fashion show presents students' achievements to the professional community. Students enter the program as pre-apparel design majors. To attain full major status, they must complete six required pre-apparel design courses with a grade of at least C-, maintain a 2.50 GPA, and pass a competitive portfolio review. To complete the major, students must take six sequential apparel design studio courses. They are also encouraged to use the liberal education categories to explore multicultural themes and to strengthen knowledge that supports their major coursework. Graduates of the program work in various settings, including product development and quality assurance for large retail companies, product design for small and large manufacturers, protective clothing and wearable technology design, theater and film design, and custom design.
Program Delivery
This program is available:
  • via classroom (the majority of instruction is face-to-face)
Admission Requirements
Students must complete 7 courses before admission to the program.
Freshman and transfer students are usually admitted to pre-major status before admission to this major.
A GPA above 2.0 is preferred for the following:
  • 2.50 already admitted to the degree-granting college
  • 2.50 transferring from another University of Minnesota college
  • 2.50 transferring from outside the University
Admission to the pre-major status is done by a competitive holistic review. Students must maintain a GPA of 2.50 during pre-major coursework. In addition, students must receive a minimum grade of C- or better in the required pre-major courses before going through portfolio review (not just a 2.50 GPA). Once students have achieved major status, they must maintain a GPA of 2.00. Students must pass a portfolio review to be admitted into the degree program.
For information about University of Minnesota admission requirements, visit the Office of Admissions website.
Required prerequisites
Pre-Apparel Design Courses
Students must demonstrate competence in basic apparel construction skills by successfully completing ADES 1221. Note: Students must be admitted to pre-major status to take most of these courses.
ADES 1221 - Introduction to Soft Goods Fabrication (3.0 cr)
ADES 2211 - Fashion Illustration and Portfolio Development (4.0 cr)
ADES 2221 - Design in 3 Dimensions (4.0 cr)
DES 1101W - Introduction to Design Thinking [AH, WI] (4.0 cr)
DES 2101 - Design and Visual Presentation (3.0 cr)
GDES 1312 - Foundations: Color and Design in Two and Three Dimensions (4.0 cr)
RM 1201 - Fashion, Ethics, and Consumption [CIV] (3.0 cr)
General Requirements
All students in baccalaureate degree programs are required to complete general University and college requirements including writing and liberal education courses. For more information about University-wide requirements, see the liberal education requirements. Required courses for the major, minor or certificate in which a student receives a D grade (with or without plus or minus) do not count toward the major, minor or certificate (including transfer courses).
Program Requirements
All coursework in the major must be taken A-F (with the exception of the internship).
Communication Course
WRIT 3562W - Technical and Professional Writing [WI] (4.0 cr)
or WRIT 3029W - Business and Professional Writing [WI] (3.0 cr)
or ENGL 3027W - The Essay [WI] (4.0 cr)
Major Courses
ADES 2213 - Textile Product Analysis (4.0 cr)
ADES 2214 - Softlines Analysis (3.0 cr)
ADES 2222 - Apparel Design Studio II (4.0 cr)
ADES 3217 - Fashion: Trends and Communication (3.0 cr)
ADES 3223 - Apparel Design Studio III (4.0 cr)
ADES 3224W - Functional Clothing Design [WI] (4.0 cr)
ADES 3225 - Apparel Design Research (1.0 cr)
ADES 3227 - Design for Manufacturing (4.0 cr)
ADES 3121 - History of Fashion, 19th to 21st Century (3.0 cr)
ADES 4196 - Internship in Apparel Design (1.0-4.0 cr)
ADES 4215 - Product Development: Softlines (4.0 cr)
ADES 4225 - Apparel Design Studio V (4.0 cr)
DES 3201 - Career and Internship Preparation for Design (1.0 cr)
GDES 3312 - Color and Form in Surface Design (4.0 cr)
RM 2215 - Introduction to Retail Merchandising (3.0 cr)
RM 4212W - Dress, Society, and Culture [WI] (3.0 cr)
DES 5185 - Human Factors in Design (3.0 cr)
or GDES 4330 {Inactive} (4.0 cr)
or RM 3196 - Field Study: National or International (1.0-4.0 cr)
or ADES 4218W - Fashion, Design, and the Global Industry [WI] (3.0 cr)
or Fiber-based Split Rock course
Upper-division Writing Intensive within the major
Students are required to take one upper-division Writing Intensive course within the major. If that requirement has not been satisfied within the core major requirements, students must choose one course from the following list. Some of these courses may also fulfill other major requirements.
Take 0 - 1 course(s) from the following:
· ADES 4218W - Fashion, Design, and the Global Industry [WI] (3.0 cr)
· ENGL 3027W - The Essay [WI] (4.0 cr)
· RM 4212W - Dress, Society, and Culture [WI] (3.0 cr)
· WRIT 3029W - Business and Professional Writing [WI] (3.0 cr)
· WRIT 3562W - Technical and Professional Writing [WI] (4.0 cr)
 
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· Apparel Design

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· Apparel Design B.S.
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ADES 1221 - Introduction to Soft Goods Fabrication
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Spring
This course introduces fundamental methods, tools, and techniques for assembling products made of soft goods (textiles). Course material covers the basics of cutting, sewing, pressing, and finishing textile products, with an emphasis on industrial fabrication methods.
ADES 2211 - Fashion Illustration and Portfolio Development
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Spring
Illustration skills specific to garments/textiles. Traditional media/CAD applications. Critique/analysis of visual communication of apparel design concepts.
ADES 2221 - Design in 3 Dimensions
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Spring
This class is an introduction to designing in 3 dimensions, with consideration of how 3D shapes are used and how they are formed. Course content explores the relationship between 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional shapes (flattening), as well as additive and subtractive methods of creating shapes. Software tools for modeling in 3 dimensions will be introduced.
DES 1101W - Introduction to Design Thinking (AH, WI)
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Course Equivalencies: Des 1101W/Des 1101V
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
Theories/processes that underpin design thinking. Interactions between humans and their natural, social, and designed environments where purposeful design helps determine quality of interaction. Design professions.
DES 2101 - Design and Visual Presentation
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Fall
This course introduces students to three of the main design software applications in the industry: Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe InDesign through a practical, hands-on approach, focusing on teaching students to develop designs using the applications and prepare files for production.
GDES 1312 - Foundations: Color and Design in Two and Three Dimensions
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
Color theory, its application in two- and three-dimensional design. Emphasizes effective use of color by studying traditional color systems, perception, and interaction. Lectures, demonstrations, extensive studio work, and critiques.
RM 1201 - Fashion, Ethics, and Consumption (CIV)
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
Apparel business. Overview of steps in the process of creating, merchandising, selling, and consuming apparel. Various ethical positions reflected in manufacturer, retailer, and consumer decision making are considered.
WRIT 3562W - Technical and Professional Writing (WI)
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Course Equivalencies: Writ 3562V/Writ 3562W
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Fall, Spring & Summer
This course introduces students to technical and professional writing through various readings and assignments in which students analyze and create texts that work to communicate complex information, solve problems, and complete tasks. Students gain knowledge of workplace genres as well as to develop skills in composing such genres. This course allows students to practice rhetorically analyzing writing situations and composing genres such as memos, proposals, instructions, research reports, and presentations. Students work in teams to develop collaborative content and to compose in a variety of modes including text, graphics, video, audio, and digital. Students also conduct both primary and secondary research and practice usability testing. The course emphasizes creating documents that are goal-driven and appropriate for a specific context and audience.
WRIT 3029W - Business and Professional Writing (WI)
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Course Equivalencies: EngL 3029W/Writ 3029W
Typically offered: Every Fall, Spring & Summer
In this course students practice writing and revising common business documents for today?s business world. Students write memos, proposals, cover letters, resumes, and digital and web content as well as practice choice of appropriate formats and media. The course draws from current business practices and stresses workplace collaboration, broader issues of professional literacy, and responsive writing styles. Students practice rhetorical analysis and discuss concepts such as audience, purpose, tone, and context when writing and revising their documents. Students analyze and write from a variety of perspectives and contexts including formal (researched reports, proposals) and informal (email, social media) communication. Students also build a professional online presence through such platforms as LinkedIn.
ENGL 3027W - The Essay (WI)
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Course Equivalencies: EngC 3027W/EngL 3027W
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
This is a course for students ready to face more challenging assignments and deepen their comfort and skill with writing. The instructor helps the student develop more sophisticated research strategies and experiment with more creative stylistic choices. Assignments might include autobiographies, critical comparisons, reviews of articles or books, cultural analyses, persuasive essays, and annotated bibliographies. Students in this course learn to 1) generate topics and develop essays with greater independence than they exercised in freshman composition, 2) write for multiple audiences?academic and non-academic?making appropriate decisions about content, rhetoric, structure, vocabulary, style, and format, 3) write creative non-fiction and other genres incorporating complex description and analysis, 4) analyze the conventions and styles of writing in their major field, and 5) experiment with new and more sophisticated writing strategies and styles.
ADES 2213 - Textile Product Analysis
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall
Physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of fibers, yarns, textile structures, and finishes. Their effect on performance/appearance of textile products, including apparel, interior, and industrial textiles.
ADES 2214 - Softlines Analysis
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Spring
Physical characteristics of softline products related to function for target market. Class experiences based on methods of analysis, including visual inspection, quality, construction, costing, and fit/sizing. prereq: DHA major or minor or instr consent
ADES 2222 - Apparel Design Studio II
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
Design process in developing apparel for specific user group. Advanced principles/methods of developing patterns for body, including flat pattern, draping, fitting. Computer-aided design tools for illustration, pattern making. prereq: [2221 or DHA 2221] with a grade of at least C-, Apparel Design major, pass portfolio review
ADES 3217 - Fashion: Trends and Communication
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Spring
Relation of fashion trends to visual analysis of apparel. Application to design/retail. Study of techniques and processes of identifying socio-cultural indicators, past and present trends, and methods for determining future trends in fashion and related industries. Communication skills are developed through assignments, in-class activities, lecture/discussion, guest-speaker presentations, and a trend forecasting project.
ADES 3223 - Apparel Design Studio III
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Spring
Study tailored/non-tailored apparel structures. Experiment with various materials/structures using traditional/innovative methods. Principles of manipulating materials/structures applied to series of garments. prereq: [2222 or DHA 2222] with grade of at least C-, Apparel Design major, pass portfolio review
ADES 3224W - Functional Clothing Design (WI)
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Course Equivalencies: ADes 3224W/ApSt 5224
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Spring
Principles and theory of functional apparel design. Conduct and apply research in designing apparel for situations requiring thermal or impact protection, accommodation for mobility, or facilitation for bodily function.
ADES 3225 - Apparel Design Research
Credits: 1.0 [max 1.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Spring
Market/visual research to support development of apparel line directed at specific audience. prereq: 3324 or concurrent registration is required (or allowed) in DHA 3224
ADES 3227 - Design for Manufacturing
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Fall
Technical development of sewn products for production and manufacture, with an emphasis on effective communication in a team environment. Sample assessment for geometry, aesthetics, and quality. Iterative development of technical specifications and the technical package, garment patterns, and samples. Materials sourcing and supply chain. Production design and assessment.
ADES 3121 - History of Fashion, 19th to 21st Century
Credits: 3.0 [max 4.0]
Course Equivalencies: ADes 4121/ApSt 5121
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall
Survey of apparel and appearances in Western cultures, from the 18th century to the present. Role of gender, race, and class with respect to the change in dress within historical moments and social contexts will be addressed. Students will learn and apply research approaches and methods in the study and interpretation of dress using objects from the Goldstein Museum of Design.
ADES 4196 - Internship in Apparel Design
Credits: 1.0 -4.0 [max 4.0]
Course Equivalencies: ADes 4196/IGDes 4196/Hsg 4196/
Grading Basis: S-N or Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall, Spring & Summer
Supervised work experience relating activity in business, industry, or government to student's area of study. Integrative paper or project may be required. prereq: Completion of at least one-half of professional sequence, plan submitted and approved in advance by adviser and internship supervisor, written consent of faculty supervisor, instr consent
ADES 4215 - Product Development: Softlines
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Periodic Fall & Spring
Product development for apparel and other sewn products. Developing products in a lab studio for effectiveness, reliability, and marketability. Team approach using merchandising/design principles to develop products for specific markets. prereq: 2213 or DHA 2213 or apparel design major or clothing design major or retail merchandising major or instr consent
ADES 4225 - Apparel Design Studio V
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Periodic Fall & Spring
Market research information/implementation. Designing for specific audience, market, user group. Applying market research to design line of apparel. Research of promotional methods for design project. prereq: [[3224 or DHA 3224], [3225 or DHA 3225]] with grade of at least C-, apparel design major
DES 3201 - Career and Internship Preparation for Design
Credits: 1.0 [max 1.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
Research career opportunities and organizations related to industry. Set career goals based on skills and interests. Identify job search skills to secure internships, implement transition from college to employment. prereq: Pre-graphic design or graphic design or pre-interior design or interior design or pre-apparel design or apparel design or environmental design or architecture or product design
GDES 3312 - Color and Form in Surface Design
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
Use of color/form representation in two-dimensional surface applications. Historical use of color and of spatial representation in visual communication.
RM 2215 - Introduction to Retail Merchandising
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
This course is designed to introduce concepts involved in the retail business and provide a high-level overview into all aspects of managing, planning and executing within this environment. Concepts include omni channel/multichannel retailing, digital retailing, consumer behavior, buying, inventory planning, supply chain, pricing, financial planning, human resources, store locations, store layout, and visual merchandising.
RM 4212W - Dress, Society, and Culture (WI)
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall
Contemporary dress from diverse cultures within/outside USA analyzed using social science concepts. Dress as nonverbal communication system. prereq: [Jr or sr or grad student], [design major or minor or instr consent]
DES 5185 - Human Factors in Design
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall
Exploration of the theories and methods that influence the assessment of physical, cognitive, social, and psychological human factors, and the analysis of user needs with application to designed products and systems that interact with a human user or the human body. This course is an introductory overview to the theories and concepts of Human Factors and their application through the methods of User-Centered Design. Typically, the class is comprised of students from a wide variety of disciplines and backgrounds. Course material is explored through readings, lectures, discussions, case studies, and course projects.
RM 3196 - Field Study: National or International
Credits: 1.0 -4.0 [max 10.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall, Spring & Summer
Faculty-directed field study in national or international setting. prereq: instr consent
ADES 4218W - Fashion, Design, and the Global Industry (WI)
Credits: 3.0 [max 6.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Fall
Relationship of fashion, dress, and culture to fashion industry. Globalization, fashion centers, design, time/place. Focuses on Chinese fashion industry. prereq: Upper level undergraduate or grad student
ADES 4218W - Fashion, Design, and the Global Industry (WI)
Credits: 3.0 [max 6.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Fall
Relationship of fashion, dress, and culture to fashion industry. Globalization, fashion centers, design, time/place. Focuses on Chinese fashion industry. prereq: Upper level undergraduate or grad student
ENGL 3027W - The Essay (WI)
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Course Equivalencies: EngC 3027W/EngL 3027W
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
This is a course for students ready to face more challenging assignments and deepen their comfort and skill with writing. The instructor helps the student develop more sophisticated research strategies and experiment with more creative stylistic choices. Assignments might include autobiographies, critical comparisons, reviews of articles or books, cultural analyses, persuasive essays, and annotated bibliographies. Students in this course learn to 1) generate topics and develop essays with greater independence than they exercised in freshman composition, 2) write for multiple audiences?academic and non-academic?making appropriate decisions about content, rhetoric, structure, vocabulary, style, and format, 3) write creative non-fiction and other genres incorporating complex description and analysis, 4) analyze the conventions and styles of writing in their major field, and 5) experiment with new and more sophisticated writing strategies and styles.
RM 4212W - Dress, Society, and Culture (WI)
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall
Contemporary dress from diverse cultures within/outside USA analyzed using social science concepts. Dress as nonverbal communication system. prereq: [Jr or sr or grad student], [design major or minor or instr consent]
WRIT 3029W - Business and Professional Writing (WI)
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Course Equivalencies: EngL 3029W/Writ 3029W
Typically offered: Every Fall, Spring & Summer
In this course students practice writing and revising common business documents for today?s business world. Students write memos, proposals, cover letters, resumes, and digital and web content as well as practice choice of appropriate formats and media. The course draws from current business practices and stresses workplace collaboration, broader issues of professional literacy, and responsive writing styles. Students practice rhetorical analysis and discuss concepts such as audience, purpose, tone, and context when writing and revising their documents. Students analyze and write from a variety of perspectives and contexts including formal (researched reports, proposals) and informal (email, social media) communication. Students also build a professional online presence through such platforms as LinkedIn.
WRIT 3562W - Technical and Professional Writing (WI)
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Course Equivalencies: Writ 3562V/Writ 3562W
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Fall, Spring & Summer
This course introduces students to technical and professional writing through various readings and assignments in which students analyze and create texts that work to communicate complex information, solve problems, and complete tasks. Students gain knowledge of workplace genres as well as to develop skills in composing such genres. This course allows students to practice rhetorically analyzing writing situations and composing genres such as memos, proposals, instructions, research reports, and presentations. Students work in teams to develop collaborative content and to compose in a variety of modes including text, graphics, video, audio, and digital. Students also conduct both primary and secondary research and practice usability testing. The course emphasizes creating documents that are goal-driven and appropriate for a specific context and audience.