Fashion Product Development (AA)

The Associates degree program in Fashion Product Development provides students with entry-level employment skills appropriate for assisting with developing technical designs and production packages, communicating with vendors and suppliers, and assisting technical designers, designers and product developers. The Associate degree program is a stepping stone to the Bachelors level program.

Associate of Arts (AA) Degree
Core Classes

This program is available online and on campus

FSH 100

Drawing for Fashion Core/3

Develop foundational skills in design sketching through observation and replication. You will become familiar with body proportions, basic human anatomy, and figure balance.

FSH 101

Fashion Visual Research and Design Development Core/3

Fashion design is a process. You'll build a firm foundation of skills as you develop and use visual research to create, edit, and balance a collection.

FSH 105

Fashion Business: Concepts Core/3

You will be introduced to the concepts of fashion retail and wholesale merchandising, fashion materials, producers of fashion, and various fashion markets.

FSH 109

Product Development: Design Fundamentals Core/3

Bring your product ideas to market. You will research existing brands, conduct trend research, create storyboards, and sketch flats to develop ideas for new products. Learn consumer markets, fabrication, roles within the supply chain, product development, and fashion product categories.

FSH 110

Creative Concepts for Fashion Core/3

Focus on original and creative hands-on development for collections. Color, fabrics, proportion, silhouette, customer, and wearing occasion are explored through 2D and 3D development.

FSH 120

Color Science & Fabric Technology Core/3

Color and fabric are concepts that drive creativity, novelty, and innovation. You will explore how fashion professionals apply color and design principles at all levels of the industry. You will study how textile fibers and other fabric characteristics affect garment performance.

FSH 161

Fashion Business: Digital Techniques Core/3

Use professional software to communicate visual information. Learn to work fluidly between programs to create fashion line layout, concept boards, and detailed specification for reproduction.

FSH 164

Fashion Sewing Techniques Core/3

Get the cutting and sewing skills for work in the apparel industry. You will learn both hand finishing and machine sewing techniques in wovens and create a notebook documenting your new skills.

FSH 229

Product Development: Digital Design & Sketching Core/3

Use professional digital tools to create garment technical sketches to meet industry standards. You will master the software to create, modify, store, and communicate your design ideas in precise sketches and drawings.

Degree Requirements

Unit RequirementsUnits
Core24
Sophomore Portfolio3
Major12
Liberal Arts21
Total60

AA FASHION PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

  • Minimum grade of C- in all major coursework.
  • Minimum 2.0 GPA and the following general education requirements:
    2 Art Historical Awareness courses
    1 Creative Communication course
    1 Written Communication: Critical Thinking course
    1 Employment Communications & Practices course
    1 Fabric & Fiber Literacy course

After above general education requirements are met, take Liberal Arts electives as needed to fulfill the Liberal Arts unit requirement.

Additional Information

Program Learning Outcomes

Undergraduate students will meet the following student performance criteria:

Research and Concept Development

  • Conduct research to inform point of view or concept
  • Analyze trends and market research to develop products appropriate for target markets and consumers
  • Identify changes, trends and opportunities in global fashion business, consumer and products

Product Development

  • Identify materials, sourcing, and manufacturing processes appropriate for product market (brand, consumer, and price point)
  • Produce accurate and detailed technical drawings and flat patterns using both traditional medium and computer software

Visual Presentation Skills

  • Create organized presentations that reflect a point of view consistent with product and brand

Technical Skills

  • Demonstrate proficiency in industry-standard product development related tools and software

Presentation Skills

  • Present and communicate trends, product concepts and details clearly and effectively

Collaboration Skills

  • Work effectively in a team

Professional Readiness

  • Produce basic materials required for an entry-level job search