Certificate Requirements
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Course requirements: 6-8 online and/or on-campus courses, 4-6 required courses, and 2 electives. You may enroll in Fashion Design Basic Core OR Color Theory, Design Sketching I, and Construction Techniques I as your first required course(s). If you have
taken Basic Core, please register for Construction Techniques II as your next required class. If you are beginning your certificate and are not taking Basic Core, you must register for Construction Techniques I.
- Timeline to completion: Most courses last nine weeks or more. Courses meeting for fewer than nine sessions count as half of an elective and would need to be combined to fulfill one elective requirement. Most students take two courses per semester.
The certificate must be completed in two years.
- Cost: $776-$796 per course.
Create groundbreaking apparel. Only a school ranked No. 1 worldwide for fashion education can give you a 360-degree immersion in fashion design, trends, history, and foundational techniques. The program develops each designer’s vision while cultivating the technical skills needed for the fashion industry — from concept development and sketching to sewing and construction techniques, draping, patternmaking, and textile selection. Finish your fashion design studies by learning how to create the perfect fashion portfolio, and polish your job-seeking skills with Professional Practices: Fashion.
Required Courses
Foundational Courses
Option 1
1) Fashion Design Basic Core
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This intensive course is aimed at those who wish to begin the study and practice of fashion design. It provides students with a foundation in the construction and graphic skills necessary for a career in fashion design and related industries. The course
is taught in two sections, one in fashion design sketching and concept development, and the other in sewing and construction methods. Each section is taught by a separate instructor, who covers basic skills and professional practices. Topics covered
include form, color, and pattern; fabric selection and textiles; pattern drafting and draping; drawing from the model and the purpose of the design sketch; and the development of fashion concepts, research, and clothing line development. Students
are expected to complete regular weekly assignments and keep a standard fashion source book throughout the course.
Option 2
1) Color Theory
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Discover color and its implications for designers and artists. Study ideas of space and the use of color to solve spatial problems. Look at color harmony and the way colors interact, as well as color qualities and combinations. Online students must have
access to a scanner. There are no prerequisites.
2) Design Sketching I
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In the fashion world, new clothing designs are presented in the form of hand-drawn sketches before being chosen to go into production. Designers start with a croquis, a quick sketch of the traditional fashion figure that serves as the basis for the design
of clothing and accessories, and then add color and details to the garments. This is a basic course in making a designer’s sketch, working from live models to learn drawing skills, fundamental anatomy, and the dynamics of movement in preparation for
producing fashion illustrations. Attention is given to both the fashion figure and human proportions.
3) Construction Techniques I
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Learn basic draping, flat patternmaking, and sewing techniques, along with principles of design. Topics covered include three-dimensional muslin interpretation of skirts and bodices, developing slopers, and constructing a garment. Bring to the first class
a #2 pencil, pins, paper scissors, and one yard of lightweight muslin.
Other Required Courses
1) Construction Techniques II
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Building on the basic draping, patternmaking, and sewing skills learned in Construction Techniques I, explore intricate draping exercises to design more tailored apparel and study advanced patternmaking applications. Make muslin tests of garments and
use fabric to create a finished garment. Prerequisite: Construction Techniques I or the equivalent.
2) Fashion Flats
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Flat sketching is an essential part of garment production. It communicates details in the design and construction of a garment, from concept to marketing. This course introduces the professional techniques used to create fashion flats, ranging from traditional
hand sketching to the use of Adobe Illustrator to produce sketches digitally in a vector format. Prerequisite: Mac Basics or equivalent; experience with Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop is a plus.
Want to go further? Explore the AAS degree program in Fashion Design at Parsons.