Online bachelor degree programs in fashion design

If you've always envisioned your designs being worn down the red carpet, then a career in fashion design or merchandising may be the right fit for you. Uncertain of the path to get you and your design ideas there? A bachelor degree in fashion merchandising or design can pave the way.

The online bachelor degree in fashion design: What to expect

A campus or online bachelor's degree in fashion merchandising and fashion design can help you shape a career path in collection design, technical design, visual merchandising and more. Typical coursework for
a student pursuing a campus or online bachelor's degree in fashion merchandising or fashion design might include the following:

• Textiles for fashion design
• Industry sewing
• Pattern drafting procedures
• Fashion sketching for design
• Art history
• Business of fashion
• Color and design theory
• Computer-aided design (CAD)
• Collection design

Portfolio development and design is another integral part of completing a campus or online bachelor's degree in fashion merchandising. Make sure the degree program you pursue offers guidance in this professional requirement.

Careers for graduates with a bachelor's degree in fashion design

The best job opportunities for fashion designers and fashion merchandisers will be in stylish, affordable mass-market retail clothing for middle-income consumers, reports the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). While no degree program can guarantee a specific job or salary, fashion designers earned a mean annual income of $74,410 in 2009, according to the BLS. The top 10 percent earned $130,900. In 2009, the highest numbers of fashion designers were employed in America's fashion hubs, New York and California.

Some sample careers and descriptions:

• Clothing designers create and help produce men's, women's and children's apparel, including casual wear, suits, sportswear, formal wear, outerwear, maternity and intimate apparel.


• Footwear designers help create and produce different styles of shoes and boots.


• Accessory designersconceptualize and produce items such as handbags, belts, scarves, hats, hosiery and eye wear, which add the finishing touches to an outfit.


• Haute couture designers are self-employed and create custom designs for individual clients, usually at very high prices.


• Costume designers perform research on clothing styles worn during an historical period in which a performance, film or video takes place. If a piece is not set in a particular period, they work with directors to select or create appropriate attire.
  
• Fashion merchandisers combine a fashion design degree with a business, marketing or fashion merchandising degree. Many run or own boutiques and retail clothing stores.

Job competition is expected to remain fierce as many applicants are attracted to the creativity and glamour associated with fashion design and merchandising. Keep up with the competition by pursuing an online bachelor's degree in fashion design or an online bachelor degree in fashion merchandising.

For more information, read more about careers in fashion design and merchandising or visit our Guide to College Majors, where you can find in-depth research about bachelor degree's degrees in design with information about fashion design and merchandising. Or browse below and compare online bachelor degree programs in fashion merchandising and fashion design. When you see a program that interests you, fill out the form and an admissions representative from that school will contact you.

Don't wait for your future to arrive. Pursue higher education today and ensure more fashionable opportunities tomorrow.

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