UNDERGRADUATE COURSES
Columbia College Chicago, Fashion Studies Department
27-1910 Fashion Business. Course covers workings and interrelationships of various industries and services that compose the fashion business. Instruction offers a comprehensive overview of enterprises involved in design, production, and distribution of men's, women's, and children's apparel and accessories. Students learn about varied career opportunities in the fashion field and how to make business decisions, recognize and solve problems, and maximize opportunities.
27-3115 Apparel Evaluation. This course provides the foundation of professional vocabulary used in the fashion industry. Students learn to identify garment components, evaluate construction techniques, estimate production costs, and integrate these fundamentals into fashion management applications. Skills learned in this course prepare students for advanced courses in the curriculum.
27-3910 Merchandising Concept to Consumer. Students explore product development practices; study roles of manufacturing, wholesaling, and retailing and their relationship to merchandising; learn the steps involved in merchandising products to consumers; and develop a merchandise plan for a product line.
27-3970 Decision Making: Brand Development. This required course that must be taken by graduating students during their final semester. Course applies previously learned fundamentals of critical business decision making that are necessary in developing a competitive edge in today's fashion/retail business market. Students work with a mentor in the professional field and develop a merchandising package or business strategy that will be presented to industry professionals.
27 -3740 Fashion Design: Production to Showroom
Fashion Design students will explore the process from production to sales through the lens of a major brand as well as a start-up fashion line. Students will learn the steps of line development including sourcing, costing, pre-production, working with a manufacturer and taking a product line to market at the wholesale level.
Columbia College Chicago, Business and Entrepreneurship (formally AEMM) Department
28-1115 Entertainment Marketing. Students analyze an arts, entertainment, media, or fashion organization within its environmental context to determine how to position it in the marketplace. Students develop an understanding of the consumer and market, choose proper research techniques to solve problems, determine appropriate promotional techniques to develop relationships with customers, and develop a complete and integrated marketing plan for an organization.
Dominican University, Fashion Design & Merchandising Department
APRL 170 Introduction to the Fashion World. Overview of the fashion business structure. Topics include the origin of apparel design through manufacturing, marketing, merchandising, and retailing process. Career opportunities are highlighted.
APRL 340 Introduction to Marketing / Styling The course provides an in-depth study of the stylist's role in print and interactive media in the fashion markets. The role and responsibilities of a stylist are explored, from shopping and prepping merchandise to working with models and layouts. The specifics of styling professionalism are highlighted. The course emphasizes visual aspects of color and proportion and creating visual solutions for publications, media and entertainment events.
APRL 370 International Sourcing and Brand Development. An examination of the product development process and study of the roles of manufacturing, wholesaling, and retailing and the interrelationship of allied industries; development of a comprehensive merchandise plan for a product line with perspectives on the consumer, manufacturer, retailer, and international sourcing. Emphasis on understanding the industry through global social responsibility.
APRL 446 Apparel Design & Merchandising Seminar. Developing the major production of the department; study of professional practices and management in the business of apparel design and merchandising; preparation and presentation of comprehensive portfolio.
LAS 228 Fashioned Faith: Religious Dress in Community. Sophomore-level seminar focuses on 'life in community.' This course explores dress as a multifaceted communication tool that provides insight into one’s culture, beliefs, faith, identity, power, and emotions. Clothing conveys messages about how members of groups identify with those inside and outside of the group, and it communicates meaning to others in society. Signals sent by clothing can bring people together but also be the impetus for discrimination and injustice. This course explores and discusses possible interpretations of the many aspects of body adornment encountered in today’s diverse communities.
LAS 140 The Curated Self: Becoming a Brand. Freshman level seminar focuses on 'the examined life.
GRADUATE COURSE
Columbia College Chicago, AEMM Department
28-6121 Presentation Skills. Course helps develop the students' ability to speak confidently and effectively in a variety of public speaking situations. Particular attention is paid to style, persuasion and credibility in public speaking. Students will prepare and present several different types of speeches which arts managers are often required to make.