Bachelor of Science in Apparel Design and Merchandising: Concentration in Design
The Apparel Design and Merchandising program creates an educational and experiential foundation for diverse professional careers in the globally interdependent apparel industry. Students explore human behavior, social problems, and environmental concerns, interpreting influences and outcomes through apparel design and merchandising. Two concentrations are offered:
- Design
- Merchandising
Students will understand and apply knowledge about the roles and functions of various industry sectors in which textiles and sewn products are developed, produced, marketed, sold, and consumed, including design, construction, sourcing, manufacturing, marketing, and merchandising processes. A common core of classes enables students to develop a socially conscious approach to work in the textile and apparel industry and basic knowledge of the field, including career opportunities, terminology, and professional practices as applied to the industry.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Industry: Students will understand and apply knowledge about the roles and functions of various industry sectors in which sewn products are developed, produced, marketed, sold, and consumed, including design, construction, sourcing, manufacturing, marketing, and merchandising processes.
- Human Behavior: Students will apply theories and research on appearance and behavior, across the lifespan and in diverse communities.
- Aesthetics: Students will analyze aesthetic expression of dress in relation to historical, socio-cultural, and ecological factors and their relationship to quality of life.
- Historical, Local & Global Issues: Students will identify, analyze, and evaluate issues of social responsibility and ethical behavior with local and global apparel and textile industries as they relate to historical and current issues.
- Industry-Consumer: Students will research, identify, and interpret the needs and wants of consumers and how industry processes are applied to plan, develop, produce, communicate, and sell product.
- Professional Skill: Students will use appropriate technology to facilitate critical, creative, quantitative, and qualitative thinking in oral, written, and visual formats to varied audiences.
- Creative Thinking: Students will demonstrate the ability to design, merchandise, and communicate to and for diverse populations.
Mandatory Advising
ADM majors must see an advisor to prepare a Graduation Plan which outlines their individual course sequence. Students who wish to substitute credits earned at another institution for courses offered for the major at SF State must obtain acceptance from the major advisor and the Department Chair.
Writing Competence
Writing skills are necessary for success in the major. GE Area A2 is required to take ADM 360GW, the beginning of the sequence of upper-division ADM courses, which fulfills the GWAR requirement.
Apparel Design and Merchandising (B.S.): Concentration in Design (58 units)
All major courses must be passed with a letter grade of C- or better. CR/NC is not allowed.
Core Requirements (37 units)
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ADM 260 | Textiles | 3 |
| ADM 262 | Fashion Illustration | 3 |
| ADM 265 | Introduction to the Fashion Industry | 3 |
| ADM 360GW | Fashion, Clothing, and Society - GWAR | 3 |
| ADM 365 | Textile Laboratory | 1 |
| ADM 560 | Supply Chain Management in the Textile and Apparel World Marketplace | 3 |
| ADM 561 | Culture and Historical Costume | 3 |
| ADM 665 | Product Development for Apparel | 3 |
| ECON 101 | Introduction to Microeconomic Analysis | 3 |
| FCS 600 | Professional Development | 3 |
| ID 240 | Color and Design | 3 |
| ISYS 263 | Introduction to Information Systems | 3 |
| PSY 200 | General Psychology | 3 |
Design Concentration Requirements (12 units)
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ADM 261 | Apparel Construction | 3 |
| ADM 361 | Apparel Design I: Flat Pattern | 3 |
| ADM 362 | Apparel Design II: Draping | 3 |
| ADM 661 | Advanced Apparel Design | 3 |
Electives (9 units)
Select 9 units from the list below. An ADM course in the Merchandising Concentration may also be used an elective. Other courses may be used with approval from an advisor.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ACCT 100 | Introduction to Financial Accounting | 3 |
| ACCT 101 | Introduction to Managerial Accounting | 3 |
| ADM/ID 366 | Forecasting Apparel and Interior Design Trends | 3 |
| ADM 369 | Fashion Merchandising and Buying | 3 |
| ADM 466 | Computer Applications in the Clothing and Textile Industries | 3 |
| ADM 566 | Fashion and the Consumer | 3 |
| ADM 569 | Visual Merchandising and Promotion | 3 |
| ADM 675 | Variable Topics in Apparel Design | 3 |
| ART 222 | Introduction to Textile Art | 3 |
| ART 322 | Foundations in Fiber and Textiles | 3 |
| ART 422 | Weaving I: Beginning | 3 |
| ART 424 | Surface Design Studio | 3 |
| ART 527 | Repeat Pattern for Fine Art | 3 |
| BUS 354 | Starting a Small Business | 3 |
| DES 221 | Introduction to 3D Digital Design | 3 |
| DES 222 | Digital Design Foundations I | 3 |
| FCS 543 | Sustainability in the Textile, Housing, and Food Industries | 3 |
| FCS 685 | Projects in Teaching of Family Interiors Nutrition & Apparel | 3 |
| IBUS 330 | International Business and Multicultural Relations | 3 |
| IBUS 430 | Import-Export Management and Small Business Operations | 3 |
| JOUR 235 | Photojournalism I: Foundations of Photojournalism | 3 |
| TH A 302 | Foundational Skills in Theatre and Dance Production | 3 |
| TH A 303 | Production Support for Theatre and Dance Performance | 3 |
| TH A 305 | Foundational Elements of Theatre Design | 3 |
| TH A 411 | Costume Design for Stage and Screen | 3 |
General Education Requirements
| Requirement | Course Level | Units | Area Designation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oral Communication | LD | 3 | A1 |
| Written English Communication | LD | 3 | A2 |
| Critical Thinking | LD | 3 | A3 |
| Physical Science | LD | 3 | B1 |
| Life Science | LD | 3 | B2 |
| Lab Science | LD | 1 | B3 |
| Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning | LD | 3 | B4 |
| Arts | LD | 3 | C1 |
| Humanities | LD | 3 | C2 |
| Arts or Humanities | LD | 3 | C1 or C2 |
| Social Sciences | LD | 3 | D1 |
| Social Sciences: US History | LD | 3 | D2 |
| Lifelong Learning and Self-Development (LLD) | LD | 3 | E |
| Ethnic Studies | LD | 3 | F |
| Physical and/or Life Science | UD | 3 | UD-B |
| Arts and/or Humanities | UD | 3 | UD-C |
| Social Sciences | UD | 3 | UD-D |
| SF State Studies | |||
| Courses certified as meeting the SF State Studies requirements may be upper or lower division in General Education (GE), a major or minor, or an elective. | |||
| American Ethnic and Racial Minorities | LD or UD | 3 | AERM |
| Environmental Sustainability | LD or UD | 3 | ES |
| Global Perspectives | LD or UD | 3 | GP |
| Social Justice | LD or UD | 3 | SJ |
Note: LD = Lower-Division; UD = Upper-Division.
First-Time Student Roadmap (4 Year)
- The roadmaps presented in this Bulletin are intended as suggested plans of study and do not replace meeting with an advisor. For a more personalized roadmap, please use the Degree Planner tool found in your Student Center.
- In order to choose your English Composition A2 course and your QR/Math B4 course, please complete the online advising activities at writingadvising.sfsu.edu and mathadvising.sfsu.edu. Questions? Contact Gator Smart Start.
General Advising Information for Transfer Students
- Before transfer, complete as many lower-division requirements or electives for this major as possible.
- The following courses are not required for admission but are required for graduation. Students are strongly encouraged to complete these units before transfer; doing so will provide more flexibility in course selection after transfer.
- a course in U.S. History
- a course in U.S. & California Government
For information about satisfying the requirements described in (1) and (2) above at a California Community College (CCC), please visit http://www.assist.org. Check any geographically accessible CCCs; sometimes options include more than one college. Use ASSIST to determine:
- Which courses at a CCC satisfy any lower-division major requirements for this major;
- Which courses at a CCC satisfy CSU GE, US History, and US & CA Government requirements.
Remedial courses are not transferable and do not apply to the minimum 60 semester units/90 quarter units required for admission.
Additional units for courses that are repeated do not apply to the minimum 60 units required for upper-division transfer (for example, if a course was not passed on the first attempt or was taken to earn a better grade).
Before leaving the last California Community College of attendance, obtain a summary of completion of lower-division General Education units (IGETC or CSU GE Breadth). This is often referred to as a GE certification worksheet. SF State does not require delivery of this certification to Admissions, but students should retain this document for verifying degree progress after transfer.
Credit for Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or College-Level Examination Program courses: AP/IB/CLEP credit is not automatically transferred from the previous institution. Units are transferred only when an official score report is delivered to SF State. Credit is based on the academic year during which exams were taken. Refer to the University Bulletin in effect during the year of AP/IB/CLEP examination(s) for details regarding the award of credit for AP/IB/CLEP.
Students pursuing majors in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines often defer 6-9 units of lower-division General Education in Areas C and D until after transfer to focus on preparation courses for the major. This advice does not apply to students pursuing associate degree completion before transfer.
Transferring From Institutions Other Than CCCs or CSUs
Review SF State's lower-division General Education requirements. Note that, as described below, the four basic skills courses required for admission meet A1, A2, A3, and B4 in the SF State GE pattern. Courses that fulfill the remaining areas of SF State’s lower-division GE pattern are available at most two-year and four-year colleges and universities.
Of the four required basic skills courses, a course in critical thinking (A3) may not be widely offered outside the CCC and CSU systems. Students should attempt to identify and take an appropriate course no later than the term of application to the CSU. To review more information about the A3 requirement, please visit bulletin.sfsu.edu/undergraduate-education/general-education/lower-division/#AAEL.
Waiting until after transfer to take a single course at SF State that meets both US and CA/local government requirements may be an appropriate option, particularly if transferring from outside of California.