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Apparel Design

Minor

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Pursue your dream career in fashion through hands-on learning with an apparel design minor

Ready to take the world of fashion by storm? UW’s apparel design minor is for you! This program helps students develop all of the skills necessary for apparel and textile design and development. Students learn pattern-making, fashion illustration, collection development and sewing. The best part? Students get the unique opportunity to showcase their designs and get feedback through exhibitions and runway shows.

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Program Details

Tuition and Fees

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Program Requirements

Curriculum & Courses

Department

College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources
Department of Family and Consumer Sciences

About the Apparel Design Minor

The apparel design program equips students with all the skills needed to become an apparel or textile designer. Through 27 credit hours of courses, students learn technical and creative skills along with the industry knowledge required to launch a successful career.

This minor is part of UW’s Design, Merchandising and Textiles program, which was recently accredited by the National Association for Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).

Student pins a flower on a piece of clothing during class

A student cuts a fabric

Students must be pursuing an undergraduate degree at the University of Wyoming to declare a minor in apparel design.

Many of the apparel design classes are offered every other year, so make sure to speak with your academic advisor about which courses you can take and how long it will take to complete the minor.

Two students in a clothing design class

 

What can you do with an apparel design minor?

Apparel design students are equipped to thrive in a variety of creative careers. Many of our students go into fashion design and product development, while others pursue marketing, communications, merchandising and other fields.

Apparel Design Careers

Here are some of the jobs and careers our alumni pursue:

  • Creative Apparel Design
  • Technical Apparel Design
  • Product Development
  • Marketing
  • Communications
  • Buying
  • Visual Merchandising

 

 

A person making a dress

Here are just a few of the places our grads are getting creative:

  • Sierra Nevada Corporation
  • Kohl’s
  • Atomic Provisions
  • SMAO, LLC
  • Albany County Tourism Board
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Apparel Design Minor Highlights

The apparel design minor equips students with the technology, community and knowledge you need to pursue your dream career in fashion. Learn more about the highlights of our program.

Design Showcases & Fashion Shows

Student showcases are one of the many things that makes UW’s apparel design program unique and exciting. We believe it’s important for every student to get real-world experiences before graduation. That includes publicly showing designs, receiving critiques and explaining your designs to others. Every year, students get the opportunity to show their designs through static design exhibitions and runway-style fashion shows.

Student Organizations

Student-run organizations are a wonderful way to meet like-minded students, network with professionals and learn more about the world of design. Here are a few of the organizations you may be interested in joining:

Fashion Club
Interior Design Club
Phi Upsilon Omicron (Family and Consumer Sciences Honor Society)

Accomplished Faculty

Our design faculty members are highly skilled and dedicated mentors to our students. Learn more about who you’ll work with as part of our program:

  • Dr. Erin Irick: Dr. Irick is an Associate Professor and the apparel design program coordinator. Her research areas include sustainable design processes, slow fashion and fabric surface design. Dr. Irick teaches the majority of the classes for the minor.
  • Dr. Jennifer Harmon: Dr. Harmon is an Associate Professor at UW. Her research areas include textile science, sustainability and dress and behavior. Dr. Harmon teaches the textiles class for the minor.
  • Dr. Amy Shane-Nichols: Dr. Shane-Nichols is an Assistant Professor  in the Design, Merchandising and Textiles program. Her research centers on five key areas: self-identity, social identity, symbolic interaction, symbolic consumption and consumer behavior.
  • Treva Sprout-Ahrenholtz: Treva is a lecturer and licensed interior designer. She teaches foundational design courses for the minor.

Sewing Lab & Equipment

Apparel design students have access to state-of-the-art equipment and facilities to help bring their ideas to life. Equipment includes:

  • Bernina sewing machines and sergers
  • Textile lab with a variety of textile testing equipment
  • Apparel technology lab with a 3D body scanner
  • Industrial embroidery and sewing machines
  • Digital textile printer
  • Computer lab featuring Adobe Creative Cloud
  • Apparel design and pattern-making software

 

 

Related Programs

Interested in a minor in apparel design? These programs may also be of interest to you:

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Family and Consumer Sciences

Department 3354, 1000 E. University Avenue

Laramie, WY 82071

Phone: (307) 766-4145

Email: fam-consci@uwyo.edu