Studio Art: Fashion, BFASA

for the degree of Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art in Studio Art, Fashion Concentration


Students in the BFASA who choose a concentration in Fashion will focus on developing their own unique apparel design process with an emphasis on sustainable practices while becoming familiar with the various aspects of the fashion industry from concept to consumer. Students will be introduced to various modes of research and ideation, gaining the tools to be able to effectively communicate and produce their two- and three-dimensional designs within the context of the history of fashion and the theoretical underpinnings that drive fashion and contemporary culture.

Introductory courses in Fashion give students an overview of the industry from customer development, design and production through manufacturing, promotion and sales. Students are introduced to the fundamentals of textiles and clothing design, and the basics of creating a fashion collection through the use of hand and digital illustration techniques. Further courses focus on the exploration of experimental design, patternmaking, and sewing skills while encouraging the development of the designer’s personal creative vision within the context of fashion history and the consumer market. Additional courses bring a greater understanding of how to enact knowledge gained in an educational setting within the fashion industry, through sustainable fashion collection development and branding. Students are given the unique opportunity to showcase their constructed ensembles and mini-collections on the runway in the Re-Fashioned fashion show presented each spring. We offer experiences in a variety of classrooms designed to support explorations in bringing two-dimensional materials to three-dimensional forms, access to computer labs, digital output technologies including 3D printers, sewing and embroidery machines, and dress forms.

Students in the School of Art and Design must complete the Campus General Education requirements. Some Art and Design courses will also apply toward the General Education requirements.

Students majoring in this degree program must complete the First Year Curriculum requirements before beginning other major requirements.

A portfolio review is required for admission to the School of Art and Design.

for the degree of Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art in Studio Art, Fashion Concentration


Graduation Requirements

Minimum hours required for graduation: 122 hours.

University Requirements

Minimum of 40 hours of upper-division coursework, generally at the 300- or 400-level. These hours can be drawn from all elements of the degree.  Students should consult their academic advisor for additional guidance in fulfilling this requirement.

The university and residency requirements can be found in the Student Code (§ 3-801) and in the Academic Catalog.

General Education Requirements

Follows the campus General Education (Gen Ed) requirements. Some Gen Ed requirements may be met by courses required and/or electives in Art and Design.

Composition I4-6
Advanced Composition3
Humanities & the Arts (6 hours)6
fulfilled by ARTH 110 and ARTS 220
Natural Sciences & Technology (6 hours)6
Social & Behavioral Sciences (6 hours)6
Cultural Studies: Non-Western Cultures (1 course)3
Cultural Studies: US Minority Cultures (1 course)3
Cultural Studies: Western/Comparative Cultures (1 course) 3
fulfilled by ARTH 110
Quantitative Reasoning (2 courses, at least one course must be Quantitative Reasoning I)6-10
Language Requirement (Completion of the third semester or equivalent of a language other than English is required)0-15

First Year Curriculum

FAA 101Arts at Illinois1
ARTF 101Contemporary Issues in Art2
ARTE 101Art, Design, and Society2
ARTH 110Introduction to the History of Art and Visual Culture3
ARTF 103Design I3
ARTF 105Design II3
Select one Drawing course:3
Observational Drawing
Expressive Drawing
Visualization Drawing
Total Hours17

Art History Requirements

200 level and above ARTH courses9

Fashion Concentration Requirements

Students must declare one concentration, students may not declare more than one concentration.

ARTS 220Introduction to Fashion3
ARTS 221Fashion Illustration3
ARTS 223Experimental Fashion3
ARTS 320Fashion and Textiles Design3
ARTS 321Sustainable Fashion Development and Branding3
ARTS 420Making Fashion: Apparel Design in Context3
Choose 6 hours from:
Additional 200-level ARTS courses
THEA 242Introduction to Costume Production3
GWS 275The Politics of Fashion3
Costume Electives from Theatre15
Advanced Costume Construction
Introduction to Costume Patterning and Draping
Flat Pattern Drafting
Costume Draping
Costume History I
Costume History II
Costume Crafts
Technology and Costume Crafts
Leatherworking Techniques
Additional 300- or 400- level ARTS courses9
Total Hours48

Capstone Requirements

ARTS 392Current Art Issues Seminar3
ARTS 451BFASA Capstone Studio4

Summary of credits for Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Arts

General Education
First-Year Curriculum17
Art History9
Concentration48
Capstone7
Electives to bring the total hours earned to 122, including a minimum of 40 credits at the 300- or 400-level.
Total Hours122

for the degree of Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art in Studio Art, Fashion Concentration


This sample sequence is intended to be used only as a guide for degree completion. All students should work individually with their academic advisors to decide the actual course selection and sequence that works best for them based on their academic preparation and goals. Enrichment programming such as study abroad, minors, internships, and so on may impact the structure of this four-year plan. Course availability is not guaranteed during the semester indicated in the sample sequence.

Students must fulfill their Language Other Than English requirement by successfully completing a third level of a language other than English. For more information, see the corresponding section on the Degree and General Education Requirements page.

First Year
First SemesterHoursSecond SemesterHours
FAA 1011ARTE 1012
ARTF 1012ARTS 2213
ARTH 1103ARTF 1053
ARTF 1033Composition I or Language Other than English (3rd level)4
ARTF ### (Drawing Category)3General Education course3
Composition I or Language Other than English (3rd level)4 
 16 15
Total Hours 31
Second Year
First SemesterHoursSecond SemesterHours
ARTS 2203ARTS 3203
ARTS 2233THEA 242 or GWS 275 (or additional 200-level ARTS course)3
ARTH 200-400 level course3General Education course3
General Education course3General Education course3
General Education course3General Education course3
 15 15
Total Hours 30
Third Year
First SemesterHoursSecond SemesterHours
ARTS 3213ARTS 4203
ARTH 200-400 level course3ARTS 3923
THEA 242 or GWS 275 (or additional 200-level ARTS course)3Course from THEA list3
Course from THEA list3Course from THEA list3
General Education course3General Education course3
 15 15
Total Hours 30
Fourth Year
First SemesterHoursSecond SemesterHours
Course from THEA list3ARTS 4514
ARTH 200-400 level course3Course from THEA list3
Additional 300- or 400-level ARTS course3Additional 300- or 400-level ARTS course3
Additional 300- or 400-level ARTS course3Free Elective course3
General Education course3Free Elective course3
 15 16
Total Hours 31

Total Hours: 122

for the degree of Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art in Studio Art, Fashion Concentration


BFASA Studio Art: ​

Upon completion of BFASA curriculum:

  1. Students will apply basic principles of multi-dimensional and multi-sensory communication across diverse mediums to achieve a desired aesthetic in their creative work.
  2. Students will experiment with and critically analyze the expressive possibilities of various media and conceptual strategies, demonstrating engagement with emerging technologies and investigation of broader social questions and challenges.
  3. Students will implement concepts of visual rhetoric and meaning making in the development of artworks that acknowledge and demonstrate empathy toward diverse social histories and lived experiences.
  4. Students will develop and articulate a self-directed creative practice that synthesizes existing knowledge, personal perspectives, and collaborative opportunities to engage audiences in a variety of social and institutional settings.
  5. Students will demonstrate adaptability for varying professional roles across artistic, cultural, and commercial contexts.

In addition, each concentration has discipline specific learning outcomes:

Fashion Concentration:

  1. Students in the fashion concentration will have fluency in their own personal apparel design process, including a strong working knowledge of the various modes of research, ideation, and design sketching.
  2. Students in the fashion concentration will be able to effectively communicate their design philosophy and personal aesthetic visually; through portfolio quality two dimensional representations of developed fashion collections and verbally; through presentations, critique response and in a post academic professional fashion industry context.
  3. Students in the fashion concentration will be able to communicate their design philosophy within the context of the history of fashion and the theoretical underpinnings that drive fashion and contemporary culture.
  4. Students in the fashion concentration will demonstrate skills appropriate for designing and researching within the fashion industry.
  5. Students in the fashion concentration will understand the various aspects of fashion industry, from design and production through manufacturing, promotion and sales.
  6. Students in the fashion concentration will be able to demonstrate construction and pattern making skills. They will have a knowledge of materiality, fibers and textiles in relationship to apparel production.
  7. Students in the fashion concentration will be prepared for professional careers by developing technical competency, creative/independent problem solving and conceptual understanding necessary for the challenges of a career in the creative industries.

for the degree of Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art in Studio Art, Fashion Concentration


School of Art & Design

School of Art & Design
Art & Design Faculty
Coordinator of Undergraduate Academic Affairs: Michael Foellmer
143 Art and Design Building, Champaign, IL 61820
(217) 244-8462

College of Fine & Applied Arts

Fine & Applied Arts

Admissions

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Undergrad Admissions
FAA Undergraduate Advising
admissions@illinois.edu