Program Overview

The Apparel Design program focuses on market and consumer driven design. The program is designed to prepare students to be professionally ready for jobs in the athletic and outdoor industry. Graduates of the program will be literate in the business of fashion, design, production and marketing.

The Apparel Design major is a professional program (major code 400) offered through the College of Business. Entering students are designated as Pre-Apparel Design majors (major code 453). The pre-design program requires completion of courses within the first and second year that build a solid foundation for the upper-division design curricula. These courses must be completed before the student is eligible for admission to the upper-division studio-based curricula. The pre-design core coursework may be completed at OSU or any accredited college or university that offers equivalent courses transferable to OSU. Students who have completed their lower-division design courses at a college or university other than OSU must be admitted to the Pre-Apparel Design major in their first term and apply to the Apparel Design major during the normal selection process (typically in spring term each year).

Admission to the upper-division studio-based Apparel Design major is competitive and is restricted to those students who have demonstrated an ability to achieve the high standards required for professional studies. Enrollment may be limited to the number of students who can be served by the faculty and facilities. To be eligible to apply, students must meet the following requirements:

• Be declared as a Pre-Apparel Design major.
• Have completed 90 credits (junior standing).
• Have a minimum OSU cumulative GPA of 2.5, and a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 in Design Program Coursework.
• Have completed and received a C- or better in all required Pre-Professional Coursework.
• Have a C- or better in all Design Program Coursework.

The Design Program Coursework includes all College of Business courses taken for major and elective credit and non-college courses that are part of the program requirements.

Admission into the Apparel Design major requires completion of Pre-Professional Coursework and submission of a portfolio. The portfolio will expect students to submit work that demonstrates competency in fundamental design skills and concepts. For more information on current requirements, visit the website.