3:40 p.m., Aug. 17, 2007--How to run an international apparel company without exploiting people or the environment is the bottomline of a new online certificate program offered by UD's Department of Fashion and Apparel Studies.

The graduate-level certificate program, “Socially Responsible Apparel Business,” offers a foundation in how to manage the means of international production and resources in ways that are labor and environmentally sound. The certificate is comprised of nine, one-credit courses that are offered through the Internet, each taken over a five-week period.

Students start by selecting either a labor or environment track when registering for the online courses, however, they may pursue both tracks by taking all four specialized courses in addition to the seven core courses.

Coursework is based on the United Nations Global Compact, a voluntary international initiative that brings together companies, labor and civil society groups and various UN agencies in support of human rights, labor and the environment. They center on how apparel, textile and footwear businesses address the “Global Compact” principles for human rights, labor standards and environmental stewardship and how they can more effectively address them in the future; analyze the moral and ethical responsibility of business and individuals toward human rights labor standards and environmental stewardship; and recommend various strategies for affecting change in the industries.

Instruction and learning materials were developed by faculty from the University of Delaware, Cornell and Colorado State universities based on work supported by the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Instructors for the courses are drawn from all three universities.

To be admitted to the program, students must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited university. Applications for the Socially Responsible Apparel Business graduate certificate are being accepted throughout the year. For more information on the application process, visit [www.continuingstudies.udel.edu/apparel].

Additional information about the graduate certificate is available at [www.udel.edu/fash/graduate].

For more information, e-mail Marsha Dickson, professor and chairperson of the Department of Fashion and Apparel Studies, at [Dickson@udel.edu].