Admission Requirements for the Master of Science in Fashion Studies

Interested applicants must complete the online application form available at the Office of Graduate Studies. There is a $60 application fee. 

Applicants for admission must meet the following requirements:

1. An earned baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution.
2. A cumulative grade-point average (GPA) equivalent to at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in all prior undergraduate college-level course work.
3. A GRE (Graduate Record Exam) score (taken within past 5 years), with a minimum combined verbal and quantitative score of 1050 and no less than 550 on the verbal GRE.
4. Students whose first language is not English must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) unless a prior degree was obtained from the U.S. institution. The minimum score for TOEFL should be 550 or higher (paper-based test) or 213 (computer-based test) or 79 on the Internet-based TOEFL to be considered for admission. TOEFL scores more than two years old cannot be validated or considered official.
5. An interview with member(s) of the Fashion and Apparel Studies graduate faculty may be required.

Candidates for admission must submit 3 letters of recommendation and a personal statement describing interests, intellectual goals, and how this program would meet their goals and objectives. A resume and a writing sample (research paper from a senior level course) are required. Portfolios may be required.

Admission to the master of science program is decided by the Graduate Studies committee of faculty in the department.  Admission to the graduate program is competitive. Those who meet stated requirements are not guaranteed admission, nor are those who fail to meet all of those requirements necessarily precluded from admission if they offer other appropriate strengths. While candidates for admission need not have majored in fashion related areas previously, they will be expected to possess the following:

1. Strong written and oral communication skills
2. An understanding of computer systems and basic word processing and spreadsheet applications
3. Knowledge of consumer behavior or social psychological aspects of clothing
4. Knowledge of the global fashion industry
5. Understanding of design and aesthetic concepts
6. Applicants interested in a creative design focus should have had a minimum of one patternmaking course