With most people choosing to spend their time and money on courses that are traditionally considered valuable like pharmacy, medicine and engineering, fashion courses continue to fly under the radar.
But due to modern-day consumerism and a world population comprising primarily young people, as well as the position the fashion industry occupies in world economics, pursuing a career in fashion might not be a bad idea.
In this article, we will look at the types of fashion courses you can study, the best fashion schools around the world to consider joining, how much it costs to get a fashion degree, the careers one can pursue with a fashion degree, and the highest-paying fashion jobs. Let’s begin.
The Top Fashion Degrees
For students considering studying fashion, you will be pleased to know that there are many different fashion degrees you can study based on your interests as well as your talents and strengths.
A general fashion degree covers all areas of the fashion sector, including fashion design, fashion business, fashion advertising and marketing, apparel production, trend forecasting and many other aspects of the fashion sector.
If you choose to specialize, you can expect to study such things as fashion photography, fashion design, fashion public relations or fashion journalism as stand-alone courses, jewellery design, fashion styling, fashion law and fashion management to name a few.
The Best Fashion Schools
Once you’ve chosen to study fashion at a high level, there remains the choice of school to consider. Often, this choice can be influenced by the reputation and the cadre of the institution one chooses to join.
Another deciding factor will be your financial strength. Different fashion schools have different tuition requirements.
Finally, there is your geographical location to consider, a fashion school on the other side of the world is not a practical choice unless you don’t mind migrating to that location. A choice that would most likely come with tons of challenges.
Since there are hundreds of fashion schools out there, we will look at the top four according to reviews and repute. Kindly note that the schools mentioned are not the only places you can study fashion. Your final choice will be down to the aforementioned factors.
1. Parsons, The New School For Design
Location: United States Of America (New York)
Tuition: Apx $50,000 Per Annum (Undergraduate)
Undergraduate Degree Programs Offered at Parsons, The New School For Design
Architectural Design (BFA), Communication Design (BFA, AAS), Design and Technology (BFA), Design History & Practice (BFA), Fashion Design (BFA, AAS), Fine Arts (BFA), Illustration (BFA), Integrated Design (BFA), Interior Design (BFA, AAS), Photography (BFA), Product Design(BFA), Strategic Design & Management (BBA), Associate’s Degrees in Design and Fashion (AAS)
Find the full list of courses here.
Notable Alumni: Tom Ford, Alexander Wang, Marc Jacobs, Donna Karan and Jason Wu.
Admission requirements: GPA- 3.42 | SAT- 1,211 | ACT- 26
For full admission requirements, read this article
Acceptance rate: 40-50%
2. Fashion Institute Of Technology (FIT)
Location: United States Of America (New York)
Tuition: Local Tuition ($5,913 Per Semester), Domestic Tuition ($16,493 Per Semester)
Undergraduate Degree Programs Offered at Fashion Institute Of Technology
Fashion Merchandising, Fashion/apparel design, International marketing, Illustration, Apparel and textile manufacture, Commercial and advertising art, Interior design, Specialized merchandising, sales, and marketing operations, Graphic design, Commercial photography, Design and applied arts, Industrial and product design, Fine/studio arts, Animation, interactive technology, video graphics and special effects, Cinematography and film/video production, Fine and studio arts management, Entrepreneurial and small business operations, Special products marketing operations etc
Find the full list of courses here.
Notable Alumni: Carolina Herrera, Calvin Klein and Michael Kors
Admission requirements: read the FIT full eligibility requirements on their website here.
Acceptance rate: 50-60%
3. London College Of Fashion
Location: United Kingdom (London)
Tuition: Citizens (Apx $10,000 per year) International Students (Apx $20,000 per year)
Undergraduate Degree Programs Offered at London College Of Fashion
BA (Hons) Fashion Textiles Print, BA (Hons) Fashion Textiles Knit, BA (Hons) Fashion Textiles Embroidery, BA (Hons) Fashion Styling and Production, BA (Hons) Fashion Sportswear, BA (Hons) Hair and Make-up for Fashion, BA (Hons) Fashion Photography, BA (Hons) Creative Direction for Fashion, BA (Hons) Costume for Performance, BA (Hons) Bespoke Tailoring, BA (Hons) Fashion Management etc
Find the full list of courses here.
Notable Alumni: Jimmy Choo and Rupert Sanderson.
Admission requirements: Find out their full eligibility requirements on their website.
Acceptance rate: 20-30%
4. Central Saint Martins
Location: United Kingdom (London)
Tuition: Citizens (Apx $10,000 per year) International Students (Apx $20,000 per year)
Notable Alumni: Alexander McQueen, Paul Smith, Stella McCartney and Christopher Kane.
Admission requirements: Find out their full eligibility requirements on their website.
Acceptance rate: Apx 20%
PS: Both The London College Of Fashion And Central Saint Martins are part of the University of the Arts London (UAL)
Honourable Mentions
Royal College of Art, Istituto Marangoni, Politecnico di Milano, Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne, l’Ecole Supérieure des Arts et techniques de la Mode.
Find out the full list of reputable fashion schools in the world by reading this article.
Which Career Can You Pursue With A Fashion Degree
Today, a fashion degree holds the key to a wide array of career choices. Some of the career options open to you, if you have a fashion degree (depending on what you majored in), include working as a fashion designer.
A career in fashion design can be one of the most rewarding careers in the fashion sector. Read our post “The Main Types Of Fashion Design” to get an in-depth look into this career path.
Other career paths for one with a fashion degree include merchandising, styling, art directing, marketing, public relations, journalism and publishing to name a few.
What Are The Highest Paying Fashion Jobs
The fashion industry has some of the most competitive compensation rates in the job market. Actual salaries will of course depend on your niche, your expertise and your industry experience.
Some of the highest-paying jobs in the fashion industry include but are not limited to;
Fashion Designer ($37,000 – $78,000)
Personal Stylist ($51,000 – $60,000)
Model ($53,000 – $500,000)
E-Commerce Manager ($74,000 – $180,000)
Brand/Marketing Manager ($93,000 – $116,000)
Fashion Photographer ($40,000 – $52,000)
Fashion Editor ($17,000 – $105,000)
Read our post “7 Highest Paying Careers In The Fashion Industry” to understand what each of the above-mentioned jobs entails and the skills necessary to succeed in them.
Summary
Is studying for a fashion degree at university a good choice? Absolutely! If fashion is something you love and you have the financial wherewithal to afford a fashion degree tuition, go for it. The world, as they say, is your oyster.
Thanks for reading.
