Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

Whether it is chasing inspiration up a rugged mountaintop, searching for meaning in a painted masterpiece, or seeking out understanding on an historic battlefield, no matter where you go to find your artistic inspiration, look no further than Pennsylvania. From its majestic mountains to its magnificent museums, Pennsylvania offers the one of the most exciting creative environments in the country. Explore the outdoors in Pennsylvania to learn of Lake Erie's shores, Laurel Mountains' vistas, and the winding banks of the Susquehanna. Or if you prefer, take in the myriad of arts offerings throughout Pennsylvania: explore Pennsylvania's commitment to fine arts in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and every city in between. Maybe your imagination is piqued by wonders long gone. Well, there's plenty of history to explore in Pennsylvania. Discover how places like Gettysburg and Valley Forge helped shape the course of American history.

From the architectural wonders of HersheyTown (think Hershey's kisses) to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Pennsylvania simply overflows with sights and sounds that are simultaneously awe-inspiring, creatively stimulating and historically significant. A visit to the Dutch Country, for example, is great for shopping, but is also teeming with Civil War heritage, and a wonderful opportunity to try traditional Pennsylvania Dutch cooking. Close by, the Fulton Opera House in downtown Lancaster shines as a theater, not just for its fantastic stage productions, but also for the historical importance of the building whose history is as rich and layered as its striking architecture. Another must visit for fashion students is the King of Prussia Mall, which is the largest mall in the East.

 

Programs to consider:

The Art Institutes
Locations:
  • Philadelphia, PA
  • Pittsburgh, PA
  • York, PA
Programs available:
  • Fashion Design (BS)
  • Fashion Design (AS)
  • Fashion Retailing (D)

Recent Articles

In preparing this list, we reviewed the program offerings of over 200 schools in the US that offer fashion related programs. Our goal with this list is to give students who are interested in fashion merchandising a starting point by which they can identify the schools that offer fashion merchandising specific programs. The criteria we used in making this list consists of the following, in no particular order: academic reputation, admission selectivity, depth and breadth of the program and faculty, and geographic location. More info on our criteria.

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Fashion Management Schools

Fashion Management is a specialized management degree that typically focuses on the business side of the fashion industry, which includes retailing, marketing, manufacturing, visual merchandising, consumer behavior, fashion cycles, store planning, and event production. Fashion Management programs often, though not always, include training in fashion design. 

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Each day we receive emails from aspiring fashion designers asking us for advice as to which fashion design schools are the “best” in the US, a given state, or in a particular area of the country.  As such advice is difficult to provide on an individual basis, we have instead created this list of the Top 75 Fashion Design School Programs in the US.

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Philadelphia University

Philadelphia University: Fashion Design, Textile Design
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Department of Fashion Design

The Fashion Design program at Philadelphia University provides instruction on all aspects of fashion design and construction, with a special focus on textile materials and design.  Students gain hands-on experience using professional, state-of-the-art equipment for production and design.  Courses of instruction include Fashion Design Problem Solving, Collection Development, and History of Textiles and Costumes.

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Albright College

Albright College: Fashion, Design/Merchandising/Costume Design/Design & Merchandising
Reading, Pennsylvania
Fashion Department

The Fashion program at Albright College seeks to develop students into good citizens who are successful in their field.  Because the program is located within a liberal arts college, students graduate with the critical thinking skills and adaptability that are crucial in our changing times.  Students can choose the Design, Merchandising, Costume Design, or Design & Merchandising track with their Fashion major.

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Drexel University

Drexel University: Fashion Design, Design & Merchandising, Product Design
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Department of Fashion & Design & Merchandising

Drexel University’s Fashion Design program combines a six-month Co-op experience with instruction in conceptual design, presentation skills, CAD, and manufacturing procedures.  The program covers all areas of fashion design with small studio classes that simulate the professional world.  The Design & Merchandising program provides instruction in product design, fashion merchandising and creation, marketing, promotion, and distribution.  The Product Design program is a multidisciplinary program with a focus on commercialization, green design, and sustainability.

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Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Indiana University of Pennsylvania: Fashion Merchandising
Indiana, Pennsylvania
Fashion Merchandising Program, Human Development, & Environmental Studies

The Fashion Merchandising program at Indiana University of Pennsylvania focuses on preparing students for the changing and competitive world of fashion.  The curriculum combines fashion and business in topics such as quality control in production, global issues, textiles, and aesthetics.  Students leave the program prepared for careers in distribution, production, design, quality control, merchandising, and promotion.  Students can choose a Business Administration minor or a concentration in Marketing or Small Business Management.

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Philadelphia University

Philadelphia University: Fashion Industry, Fashion Design, Fashion Merchandising
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Fashion Industry Management

The Fashion Industry program at Philadelphia University combines textile and apparel courses with instruction in all aspects of business, including finance, economics, and management.  Students learn how a garment is designed and manufactured from choosing the fiber to the finished product while gaining experience in the use of related computer programs in the process. 

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The Art Institute of Philadelphia

The Art Institute of Philadelphia: Fashion Design, Fashion Marketing, Visual Merchandising
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Department of Fashion Design

The Fashion Design program at The Art Institute of Philadelphia focuses on providing students with a well-rounded education in fashion to develop knowledge and skills in business, design, fashion, technology, and marketing.  Fashion Design students balance creative development with technical skills.  Fashion Marketing students focus on computer technology, advanced-level business, and sales marketing.  Students leave the program with the skills to succeed in various entry level positions in the industry.

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