Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design
Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design
MASTER OF ARTS (M.A.)
Department resources include apparel design studios, screen-printing, weaving, and digital textile printing studios, historic textile and costume collections with over 5,000 pieces maintained in a state-of-the-art climate-controlled environment, well-equipped computer-aided design, and textile testing and processing laboratories. Internship opportunities in industry, government, museum and gallery settings, as well as domestic and international study programs, are available.
The Robert Hillestad Textiles Gallery showcases apparel and textile design work by students, faculty, and invited artists and designers. The International Quilt Study Center and Museum's collections boast over 3,000 antique and contemporary quilts and comprise an unparalleled resource available to students. The collection, which includes objects spanning more than two centuries, forms the research base for graduate degree programs in textile history and quilt studies.
Goals and objectives include:
- Apparel Design Specialization: Conduct independent scholarly work in apparel design including hands-on apparel design practices. Critique and intepret scholarly design work of others and apply to own work. Develop a collection of original apparel designs that will be part of an exhibition, runway show or other form of visual presentation.
- Material Culture and Textile Studies Specialization: Examine various applications and methodologies of object-based research as a primary means of studying the aesthetic, cultural, social, economic, political, and personal experiences of people.
Masters Specializations
M.A. in Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design with a Specialization in Apparel Design
The Apparel Design Master’s Specialization is designed to educate apparel design scholars who can comprehensively apply theory, knowledge, and academic research to their specialties. Graduate students will take an in-depth look into fundamental apparel design disciplines as well as interdisciplinary knowledge and technologies relevant to their future careers. Related fields will vary depending on the specific focus of the student but may include and are not limited to anthropology, art, business, education, history, psychology, technology, theater, and women’s and gender studies.
Two options are available for Master of Arts with a specialization in Apparel Design:
Option A. Master of Arts Program in Apparel Design (30 hours):
| 12 | hours minimum coursework in TMFD, including TMFD 874 |
| 6 | hours thesis credit (TMFD 899) |
| 3 | hours research methods (TMFD 876) |
| 9 | hours of coursework to be arranged with TMFD major advisor (may be in major area, outside area, or combination) |
| 30 | hours total; at least 8 credit hours, excluding thesis, must be graduate-only courses
|
Option B: Master of Arts Program (30 hours):
Option B. Master of Arts programs (30 hours) must complete at least 15 of the 30 required hours in approved graduate-level TMFD courses. No more than 3 of the 15 TMFD hours can be earned in Independent Study. Fifteen of the 30 hours must be earned in courses open exclusively to graduate students. Option B project hours may exceed 6 hours depending on the project. Distribution of courses for Option II include:
| 15 | hours minimum in TMFD, including TMFD 874 |
| 6 | hours for approved Option B project (TMFD 996) |
| 3 | hours of research methods (TMFD 876) |
| 6 | hours of course work to be arranged with TMFD Major Advisor (may be in major area, outside area, as a minor or combination) |
| 30 | hours total; at least 15 hours must be in graduate-only courses |
M.A. in Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design with a Specialization in Material Culture and Textile Studies
The goal of the MA in Textiles, Merchandising & Fashion Design with a specialization in Material Culture and Textile Studies is to educate professionals and academics who can comprehensively apply theory, research, and knowledge in their respective and chosen career fields. Students will gain an in-depth understanding of the various applications and methodologies that incorporate and/or focus on object-based research as a primary means of studying the aesthetic, cultural, social, economic, political, and personal experiences of people, both past and present. Related fields such as (but not limited to) history, art history, anthropology, sociology and women’s and gender studies are included in the specialization to enhance students’ abilities to understand and apply concepts and theories from outside their particular area of expertise and contribute to the development of original research and advancement of knowledge in the interdisciplinary field of material culture.
Two options are available for a specialization in Material Studies & Textile Studies:
Option A. MA in Material Culture & Textile Studies (On-Campus)
| 12 | hours minimum in TMFD, including TMFD 874 |
| 6 | hours thesis (TMFD 899) |
| 3 | hours research methods (TMFD 876) |
| 9 | hours to be arranged with TMFD major advisor (may be in major area, outside area, or as a minor or combination) |
| 30 | hours total; at least 8 hours must be in graduate-only courses
|
Option B. Master of Arts Program (On-Campus) (30 hours):
Option B. Master of Arts programs (30 hours) must complete at least 15 of the 30 required hours in approved graduate-level TMFD courses. No more than 3 of the 15 TMFD hours can be earned in Independent Study. Fifteen of the 30 hours must be earned in courses open exclusively to graduate students. Option B project hours may exceed 6 hours depending on the project. Distribution of courses for Option B include:
| 15 | hours minimum in TMFD, including TMFD 874 |
| 6 | hours for approved Option B project (TMFD 996) |
| 3 | hours research methods (TMFD 876) |
| 6 | hours of course work to be arranged with TMFD major advisor (may be in major area, outside area, as a minor or combination) |
| 30 | hours total; at least 15 hours must be in graduate-only courses |
Option A. MA Material Culture & Textile Studies (Online):
| 12 | hours minimum in TMFD (808, 809, 814, 818) |
| 3 | hours internship (TMFD 997) |
| 6 | hours research methods (TMFD 876 and another arranged with TMFD advisor) |
| 6 | hours thesis (TMFD 899) |
| 3 | hours of course work to be arranged with TMFD major advisor (may be in major area, outside area, as a minor or combination) |
| 30 | hours total; at least 8 credit hours, excluding thesis, must be graduate-only courses |
Option B. MA Material Culture & Textile Studies (Online):
| 12 | hours minimum in TMFD (808, 809, 814, 818) |
| 6 | hours internship (TMFD 997) or Option B project hours (996) |
| 3 | hours research methods (TMFD 876) |
| 9 | hours coursework to be arranged with TMFD Major Advisor; can include an additional 3 credits of internship hours (997) |
| 30 | hours total; at least 15 credit hours must be graduate-only courses |
Application to this program
Requirements for Applicants
- Completion of online application through Admit; Applicants will indicate the intended program (PhD applicants will select Human Sciences, MA & MS applicants will select Textiles, Merchandising & Fashion Design). All applicants will select a specialization
- Grade point average of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale
- Minimum TOEFL scores (International Students only) 550 on paper test, 213 on computer based test or 79 on the internet based test (Institution code – 6877)
- Digital Portfolio for textile design and apparel design areas of interest
Required Writing Sample
Any of the following would be an appropriate writing sample:
- manuscript or published article resulting from earlier research such as master's thesis
- paper given at a professional meeting
- substantial paper such as a review of literature
- grant proposal
- critique of a research article
- professional materials developed for use in one's workplace
- course paper
- MA & MS applicants will have successfully completed an undergraduate degree and PhD applicants will have successfully completed an MA or MS degree if approved for a graduate program in Textiles, Merchandising & Fashion Design