The Bachelor of Science degree in Textiles & Fashion Design is a unique program that combines experimentation with materials and techniques with a grounding in history, science, and contemporary design. The heart of the major lies in the hands-on studio courses where students learn to weave, dye, print, construct, pattern, illustrate, design, and innovate. This program nurtures students to become leaders in their chosen fields through responsible, resourceful, and research-driven approaches to design.
Going beyond technique, students are encouraged to intuitively make, analyze, and revise, leading to discovery and creative problem-solving. Special topics focus on environmental, economic, and cultural sustainability, as well as technology and entrepreneurship.
Coursework is enhanced by visiting lecturers, special projects with industry partners, and the on-site Helen Louise Allen Textile Collection. Upper-level students in the major are given the opportunity to professionally present their work to public audiences in an annual student showcase. Through capstone and thesis experiences in the final year, students are given time and mentoring to create and present their own unique body of work.
Our award-winning students are highly creative and superb craftspeople engaged in addressing real-world problems and offering sustainable solutions. Textile & Fashion Design students realize their creative visions in ways that are socially, culturally, ethically, and environmentally sensitive.
The Textiles & Fashion Design program highlights craft technique as a pathway to creative practice and prepares students for exciting and creative careers in industry, design, and art. While studies can focus on textiles or fashion, students are encouraged to explore both areas. The program emphasizes interdisciplinary partnerships and encourages "learning by doing" in studios, outreach projects, and sustainable practices. Through capstone and thesis experiences in the final year, students are given time and mentoring to create and present their own unique body of work.
Opportunity with the Fashion Institute of Technology
Students looking for additional industry experience can apply to the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York City for their senior year. This experience provides students with industry-specific skills which, when paired with the creative liberal arts background, makes our graduates highly desirable and often recruited by industry leaders. Students apply to FIT in their junior year. If accepted, they participate in a visiting student program in one area of focus: Fashion Design, Textile Surface Design, Footwear & Accessories Design, Communication Design Foundation, Advertising and Marketing Communications, Fashion Business Management, Textile Development and Marketing.
Upon graduation, students who attend FIT are awarded a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in Textiles & Fashion Design with a named option in FIT. A named option is a formally documented sub-major within an academic major program. Named options appear on the transcript with degree conferral. FIT students also earn an associate of applied science (AAS) degree from FIT. Students attending FIT who are considered Wisconsin non-residents continue to pay out-of-state tuition, even if they reside in the state of New York.
How to Get in
Current UW–Madison Students
Students within their first 60 GPA credits at UW-Madison
| Requirements | Details |
|---|---|
| How to get in | No application required. All students who meet the requirements listed below are able to declare. For information on how to declare, see: https://go.wisc.edu/sohe-declare. |
| Courses required to get in | None. |
| GPA requirements to get in |
|
| Credits required to get in | None. |
| Other | Must be in good academic standing with their current school or college. |
All other students (who do not meet the declaration criteria above)
| Requirements | Details |
|---|---|
| How to get in | Application required. Meeting the requirements listed below does not guarantee admission. (https://go.wisc.edu/sohe-apply) |
| Courses required to get in | None. |
| GPA requirements to get in | None. |
| Credits required to get in | None. |
| Other | Must be in good academic standing with their current school or college. |
| Semester | Deadline to apply | Decision notification timeline |
|---|---|---|
| To apply for a fall start | The fifth Friday of the term. | Students will be notified about decisions approximately one month after the application deadline. |
| To apply for a spring start | The fifth Friday of the term. | Students will be notified about decisions approximately one month after the application deadline. |
| To apply for a summer start | This program does not accept applications to start in the summer. |
Fashion Institute of Technology
Students intending to complete their final year of study at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) must complete an additional application. Only students with a 3.0 or higher GPA in December of their third year in the program are eligible to apply for admission to FIT.
Prospective UW-Madison Students
All prospective UW–Madison students must apply through the central Office of Admissions and Recruitment.
Students who indicate interest in the textiles and fashion design major on their UW–Madison application will be admitted to the major upon admittance to the university. In addition, students may indicate interest in textiles and fashion design when registering for Student Orientation, Advising, and Registration (SOAR).
Additional Information
For transfer students, sequential courses and courses taught only once a year should be taken into account when calculating time toward completion of the degree, as graduation time may be extended.
University General Education Requirements
All undergraduate students at the University of Wisconsin–Madison are required to fulfill a minimum set of common university general education requirements to ensure that every graduate acquires the essential core of an undergraduate education. This core establishes a foundation for living a productive life, being a citizen of the world, appreciating aesthetic values, and engaging in lifelong learning in a continually changing world. Various schools and colleges will have requirements in addition to the requirements listed below. Consult your advisor for assistance, as needed. For additional information, see the university Undergraduate General Education Requirements section of the Guide.
| General Education |
* The mortarboard symbol appears before the title of any course that fulfills one of the Communication Part A or Part B, Ethnic Studies, or Quantitative Reasoning Part A or Part B requirements. |
School of Human Ecology Requirements
All Textiles and Fashion Design students complete the School of Human Ecology requirements listed below. Then, students complete the Textiles and Fashion Design requirements OR the Textiles and Fashion Design-FIT requirements.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Arts and Humanities | ||
| Literature | 3 | |
| Humanities | 6 | |
| Social Science | 9 | |
| Physical, Biological and Natural Science | 9 | |
| Human Ecology Breadth | 3 | |
Select one Human Ecology course from CNSR SCI, CSCS, HDFS, or INTER-HE | ||
| Total Credits | 30 | |
Textiles and Fashion Design Requirements
A complete list of requirements is below. Students should follow the curriculum requirements in place at the time they entered the major. This requirement list should be used in combination with a DARS report.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Design Core | 18 | |
| Introduction to Textile Design | ||
| Design: Fundamentals I | ||
| Sewn Construction I | ||
| Visual Thinking - Pixels and Pencils | ||
| Textile Science | ||
| History of Fashion, 1400-Present | ||
or DS 430 | History of Textiles | |
| Textiles and Fashion Design Focus Area | 21 | |
| Choose either the Fashion Sequence or the Textiles Sequence | ||
| Fashion Sequence (must be taken in this order) | ||
| Sewn Construction II | ||
| Patternmaking for Apparel Design | ||
| Fashion Illustration | ||
| Apparel Design I | ||
| Textiles Sequence | ||
| Textile Design: Printing and Dyeing I | ||
| Textile Embellishment I | ||
| Textile Design: Weaving I | ||
| Textile Design: Manual/Computer Generated Imagery and Pattern | ||
| Choose 3 additional Textiles & Fashion Design courses for 21 total credits | ||
| Professional Development | 5 | |
| Design Leadership Symposium | ||
| SoHE Career & Leadership Development | ||
| Internship | ||
| Depth Courses | 15 | |
| Choose 9-15 credits from the following courses: | ||
Textiles & Fashion Design Studio Courses | ||
| Cloth to Clothing | ||
| Design Thinking for Transformation | ||
| Textile Design: Printing and Dyeing II | ||
| Textile Design: Weaving II | ||
| Wearable Technology | ||
| Global Artisans | ||
| Experimental Textile Design | ||
| Building a Sustainable Creative Practice | ||
| Design and Fashion Event Management | ||
| Textiles: Specifications and End Use Analysis | ||
Other Textiles and Fashion Design Courses (300 level and above) | ||
| OPTIONAL: Choose up to 6 credits from the following courses: | ||
Entrepreneurship and Consumer Science Courses | ||
| Introduction to Entrepreneurship | ||
| Introduction to Retail | ||
| Consumer Design Strategies & Evaluation | ||
| Consumer Engagement Strategies | ||
| The Global Consumer | ||
| Consumer Behavior | ||
| Interdisciplinary Studies in the Arts | ||
| Capstone Experience | 6 | |
| Senior Thesis | ||
| Collection Development | ||
or DS 529 | Building a Sustainable Creative Practice | |
Textiles and Fashion Design: FIT Option
University Degree Requirements
| Total Degree | To receive a bachelor's degree from UW–Madison, students must earn a minimum of 120 degree credits. The requirements for some programs may exceed 120 degree credits. Students should consult with their college or department advisor for information on specific credit requirements. |
| Residency | Degree candidates are required to earn a minimum of 30 credits in residence at UW–Madison. "In residence" means on the UW–Madison campus with an undergraduate degree classification. “In residence” credit also includes UW–Madison courses offered in distance or online formats and credits earned in UW–Madison Study Abroad/Study Away programs. |
| Quality of Work | Undergraduate students must maintain the minimum grade point average specified by the school, college, or academic program to remain in good academic standing. Students whose academic performance drops below these minimum thresholds will be placed on academic probation. |
Learning Outcomes
- Have grounding in the history and theory relevant to the human ecological perspective.
- Have intellectual skills for inquiry, creative thinking, and critical analysis.
- Have professional skills that prepare them for applying what they have learned to create new knowledge and solve problems in a real world setting.
- Textiles and Fashion Design students will have the ability to move beyond technique, taking creative risks to develop conceptually cohesive work through advanced knowledge of materials, processes, and an understanding of design principles.
- Textiles and Fashion Design students will have the ability to participate in professional discussions and critique that are informed by foundational knowledge of fashion and/or textile history, theory, and science.
Four-Year Plan
This is a sample four-year plan for Textiles & Fashion Design. We encourage all students to consult with their academic advisor to develop an individualized plan that meets their specific needs.
| Freshman | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| Communications A | 3 | Communications B | 3-4 | ||
| DS 101 | 3 | Quantitative Reasoning A | 3-4 | ||
| DS 120 | 3 | DS 150 | 3 | ||
| DS 153 | 3 | DS 154 or 228 | 3 | ||
| Human Ecology Breadth | 3 | ||||
| 12 | 15-17 | ||||
| Sophomore | |||||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| DS 253 or 227 | 3 | DS 251 | 3 | ||
| Social Science | 3 | DS 225 or 229 | 3 | ||
| DS 210 | 3 | DS 355 | 3 | ||
or Additional Textiles & Fashion Design Course | or Additional Textiles & Fashion Design Course | ||||
| Humanities | 3 | Social Science | 3 | ||
| Science | 3 | DS 252 | 1 | ||
| INTER-HE 202 | 1 | Ethnic Studies | 3 | ||
| 16 | 16 | ||||
| Junior | |||||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| DS 430 | 3 | Social Science | 3 | DS 601 | 3 |
or Additional Textiles & Fashion Design Course | Humanities | 3 | |||
| DS 319 or 327 | 3 | Science | 3 | ||
| Science | 3 | DS 519 or 529 | 3 | ||
| Rquantitative Reasoning B (DS 451 recommended) | 3 | or Depth Course | |||
| Literature | 3 | Depth Course | 3 | ||
| 15 | 15 | 3 | |||
| Senior | |||||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| Additional Textiles & Fashion Design Course | 3 | DS 690 | 3 | ||
| Depth Course | 3 | Depth Course | 3 | ||
| Elective | 4 | Depth Course | 3 | ||
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 | ||
| Elective | 3 | ||||
| 13 | 15 | ||||
| Total Credits 120-122 | |||||
Advising and Careers
Advising & Career Center
The Advising & Career Center (ACC) fosters undergraduate students' personal, academic, and professional development. Through advising, academic planning, and career education, we support students as they navigate the college experience—from exploring our majors as prospective students to becoming Human Ecology alumni.
Academic Advising
Each Human Ecology student is assigned to an academic advisor in the Advising & Career Center. Human Ecology academic advisors support academic and personal success by partnering with current and prospective Human Ecology students as they identify and clarify their educational goals, develop meaningful academic plans, and pursue their own Wisconsin Experience.
To explore academic advising resources or schedule an appointment with an academic advisor, visit Advising in Human Ecology.
Career Development
Each Human Ecology student is assigned to a career advisor in the Advising & Career Center. Active engagement in the career development process is a vital component of a student’s personal growth in college and future success as a lifelong learner, professional, and global citizen. Human Ecology career advisors help prepare students for life post-graduation through individual and group advising and integration of career readiness throughout our curriculum.
To explore career development resources or schedule an appointment with a Human Ecology career advisor, visit Career Development.
People
For more information, visit the School of Human Ecology Design Studies faculty and staff directory.
Wisconsin Experience
Internships
Internships are a vital part of student career development and a highly valued component of the undergraduate curriculum in the School of Human Ecology. High-quality internships foster student development by bringing theories and classroom-based learning to life in real-world settings. In addition, internships give students the opportunity to explore careers related to their major, gain relevant experience in their field(s) of interest, and develop a better understanding of what is expected in a workplace by performing the tasks of a professional in that field.
For Human Ecology majors, internships are a requirement of our undergraduate curriculum. Students must have at least a junior standing (54+ credits) in order to pursue a 3-credit internship and must complete a minimum of 150 hours at the internship site. To be eligible, an internship must be educational in nature, directly relate to a student’s major and career goals, and be approved by the Advising & Career Center.
For some Human Ecology majors, additional course prerequisites may be required. For more information, visit Human Ecology Internships.
Student Organizations
School of Human Ecology student organizations include:
- Apparel and Textile Association (ATA)
- Community & Nonprofit Leaders (CNPL) of UW–Madison
- Financial Occupations Club for University Students (FOCUS)
- Interior Design Organization (IDO)
- Phi Upsilon Omicron (National Honor Society in Family and Consumer Sciences)
- Re-Wear It
- School of Human Ecology Makerspace Organization (SoHE Makerspace)
- Student Retail Association (SRA)
For more information about joining a Human Ecology student organization, please visit Human Ecology Student Organizations.
Learn more about UW–Madison registered student organizations through the Wisconsin Involvement Network.
Resources and Scholarships
Advising & Career Center
The Advising & Career Center (ACC) fosters undergraduate students' personal, academic, and professional development. Through advising, academic planning, and career education, we support students as they navigate the college experience—from exploring our majors as prospective students to becoming Human Ecology alumni.
Academic Advising
Each Human Ecology student is assigned to an academic advisor in the Advising & Career Center. Human Ecology academic advisors support academic and personal success by partnering with current and prospective Human Ecology students as they identify and clarify their educational goals, develop meaningful academic plans, and pursue their own Wisconsin Experience.
To explore academic advising resources or schedule an appointment with an academic advisor, visit Advising in Human Ecology.
Career Development
Each Human Ecology student is assigned to a career advisor in the Advising & Career Center. Active engagement in the career development process is a vital component of a student’s personal growth in college and future success as a lifelong learner, professional, and global citizen. Human Ecology career advisors help prepare students for life post-graduation through advising and integration of career readiness throughout our curriculum.
To explore career development resources or schedule an appointment with a Human Ecology career advisor, visit Career Development.
Scholarships and Other Financial Resources
The School of Human Ecology awards many merit and need-based scholarships each year. Students can learn more about these opportunities on the Human Ecology scholarships webpage. To be eligible for these awards, scholarship recipients must be registered as full-time Human Ecology students. For further questions on the scholarship application, please contact the School of Human Ecology Scholarship Coordinator at scholarships@sohe.wisc.edu.
Students who experience personal challenges or emergency financial situations may inquire about the availability of short-term loans with the Human Ecology Academic Deans (deansservices@sohe.wisc.edu). In addition, university scholarships, loans, and employment are available through the Office of Student Financial Aid (333 East Campus Mall #9701; 608-262-3060).