StudyQA — Bachelor: Fashion Design and Merchandising

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Description Contents Requirements Funding

Fashion Design and Merchandising (FDM) is a comprehensive undergraduate program whose mission is to prepare students with appropriate knowledge and skills for career positions in apparel and fashion-related industries. Classroom work is enhanced by one of the largest costume collections at a university in the U.S., giving students and faculty a rich source of items to draw upon for their classes and projects. In addition, students have the opportunity to use web-based technologies to supplement classroom activities. Opportunities to study at other universities and to participate in study tours to fashion centers of the world are another plus. A strong foundation for graduate study in apparel and related areas is provided.

All FDM majors take a core set of courses that provides them with:

An understanding of and appreciation for the impact of global production and distribution of apparel;
The ability to plan, develop, and merchandise apparel product lines and to evaluate apparel quality;
An understanding of the role of dress and fashion in their lives and the lives of others;
An understanding of the design, manufacture, marketing, retailing, and consumption of textile and apparel products;
The ability to demonstrate personal attitudes and skills appropriate to career positions in apparel.

The FDM curriculum provides students with the knowledge and skills needed for career positions in apparel- and fashion-related fields. Students learn fashion industry operating methods; develop buying and merchandising plans; study textile fibers and fabrics; create fashion apparel lines; examine Hawaiian, Asian, and western costume artifacts; analyze the effects of social, political, and economic conditions on local, national, and global industry operations and consumer needs; and study current concerns relating to social responsibility, ethical issues, and environmental impacts as these relate to fashion businesses and consumers.

Courses cover these and related topics:

Fashion trend analysis
Fashion sketching
Textile properties
Apparel design and construction
Retail buying and merchandise management
Fashion promotion and fashion show production
Costume history
Social and cultural aspects of dress
International trade issues.

Requirements

University of Hawaiʻi System Admission Application
You may apply online. Please read the instructions carefully.
Application Fee: $70 U.S.
The application fee is nonrefundable and nontransferable and valid only for the semester indicated on the application. Please send a money order or check payable to the University of Hawaiʻi or download the credit card authorization form (PDF).
Official Secondary and Post-secondary School Transcripts
All official transcripts, examination certifications (e.g., General Certificate of Education) and other documents showing all high school and any completed post-secondary work must be submitted to the Office of Admissions. All official transcripts must be mailed directly by the institution or Ministry of Education to the Office of Admissions. Documents mailed or hand carried by you or anyone else will not be accepted as official or used for admission consideration.

Secondary school transcripts must include a list of courses taken and grades/internal marks received each year, class rank for the last four years of secondary school, and an explanation of the school's grading system. If transcripts with annual internal marks are unavailable directly from the school, you may photocopy your mark sheets or grade reports and have them certified by a school official who verifies that a transcript is otherwise not available.

Post-secondary school transcripts must include a list of courses taken, grades/marks received, number of hours spent in each class per term, explanation of the school's grading system, and your rank in class. You may also be asked to provide course descriptions and a list of text books used in each course.

Photocopies of external examination certificates must be certified by a school or Ministry of Education official or issued by the examining board and be sent directly to the Office of Admissions.

All documents must be in English or accompanied by an English translation that has been certified by a school or Ministry of Education official.
Official Test Scores
You must take either the SAT, the American College Test (ACT), or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and request that the results be forwarded to UH Mānoa. Our college codes are SAT/GRE 4867 and ACT 0902. Ask your school counselor for more information on testing locations and deadlines or visit the SAT website, ACT website, or GRE website. If the test is not available to you in your area, the SAT/ACT may be substituted. Please contact the Office of Admission for more information.

Undergraduate applicants who have earned 24 or more transferable semester credits at the time of application are not required to submit test scores. The credits must be from courses comparable to those offered at UH Mānoa (excluding English Language Institute and Second Language Studies courses) and have been taken at a recognized, regionally accredited college/university in the United States or an institution recognized by the Office of Admissions.

The GRE can be taken when SAT or ACT tests are unavailable.
Official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Scores
All applicants whose native language is not English must submit an official TOEFL score report from a test taken within the last two years. An official TOEFL score report must be sent directly from the Educational Testing Service to the Office of Admissions. Our college codes are institution 4867, department 00.

TOEFL Exemptions
The following types of applicants are exempt from taking the TOEFL:
- Received a D or better grade for UH Manoa English 100 equivalent (as determined by the UH Manoa Office of Admissions).
- Received an SAT Critical Reading score of 510 or better.
- Received an ACT English + Reading score of 44 with no score below 20.
- Received an English Language Performance Test (ELPT) score of 950 or better (students attending U.S. high schools only).
- Received an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 5.0 or better (must be academic section).
- Completed at least 3 years of high school in the U.S. at the time of application with a cumulative grade point average of 3.2 and SAT Critical Reading score of 460.
- Completed the last 6 years of secondary/post-secondary education in American Samoa.
- Meet any of the English Language Institute Placement Test Exemptions listed below .
Refer to the Educational Testing Service for more information on testing locations and deadlines. Applications may be obtained by writing to Educational Testing Service, P.O. Box 899, Princeton, NJ 08541.
English Language Institute Placement Test
If you are admitted and your native language is not English, you may be required to take the UH Mānoa English Language Institute placement test.

English Language Institute Placement Test Exemptions
The following applicants are exempt from taking the ELI placement test:
- Native speakers of English.
- Received an SAT Critical Reading score of 540 or better.
- Received an ACT English + Reading score of 48 with no score below 21.
- Received a GRE Verbal Reasoning score of 151 or better.
- Received a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of 600 or more (paper-based) or a score of 100 or more (internet-based).
- Received an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 7.0 or better (must be academic section).
- Completed 60 transferable semester credits with a GPA of 2.0 or better from a regionally accredited U.S. institution.
- Completed all degree coursework at and earned an Associate of Arts degree from a University of Hawaiʻi Community College.
- Completed the last 6 years of secondary/post-secondary education in Australia, Canada (except Quebec), Guam, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, or the United States.
- Completed all degree coursework at and earned a Bachelor's or higher degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or a recognized college or university in any of the countries listed above (as determined by the UH Mānoa Office of Admissions).
High school or any college transcripts, translated and certified by a school or U.S. consular official.