Fashion Communications

Fashion Communication

Coordinators:	Julie Duerst Bennett, M.B.A.
	John S. Blakemore, M.A.

Fashion Faculty:
Julie Duerst Bennett, M.B.A.

Kirsteen Buchanan, M.A.

Maureen Lowary, B.F.A.
Monica McMurry, M.S.

Mary Ruppert, M.S.

Laura Sharp-Wilson, M.F.A.

Mass Media Faculty:
John S. Blakemore, M.A.

Mark Smith, M.A.

Olga Missiri, M.A.

Entrepreneurship and Business Management Faculty:

Greg Bier, Ph.D.

John Bennett, M.B.A.

The interdepartmental program in fashion communication is a unique opportunity for students wishing to prepare for a career within the fashion fields of journalism, promotion or special events. Planned cooperatively by the fashion and mass media departments, the fashion communication program allows students to master the skills necessary for professional success through the application of those skills through the application of critical decision making and practical experience learned through problem solving both within the classroom and internship experiences.

Fashion Communication at Stephens College gives students many options. Depending upon career goals, students may wish to consider a minor in one of the following areas: marketing, management, entrepreneurship, graphic design and broadcast production. These combinations increase the student's competitive edge, when seeking employment within the field.

Fashion communication career options include: fashion journalism, reporting and editing, fashion advertising, public relations, publicity, visual merchandising, store planning, special event coordination and fashion photography. Stephens encourages entrepreneurial options as well. Students who maintain a commitment to fashion communication will find themselves among the most well prepared undergraduates in the country.

Requirements for Fashion Communication

The bachelor of science major in fashion communication requires completion of liberal arts requirements, 24 semester hours in FAS, 30 semester hours in MCO, 9 semester hours in BUS and 3 semester hours in a combined FAS/MCO capstone course. Students must earn a C- or better in all required courses within the bachelor of science in the fashion communication degree. Students may not continue to the next level class until the prerequisite class is passed with a C- or better. An overall gpa of at least 2.0 in all major courses is required.

Course descriptions for Fashion, Entrepreneurship and Business Management, and Mass Media courses will be found under those program headings.

Required Fashion Courses:

(Fashion Courses)

FAS 170: Survey of the Fashion Industry (3 hrs.)
FAS 220: Product Analysis (3 hrs.)
FAS 275: Fashion Communication (3 hrs.)
FAS 310: Fashion Show Production and Coordination (3 hrs.)
FAS 375: 20th Century Costume (3 hrs.)
FAS 385: Visual Merchandising & Display (3 hrs.)

FAS 394: Pre-Internship Seminar (1 hr.)
(Internship Experience Required)

FAS 493: Current Issues in the Global Fashion Industry (3 hrs.)
FAS 496: Post Internship Seminar (2 hrs.)

Required Mass Media Courses:

(Mass Media)

MCO 101: Media and Culture (3 hrs.)

MCO 103: Writing for the Mass Media (3 hrs.)

MCO 205: Public Relations: Principles and Practices (3 hrs.)

MCO 207: Print Writing and Reporting (3 hrs.)

MCO 208: Digital Photography (3 hrs.)

MCO 231: Print Journalism Production (3 hrs.)

MCO 330: Special Events Planning (3 hrs.)

MCO 333: Media Ethics (3 hrs.)

MCO 403: PR Writing: Form and Style (3 hrs.)

MCO 431: Advertising Copywriting (3 hrs.)

Required Entrepreneurship and Business Management Courses:

(Business Courses)

BUS 250: Principles of Marketing (3 hrs.)
BUS 331: Integrated Marketing Communications (3 hrs.)
BUS 354: Consumer Behavior (3 hrs.)

Required Capstone

FAS/MCO 498: Senior Capstone (3 hrs.)

Independent Study

Independent studies (special studies, tutorials, readings, projects) may be proposed by the student who wishes to investigate a subject not otherwise available. Information about independent study may be obtained in department offices or in the Office of the Registrar.