Program Description

Fashion Institute of Technology


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The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) is New York City’s celebrated urban college for creative and business talent. A selective State University of New York (SUNY) college of art and design, business, and technology, FIT is a creative mix of innovative achievers, original thinkers, and industry pioneers, with more than forty programs of study leading to the Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.), Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.), Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Master of Arts (M.A.), and Master of Professional Studies (M.P.S.) degrees.

FIT serves approximately 10,000 students from the greater metropolitan area, New York State, across the country, and around the world, offering full- and part-time study options, evening/weekend programs, and online studies. The college provides a singular approach to higher education—balancing a real-world-based curriculum and hands-on instruction with a rigorous liberal arts foundation, marrying design and business, supporting individual creativity in a collaborative environment, and encouraging faculty members to match teaching expertise with professional experience. It offers a complete college experience with a vibrant student life.

FIT’s mission is to produce well-rounded graduates: doers and thinkers who raise the professional bar to become the next generation of business pacesetters and creative icons. Each degree program builds upon a traditional core of courses in the sciences and humanities, providing students with a global perspective, critical thinking skills, and the ability to communicate effectively.

The college offers fifteen A.A.S. and twenty-three baccalaureate programs. Most students complete a two-year A.A.S. program in their major area of study and the liberal arts, and then typically continue in a related, two-year B.F.A. or B.S. program. If students choose, they may begin their careers with the A.A.S. degree, which qualifies them for entry-level positions in a wide range of creative and/or business professions. Students with a degree or credits equivalent to an FIT A.A.S. (from an accredited and approved college) may apply directly to a baccalaureate program.

The School of Art and Design offers eleven A.A.S. and thirteen B.F.A. degree programs, the Jay and Patty Baker School of Business and Technology offers four A.A.S. and nine B.S. degree programs, and the School of Liberal Arts offers one B.S. degree program. The School of Graduate Studies offers six programs leading to either an M.A. or M.P.S. degree. Graduate students complete a capstone/thesis project that serves as the culmination of their studies and a professional-level addition to their portfolio or resume. FIT is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, National Association of Schools of Art and Design, and Council for Interior Design Accreditation.

Campus and Surroundings

The college’s campus comprises an entire city block in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood, and the college makes extensive use of the city’s vast resources, providing students with unrivaled internship opportunities and valuable professional connections. A wide range of cultural and entertainment options—from art galleries to theater to world-class dining—are available within short walking distance of campus, as is easy and convenient access to several subway and bus routes and the city’s major rail and bus transportation hubs.

Program Facilities

FIT’s classrooms, laboratories, and studios reflect the most advanced educational and professional practices. Art and design facilities include drawing, painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture studios; a graphics printing service bureau with high-resolution, large-format printers and laminating, scanning, slide-duplication, and wire-binding machines; a design/research lighting laboratory; display and exhibit design rooms; knitting and weaving labs; model-making and toy design workshops; and a multimedia foreign languages laboratory. Twenty-three computer labs house Mac and PC workstations, with several additional labs offering computers and specialized software reserved for students in specific programs. A computer-aided design and communications center provides the latest technological advancements in the fields of animation, design, and photography, offering specialized peripheral equipment and software such as Adobe Creative Suite, Shockwave Studio, Accumark, Modaris, Primavision, U4ia, Colour Matters, Karat Designer, 3D Studio Max, Final Cut Pro, Form Z, Softimage, Vellum 3D, and more.

Construction is currently underway on 50,000 square feet of new laboratories and studios. Set to open in the 2009–10 academic year, they will provide the latest in professional-quality equipment and workspace for art and design students majoring in accessories design, fashion design, jewelry design, textile/surface design, and toy design.

The Museum at FIT is the repository for one of the most important collections of fashion and textiles in the world, and is used year-round by students, historians, and designers for research and inspiration. The Gladys Marcus Library contains more than 300,000 volumes, 90 searchable databases, and specialized resources like clipping and sketch files and trend forecasting services.

All full-time, degree-seeking students are eligible for FIT housing. Four residence halls house 2,300 in fully furnished single, double, triple, and quad rooms, and students have the option of either traditional (meal plan included) or apartment-style accommodations.

Faculty and Alumni

FIT’s faculty is drawn equally from top professionals in academia, art, design, and business who bring their experience to the classroom and introduce students to the real-life opportunities and challenges of their disciplines through field trips, guest lectures, and sponsored competitions. Academic departments consult with industry advisory boards of noted experts in their fields, who ensure that the course work and classroom technology adapt to stay current with evolving practices in their field. Student-instructor interaction is encouraged, with a maximum class size of 25, and courses are structured to foster participation, independent thinking, and self-expression.

Well-known alumni include Calvin Klein, Roxanne Lowit, Nanette Lepore, and Ralph Rucci, and there are thousands more—from interior designers to toy designers, from animators and illustrators to graphic and fine artists. Alumni often serve on FIT advisory boards, as guest lecturers in classes, and as project critics.

Student Exhibit Opportunities

Exhibitions of student work are held throughout the year. Every spring, the college hosts its Art and Design Graduating Student Exhibition and the Fashion Design BFA show, a runway show whose judges include leading names in the industry and media. Each year, graduate students in Art Market: Principles and Practices curate a group show at a New York City gallery, and graduate students in Fashion and Textile Studies: History, Theory, Museum Practice curate an exhibition at The Museum at FIT. Sponsored competitions promote student work to prospective employers and in prominent trade publications, and clubs like Urban Studio provide public art opportunities in venues citywide—recent projects include a 600-square-foot, mixed-media mural in the Empire State Building.

Special Programs

FIT’s International Programs provide students the option of studying abroad for a year, a semester, or a summer or winter session in countries such as Australia, China, Italy, Japan, and Mexico.

The Presidential Scholars Program, available to academically exceptional students in all disciplines, offers special liberal arts courses, projects, colloquia, extracurricular activities, and off-campus visits designed to broaden horizons and stimulate discourse. Past areas of study have included urban archeology, theories of public space, Greek mythology, and cultural studies. Presidential Scholars are also awarded priority course registration and an annual merit stipend.

Precollege Programs are available to high school students during the fall, spring, and summer. More than forty-five courses help students develop their portfolios, explore a range of creative careers, and discover talents and abilities. Courses for middle school students are available in the summer.

The School of Continuing and Professional Studies provides evening/weekend offerings to students and working professionals. Four art and design degrees are available through the evening/weekend program: Communication Design A.A.S., Fashion Design A.A.S., Graphic Design B.F.A., and Illustration B.F.A.

Cooperative Agreements

FIT’s extraordinary location at the center of New York City—world capital of the arts, business, and media—allows it to maintain close ties with the professions it serves. Field trips, guest lectures, internships, and sponsored competitions introduce students to the opportunities and challenges of their discipline. Internships are a required element of most programs, and available to all students. Sponsor organizations have included Calvin Klein, Fairchild Publications, MTV, and Saatchi & Saatchi.

Career Placement Services and Opportunities

FIT’s Career Services offers lifetime placement and career-building workshops to all of its students and alumni, with a graduation employment rate of nearly 90 percent. Approximately one third of student internships result in job offers by the sponsoring organizations.

Application Procedures

Deadline--freshmen and transfers: continuous. Required: essay, high school transcript, college transcript(s) for transfer students, minimum 2.0 high school GPA, portfolio. Auditions held 1 time. Portfolio reviews held several times on campus; the submission of slides may be substituted for portfolios with permission of the chair.

Undergraduate Contact

Ms. Dolores Lombardi, Director of Admissions, Fashion Institute of Technology, 7th Avenue at 27th Street, New York, New York 10001-5992; 212-217-3760, fax: 212-217-7481.

Graduate Contact

Ms. Carole DeSantis, Secretary, School of Graduate Studies, Fashion Institute of Technology, 7th Avenue at 27th Street, New York, New York 10001-5992; 212-217-4300, fax: 212-217-4301.