Do you have a passion for fashion? The Apparel Merchandising and Design program provides students with knowledge and hands-on experiences in the apparel and textiles industry.
Our curriculum explores the apparel and textiles industry, including merchandising and marketing strategies, fashion design, and production processes. You will develop skills applicable for retail establishments, visual merchandising, and entrepreneurship, and learn from valuable hands-on experiences including a supervised internship in a retail establishment, developing your own fashion line, and producing a fashion show in the spring.
Paying for your degree may be easier than you think with our financial aid and scholarships. Kirkwood offers more than $3 million in scholarships each year.
Graduates of the Apparel Merchandising and Design program will be able to:
Graduates from our Apparel Merchandising and Design can obtain jobs in a variety of creative opportunities. From design to production, merchandising to sourcing, here are some of the career paths you can take:
School Year: 2024–25
Program Entry Semester: Fall
| Fall | Spring | Fall | Spring | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Credit Hours per Semester | 15 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 65 |
| In-State Tuition | $3,255 | $3,472 | $3,472 | $3,906 | $14,105 |
| Technology Fee per Semester | $50 | $50 | $50 | $50 | $200 |
| Clinical Expenses (mileage, lodging, screenings, etc.) | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Conferences/Seminars | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Course Resources (textbooks, software, etc.) | $1,048 | $1,325 | $1,085 | $1,110 | $4,568 |
| Course/Section Fees | $0 | $380 | $380 | $0 | $760 |
| Laptop (required devices) | $1,249 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $1,249 |
| Testing Fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Third Party Credentials | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Tool Sets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Uniforms | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other | $0 | $749 | $0 | $0 | $749 |
| Total Estimated Cost | $5,602 | $5,976 | $4,987 | $5,066 | $21,631 |
Costs provided are estimated and based on the following current tuition rates: $217 (In-State), $290 (Out-of-State), $400 (International).
Fees and costs are subject to change. To view all costs associated with attending college visit our Tuition and Costs page.
An annual event for Apparel Merchandising and Design students, the fashions presented revolve around the show’s theme, which changes every year.
The show is produced entirely by the students, from auditioning the students to be the models to marketing and promotions. Each student designer has a model they’ll style, but the Retail and Design Coordinator get the final say on whose designs get to walk the runway. During intermissions, attendees view exhibits displaying the culmination of students’ work in the program.
Information about the 2025 show will be posted in February.
Bricolage is the fashion magazine created by our Apparel Merchandising and Design students. Released annual every spring, the magazine is produced by Kirkwood's Visual Communication and Design students.
Learn more by following the magazine's Instagram and Facebook accounts. Access past issues here.
The fashion club for Apparel Merchandising and Design students. Join us to experience fashion moments beyond the classroom!
Students in Kirkwood's Apparel Merchandising and Design program are encouraged to join the Kirkwood chapter of Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), the only national Career and Technical Student Organization with the family as its central focus.
FCCLA is one of eight recognized members of the National Coordinating Council for Career and Technical Student Organizations (NCC-CTSO). CTSOs are co-curricular groups that help students in career and technical education programs further their knowledge and skills by participating in activities, events, and competitions.
Supervised internships in retail or Bricolage, our program's student-produced fashion magazine, provide opportunities to learn outside of the classroom.
Several four-year apparel merchandising and design programs allow Kirkwood credits to transfer. If you are interested in obtaining your bachelor degree, schedule a meeting with your advisor to discuss your options.
Prepare and equip students with creativity, apparel industry knowledge and professionalism, in order to actively engage in their organization (such as university or local place of employment).
Bring your fashion dreams to life at Kirkwood!
Arts & Humanities
2092 Cedar Hall
arts@kirkwood.edu
319-398-4913