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Fashion Design MFA

60 credit hours

Admission Requirements

  • Fulfillment of requirements for general admission to the University.
  • Successful completion of an undergraduate degree in fashion design or studio art, with a minimum of 3.0 in all art courses. Exceptions may be granted by the school dean.
  • Submission of a resume and a portfolio of the applicant’s creative work for review by the fashion design faculty. The portfolio should consist of a minimum of 20 works presented in high resolution slide or digital format. A two page essay indicating goals and expectations for graduate school must accompany the portfolio and will be reviewed by the faculty.
  • In addition to the portfolio and the essay, the candidate must also submit three letters of recommendation from professionals who can speak to the candidate’s academic prowess and serious intent.
  • Conditional admission to the graduate program in fashion design, based on the evaluation of undergraduate preparation or determined at the time of the portfolio review, requires the successful completion of specified coursework prior to full admittance to the graduate program. This includes but is not limited to FD 11000, FD 21200, FD 23000, FD 23500, and FD 30900. Undergraduate credit will be awarded for courses completed during the conditional status and is not applicable toward the graduate degree.
  • Full admission to the graduate program in fashion design requires the endorsement of the fashion design faculty involved in the candidate’s portfolio review.
  • Candidacy is conditional until full candidacy is recommended by the faculty at the mid-program review (before the completion of 27 hours).
  • Students with an MA in Fashion Design from Lindenwood University are automatically admitted to full candidacy in the MFA program in Fashion Design provided they are admissible to the University.

Admission Deadline

All application materials for fall admission must be received by the previous April 1. All application materials for spring admission must be received by the previous November 1.

Degree Requirements

  • Completion of 60 hours of graduate courses in fashion and art, distributed as follows:
    • 39 credit hours in fashion studio courses
    • Nine credit hours in visual media courses
    • Six credit hours of electives
    • Three credit hours ART 50000 Research Methods in Art
    • Three credit hours ART 60000 Directed Thesis
    • Satisfactory completion of an oral review and defense of the fashion project and thesis conducted by the student’s thesis committee consisting of three faculty members. Each graduate student is responsible for inviting faculty to serve on his or her committee and for inviting one of the committee members to serve as the chair. All committee members must have a terminal degree in an art or design discipline. At least two of the committee members must be LU faculty. At least one of the committee members must be full-time LU faculty.
    • Part-time status is six credit hours per semester. Full-time status is nine to twelve credit hours per semester.
    • Completion of graduate studies with a minimum grade point average of 3.0.
    • Thirty hours of credit must be earned in regularly scheduled classes unless special arrangements are approved by the Art and Design Department Chair.
    • No more than nine hours of approved transfer credit at the graduate level may be included in meeting the degree requirement of 60 hours. The school dean may approve substitutions in the core curriculum if the student has a significant and demonstrable proficiency in a specific area. The School dean may also waive credits under special circumstances.
    • At least one-half of the credits earned toward the MFA in Fashion Design degree must be from courses intended for graduate students only.