The Barometer Online

Issue date: 4/25/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Alex Nguyen Brittany Pryor, a junior in apparel design, works on an outfit design Thursday. Pryor is one of four people chosen for a prestigious internship with designer Betsey Johnson in New York City this summer.

A truly dynamic major at Oregon State, apparel design proves to be an exciting pursuit, filled with internship and job opportunities.

With students receiving internships from high-end designers like Betsey Johnson and popular magazines such as Glamour, the business is getting more attention than ever.

Currently there are 120 undergraduates and four graduates enrolled as apparel design majors in the department of design and human environment at OSU.

With few competing schools in Oregon that offer a degree in apparel design, OSU being the only university, Oregon State has the benefit of receiving the majority of students interested in the profession.

Unlike other universities, OSU offers a Bachelor of Science degree with completion of the program, compared to other schools that only offer a Bachelor of Arts.

OSU is also currently the only university west of the Rockies to offer all three degrees in apparel design: bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees.

With graduation quickly approaching, seniors all over OSU have their minds on their future careers. Students in the apparel degree program can rest assured that with the skills they gain at OSU, employers will be more than impressed with their résumés.

"You can talk to any student involved in the major or alumni and they will tell you that the program here produces very well qualified designers," said Kathy Mullet, an associate professor in the DHE department. "We teach you the technical skills needed to be successful."

Although there are several notable design schools in the United States, many students attend OSU.

"I almost went to the Fashion Institute of Technology," said Erin Hutchison, a freshman in apparel design. "But I really wanted the full college experience while at the same time being able to study apparel design in a program with a good reputation."

Apparel design students benefit from all of the classes required for the major.

Continued...

Page 1 of 2 next >

Article Tools