Fashion Design

Offered Fall & Spring

The Fashion Design Certificate program is designed for students who have a love for fashion and design and feel that they have the talent to pursue a career in design. The course is designed to help students enhance their own design skills; translate concepts onto paper, and eventually into actual garments. It will prepare students to enter the fashion design industry in the capacity as a design assistant or working with a product development team.

The curriculum includes 96 hours of classroom instruction in five core courses plus two electives of your choice. A required final project will be a separate night of presentation of designs and/or fashion show. This course must be completed within 2 years. Attendance at 80% of classes is required. Core classes offered fall and spring; electives can be completed at any time.

Core Classes:

  • Fashion Design I
  • Fashion Design II
  • Fashion Illustration
  • Basic Garment Construction
  • Basic Pattern Making

Electives: (choose 2)

  • Pattern Drafting II
  • Sewing Techniques
  • How to Start or Operate Your Own Business
  • A drawing or painting class
  • A computer-aided design class such as Photoshop or Illustrator

    Ordering Textbooks
    Texts required for Continuing Education courses may be ordered from the BCCC Bookstore (www.bucks.edu/bookstore / 
     or call 215-968-8459) or from a vendor of your choice.

Fashion Design I

Gain a basic understanding of fashion design including design principles, how to dress a fashion figure. Materials list will be mailed prior to first class; approximate cost $50.   Paula Molino, M.Ed.

Newtown Campus/$205 / WSMCE 3710 C01/

Fashion Design II

A continuation of Fashion Design I, you will enhance your understanding and skills with an emphasis on merchandising a clothing collection, presen-tation techniques and building a portfolio. (Materials list will be mailed prior to the start of class.) (Prerequisite: Fashion Design I & Fashion Illustra-tion) Paula Molino, M.Ed.
Newtown Campus/$205 (plus approx. $25 materials fee and $90 book fee)/ WSMCE 3711 C01/

Fashion Illustration

Learn how to draw a fashion figure and dress it with original designs with attention to garment details, fabric rendering and trims. Materials list will be mailed prior to first class; approximate cost $50. Paula Molino, B.S.

Newtown Campus/$215 (plus $60 book fee)/ WSMCE 3712 C01/

Basic Garment Construction

Learn the fundamentals of sewing including hand and machine sewing, how to select fabrics based on style and fabric, pattern layout and construction methods. You will complete one simple garment. Materials list will be mailed prior to first class; approximate cost $80. Bring your portable sewing machine to class.  Paula Molino, B.S.

Newtown Campus/$195 (plus $40 book fee)/ WSMCE 3713 C01/

Pattern Drafting I

Students will learn to take measurements and to translate these measurements into a pattern (sloper) that can be used to create any design and create a perfect fit. Virginia Buck

Newtown Campus/ $265 (plus $20 payable to the instructor)/ WSMCE 3714 C01/

Pattern Drafting II

This class will teach students to design and create a garment (skirt, pant, or blouse) from existing slopers. Each student will create a garment (skirt, pant, or blouse) from a basic sloper and learn how design elements, (dart manipulation, sleeves, collars, necklines) translate to the flat pattern.  As a final project students will complete a garment from their own designs. Virginia Buck

Newtown Campus/ $265 (plus $20 payable to the instructor)/ WSMCE 3715 C01/

Sewing Techniques

No more will you have to hear, "That looks homemade." This course will teach you sewing techniques to improve your finished garment and give it that "professional" flair. Virginia Buck

Newtown Campus/ $265 (plus $20 payable to the instructor)/ WSMCE 3716 C01/