Bachelor of Fine Art, Major in Fashion Design

at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth USA

Philosophy will appeal to your sense of curiosity about the world, as you explore topics such as justice, knowledge, reality, and truth: the ideas that have shaped our world over time.

Yet the study of philosophy also prepares you for many challenges, as you analyze and evaluate the ideas of others, and clarify and defend your own ideas.

You will develop problem solving abilities, communication skills, persuasive powers, and writing skills—skills needed to develop a rewarding career and a meaningful life.

With its emphasis on logic, analysis, and clarity of thought, philosophy is an excellent preparation for professional fields such as artificial intelligence, business, communications, government, information sciences, law, medicine, public relations, and writing—as well as graduate study in philosophy, theology, and many other disciplines.

The MA in Portuguese Studies gives graduates an in-depth understanding of literary and cultural history of Portugal and the Portuguese-speaking world within a broad, interdisciplinary context of the humanities and social sciences.

Course offerings are complemented by a varied agenda of activities and publications sponsored by the Center for Portuguese Studies and Culture.

• Guest lectures
• State-of-the-art colloquia
• Portuguese-American Archives
• International, peer-reviewed academic journal
• Portuguese Literary and Cultural Studies

Our program provides the knowledge required for teaching Portuguese in secondary schools and community and junior colleges, as well as to succeed professionally in a wide range of employment opportunities available in our region, nationally and internationally.

Our BA in political science with a concentration in pre-law prepares you for law school by providing a solid foundation for future study in fields including commercial, criminal, environmental, family, labor, and tax law.

Your courses will focus on the U.S. legal system, law and courts in relationship to other aspects of the U.S. political system, international law and courts, and the international political system. A background in law prepares you not only for a practice of law, but also for rewarding careers in advocacy, business, and education.

Studying law will develop your analytical, logical, and creative thinking skills. You'll be prepared to think critically and act effectively as an engaged citizen.

We want to ensure that you acquire proficiency in writing, communication, advocacy, and comparative analyis: all vital skills in today's workplace, which is why we require students to complete an internship.

The Department of Civil Engineering offers a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering with a concentration in environmental resources engineering. Engineers in this field apply civil engineering principles and processes to solve problems relating to air pollution, water pollution, solid waste and hazardous waste management, renewable energy, and water resources engineering.

The environmental resources engineering concentration emphasizes:

• Assessment of the environmental impact of new or existing products or processes
• Methods for solving problems resulting from pollution
• Management of energy and resources in order to minimize pollution

Your program of study will provide in-depth knowledge of environmental engineering and an awareness of potential social, economic, political, and environmental impacts of environmental engineering practices.

You will be prepared to:

• Analyze and design environmental resources engineering systems
• Apply multidisciplinary approaches to manage the competing social, political, economic, and technical goals of environmental problems and solutions
• Work in multidisciplinary teams to solve environmental resources engineering problems

Mechanical engineers work on the design, analysis, production, and operation of mechanical and thermal systems, including tools, engines, and machines.

You will be prepared to work in a diverse range of careers including aerospace, manufacturing, robotics, biomedical, product design, energy, sustainable development, scientific research, defense, and the military.

Growing opportunities are available for mechanical engineers in cutting-edge medical research, new energy resources, novel material design, and robotics applications. Encompassing a wide range of fields, mechanical engineering includes the study of energy transformations, manufacturing, mechanical systems, material science, and systems control.

The Mechanical Engineering program provides students with both a diverse, broad-based degree that is grounded in fundamental principles of science and engineering and the opportunity to specialize in a field of interest (such as energy, manufacturing, robotics, materials science, mechanical systems).

The program is characterized by hands-on design projects and the use of computer work stations to address complex problems and enable the design and manufacture of components and systems.  The program culminates in a senior project, solving a real-life engineering problem with realistic constraints of time as well as economic, aesthetic, safety, social and environmental considerations. The students defend their work in an oral presentation before their class, faculty, guests and an invited panel of judges from local industries.

The first two years of the program include basic courses in mathematics, chemistry and physics, together with introductory courses in applied science such as mechanics, materials, and electrical science. Specialization occurs during the last two years with courses available in the areas of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, manufacturing processes and systems, control systems, materials behavior, energy, and mechanical design.

As a photography major, you will gain expertise in both traditional and digital techniques and explore photographic imagery in all contexts. When you pursue your BFA in Art + Design: Photography, you will develop your own photographic vision and deepen your expressive communication.

The BFA is a professional degree with concentrated areas of specialization, so you will take more art courses than you would in a BA program. At UMass Dartmouth, you also have the advantages of a university education where you can diversify your studies and expand your career opportunities.

Your studies will include:

• Black & white darkroom photography
• Color digital imaging & printing
• Large format photography
• Studio lighting
• Video
• The history of photography
• Contemporary practice

Your work will culminate in a gallery exhibition and a portfolio that demonstrates your individual style, technical proficiency, and aesthetic sophistication.

A degree in photography will prepare you for a career as a fine art and commercial photographer, photojournalist, videographer, photo editor, gallery or museum director, curator, image consultant, multimedia designer, photo educator, photo archivist, studio manager, filmmaker, web designer, lab technician, and professional printer.

Computer engineers apply electrical engineering techniques and computer science concepts to develop dependable, cost-effective hardware and software systems and components.

Computer engineering is a rapidly growing discipline and is also one of the highest-paid engineering fields. Specialty areas within computer engineering include:

• Computer architecture
• Computer networks
• Cybersecurity
• Embedded systems
• Mobile devices
• Wireless sensors
• Internet of Things

As a computer engineering major, you'll be prepared to meet the changing high-technology needs of industry and to continue with graduate studies. Our program prepares you for this evolving field by providing a strong background in science, mathematics, and engineering.

Computer engineers work in a variety of fields such as aerospace, automotive, biomedical, communications, consumer electronics, medicine, power, and space. As a computer engineer, you may work as a designer, researcher, scientist, educator, consultant, entrepreneur, executive, public official, or in the military.

The study of fashion design and production balances your creative vision with technical skills and an in-depth understanding of the fashion industry. You can prepare for a professional career in apparel design, marketing, manufacturing, and product development.

When you pursue your BFA in Art + Design: Fashion Design, you'll develop a wide range of skills and knowledge: advanced fashion design concepts such as computer-aided design (CAD), technical design and production, business in the fashion industry, public speaking and presentation, and contemporary fashion trends.

You’ll utilize up-to-date software and fashion-forward techniques to develop a strong and comprehensive portfolio of work. Juniors and seniors in the program develop full lines of clothing with opportunities to exhibit their collections at the annual CVPA Fashion Show, industry shows, and retail galleries.

Internships and networking opportunities help you make industry connections in Boston and New York, and graduates will be ready to compete successfully for jobs throughout the fashion industry.

The BFA is a professional degree with concentrated areas of specialization, so you will take more art courses than you would in a BA program. At UMass Dartmouth, you also have the advantages of a university education where you can diversify your studies and expand your career opportunities. Your BFA degree also provides excellent preparation for MFA programs and other graduate study.

Ranked by the American Physical Society as one of the top physics master's programs in the U.S., the MS in Physics is designed to:

• Advance your understanding of the concepts of modern and classical physics
• Develop your ability to apply these concepts to solve practical problems

We are interested in working with inquisitive and enthusiastic students who plan to pursue:

• Professional careers in research and teaching
• Applied areas of industrial research and development

The Physics Department offers a range of graduate courses in:

• Astrophysics
• Computational physics
• Electrodynamics
• Fluid physics
• Mathematical physics
• Nuclear physics
• Quantum mechanics
• Relativity

The department also offers courses emphasizing research—including thesis research and independent study in special topics.

You'll be encouraged to participate in faculty research in areas such as theoretical and computational physics—including atomic physics, relativity, high-energy and gravitational physics, and traffic modeling. Most students are supported by teaching or research assistantships.

Under the guidance of a graduate advisor, you will follow a course of study and research that is in harmony with your own background and goals. The size of our program fosters close personal contacts among students and faculty.

The BFA in Art + Design: Integrated Studio Arts is designed for art and design students interested in developing and combining skills across the visual arts.

A panel of advisors guides students as they choose classes that are most appropriate for their personal vision. Active artist-faculty across all Art + Design concentrations offer individualized instruction emphasizing the development of each student’s visual voice.

You will be able to mix-and-match studio courses from our other programs to build your own path of study:

• Animation & game arts
• Ceramics
• Drawing
• Graphic design
• Illustration
• Jewelry/metals
• Painting
• Photography
• Printmaking
• Sculpture
• Textiles

The BFA is a professional degree with concentrated areas of specialization, so you will take more art courses than you would in a BA program. At UMass Dartmouth, you also have the advantages of a university education where you can diversify your studies and expand your career opportunities.

You'll develop cross-disciplinary sensitivity—with the possibility of combining painting with printmaking, photography, digital media, textiles, and other disciplines in contemporary art making. You'll also be able to explore fields across the university, such as business, engineering, and science.

Fine artists are inherent problem-solvers, negotiators, collaborators, and team-players; they have excellent hand/eye coordination and can illustrate their ideas—often quickly—so that others can understand a concept beyond the written or spoken word. The skills of a fine artist can be applied in education, business, advertising, set design, and arts management (gallery directors, administrators), to name a few.