Diploma in Fashion Management
George Brown College
Key Information
Campus location
Toronto, Canada
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
2 years
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
CAD 17,149 / per year *
Application deadline
Request info
Earliest start date
Request info
* for international students. All fees are subject to change, without notice
Introduction
Leadership Claims
The Fashion Management program is the only academic program curriculum in Canada endorsed by the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA).
The Fashion Management program prepares you with the essential knowledge and skills required to meet the Canadian fashion industry's core business needs. You will gain a deep understanding of textiles, manufacturing inputs and processes, and movement in the supply chain, as well as management of the value, costing, and quality of apparel. You will also be able to apply the tools of marketing and merchandising to maximize product success in the market. This program is designed to meet the needs of today's Canadian market, which has shifted to product development, niche markets, and omnichannel retail.
The Fashion Management program is the only academic program curriculum in Canada identified by the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA) as an affiliate school. Benefits to you include an up-to-date curriculum, connection with the industry, and access to industry research materials exclusively available to members.
The concepts of developing, sourcing, and marketing a product from the initial idea to the retail sale are introduced. You will test and problem-solve for quality assurance; develop buying, merchandising, and marketing plans; examine logistics processes and work as a team to manage a retail store.
The structure of this program gives you flexibility in the choice of a career path. You will also gain relevant industry knowledge through field education experience after the first year of study. The field experience may be in fashion buying, production, distribution, retailing, wholesale, or a related marketing area. Students have the opportunity to network with potential employers at our FashionWorks industry event.
Note: Students starting in January will have an alternate order of courses, and will not graduate until their field education component has been completed. January intake students will complete semester two from May to August, and continue into semester three in September of the same academic year.
The School of Fashion and Jewellery offers a diverse, hands-on learning environment, including many extracurricular activities for students.
Program Requirements
The Fashion Management program requires students to have access to a personal laptop or desktop computer, and reliable Internet access for synchronous classes.
Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
Scholarships for international students at George Brown College are generally in-program awards based on students’ academic performance (and other criteria) at George Brown College after the beginning of the academic program.
Curriculum
Required Courses
Semester 1 | Semester 2 |
|
|
Semester 3 | Semester 4 |
|
|
*For September start, Field Education Experience is May to August. For January start, Field Education Experience is from July to December.
**Based on the results of your placement test, you may be required to take COMM 1000 Introduction to College Communication before progressing to COMM 1007. COMM 1000 does not count as a course required for graduation, and you will be charged for this extra course.
Electives
†Program elective choices vary from semester to semester. These are examples of some of the program elective courses that may be offered:
- FASH1252 Fashion Business Communication
- FASH2082 Fashion Journalism – An Introduction
- FASH1054 Portfolio Development
- FASH1084 Fashion Promotion and Advertising
- FASH1089 Social Media for Fashion Marketing
- FASH2048 Textile Laboratory
- FASH2076 Fashion Project and Event Planning
- FASH2077 Textile Surface Design
- FASH2078 Knitwear Product Development
- FASH1229 Costume Production for Film and Theatre
- GHUM1049 Design and Colour
Program Outcome
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
- Identify textile materials, assess their suitability and compatibility, and select for end-use.
- Use basic accounting concepts and financial analysis in order to interpret reports and make business decisions.
- Make optimal sourcing decisions based on research and analysis of domestic and global sources.
- Use merchandising concepts and retail math to develop merchandise, assortment, and buying plans.
- Communicate visually by using appropriate tools and practices to create product development packages, sales materials, and merchandising displays.
- Apply the principles of logistics and supply chain management to operate a successful fashion business.
- Use effective interpersonal and team skills to enhance leadership, management, and sales expertise in a fashion business environment.
- Evaluate products by applying the principles of quality control to meet appropriate standards.
- Explain the organization and operation of the Canadian fashion industry, its role within the global economy, and identify the forces that affect it.
- Distinguish the processes and systems used in garment manufacturing to make production decisions.
- Apply the product development process by preparing visual materials, technical specifications, and cost analysis for a product(s) aimed at a specific target market.
- Develop, communicate and apply a marketing plan by combining marketing research, strategies, and tactics.
- Analyze ethics, corporate social responsibility, and sustainability principles to develop best practices in the fashion industry.
- Develop professional goals through industry exposure with an emphasis on lifelong learning and personal growth.
Career Opportunities
Your Career
For more than 45 years, this program has generated a varied, adaptable workforce for the apparel industry. Graduates have been hired by apparel manufacturers, designers, wholesalers, importers, and major and independent retailers.
Graduates are employed in positions leading to careers such as:
- Product developer/co-ordinator
- Assistant buyer
- Assistant planner
- Production manager
- Quality control manager
- Costing analyst
- Purchasing agent
- Merchandiser
- Store manager
- Retail planning and allocation
- Sourcing manager
- Logistics/distribution manager
Future Study Options
Graduates may be eligible for admission to George Brown postgraduate programs, including International Fashion Management and Sustainable Fashion Production.
Students who successfully complete this program with an established minimum grade may be eligible for the articulation to other programs or for course exemptions at other institutions in Canada, internationally, and at a number of universities in the United States whose apparel programs are recognized and endorsed by the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA). The Fashion Management program is the only fashion program in Canada endorsed by the AAFA.