Artwork by Megan Schmidt, Summer 2023
The Fashion Certificate is designed for students interested in artistic and professional training in fashion. Participants hone the technical skills necessary to realize their creative vision as they develop a portfolio of work that can be used for a variety of purposes, including preparation for further study.
Inspiration and context are drawn from SAIC’s Fashion Resource Center, a unique collection of late 20th- and 21st-century designer garments and accessories representing extreme innovation, as well as the Art Institute of Chicago museum and other SAIC collections and resources.
You will be able to keep track of your certificate requirements as you move through your individualized program using our Fashion Certificate Curriculum Guide.
Total Required Courses (6)
Required Course (1)
Sewing Techniques: Fundamentals
Studio Course (4)
Four 30-hour courses from those listed under the subject heading Certificate Fashion
Elective (1)
All 30-hour Adult Continuing Education courses are eligible electives for all certificates, including 1-week and 2-weekend intensives
To find courses, visit continuingstudies.saic.edu and click Adult Courses on the left panel. On the I would like to see dropdown menu, select Certificate Fashion.
Schedule is subject to change. Select courses may also be offered as winter intensives.
OFFERED IN FALL
Fashion Design
Patternmaking and Construction: Below the Belt
Sewing Techniques: Above the Waist
Sewing Techniques: Fundamentals (Required Course)
OFFERED IN SPRING
Fashion Illustration
Fashion Medium: Embroidery, Embellishments, and Sewn Elements
Patternmaking and Construction: Above the Waist
Sewing Techniques: Below the Belt
Sewing Techniques: Fundamentals (Required Course)
OFFERED IN SUMMER
Contemporary Fashion Intensive
Sewing Techniques: Fundamentals (Required Course)
Advising Notes
The information above is subject to change.
Courses are offered online and on our campus in Chicago. However, we did not design noncredit certificates to be completed remotely.
The course schedule and your availability will influence your progress. It is not recommended to take more than two courses per term.
We schedule a limited number of two-weekend intensives in the winter. During this term, students can complete coursework requirements, including their electives.
All 30-hour Adult Continuing Education courses are eligible electives for all certificate programs.
Some courses are meant to be taken in sequence and have prerequisite courses or other requirements deemed necessary to ensure the greatest likelihood of student success. You are responsible for being aware of and meeting any course prerequisite(s) before registration.
Visit continuingstudies.saic.edu for course descriptions, including prerequisite(s).
As students work to complete a Certificate, they should also be preparing documentation of their work as they complete their courses. Visit the Portfolio Review Day website for more information.