Bachelor of Science in Textiles and Apparel
The Division of Textiles and Apparel is a place to get a broad-based education, well suited for career opportunities. Students in the Division of Textiles and Apparel enjoy a wide range of academic programs and career opportunities. They study the art of design, the science of chemistry and physics, and the application of retail and management principles, through the lens of history. Majors come in three packages: merchandising and consumer sciences; apparel, functional, and technical design; and textile conservation and museum studies. Each program provides hands-on experience with rapidly evolving retail environments, intercultural practices and customs, consumer behavior, apparel and fashion design, computer-aided design, fashion show production and event organization, garment conservation and museum management, and fiber and fabric testing. Capstone retail merchandising and apparel design programs take students to high-profile venues and provide rich opportunities in honors programs. Internships are available to enhance the educational experience and ensure strong career opportunities. Basic research is being conducted in bio-based fibers and specialized fabrics, and 3D technology to address basic human needs. Research is also conducted involving the effects of change and new technologies on the development and distribution of creative textile products. The Division of Textiles and Apparel is a marvelous place to get a broad-based education, well suited for rewarding career opportunities.
Prescribed Work Common to All Options
In the process of fulfilling degree requirements, all students must complete:
- Core curriculum
- Skills and experience flags:
a. Writing: two flagged courses beyond Rhetoric and Writing 306 or its equivalent, including one at the upper-division level
b. Quantitative reasoning: one flagged course
c. Global cultures: one flagged course
d. Cultural diversity in the United States: one flagged course
e. Ethics: one flagged course
f. Independent inquiry: one flagged course
Courses that may be used to fulfill flag requirements are identified in the Course Schedule. They may be used simultaneously to fulfill other requirements, unless otherwise specified. Please note, students may not earn the cultural diversity in the United States and the global cultures flags from the same course. Students are encouraged to discuss options with their academic advisors.
Prescribed Work for Each Option
Option I: Apparel, Functional, and Technical Design
- Mathematics 408C, 408N or Statistics and Data Sciences 332
- One of the following:Statistics and Data Sciences 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 306, or Educational Psychology 371
- Chemistry 301 or 301H, 302 or 302H, and 204; and Biology 311C
- The following textiles and apparel courses:
- Core Courses: Textiles and Apparel 301, 205, 105L, 313, 214K, 214L, 328, 331, 260L, and 260M; and two of the following courses: Textiles and Apparel 325L, 325M, and 327
- Option courses: Textiles and Apparel 316L, 126, 226L, 350, 352D, 355C, 164K (Topics 1: Flat Pattern, 2: Draping, and 3: Advanced Apparel Design), and 264L (Topic 1: Flat Pattern, 2: Draping, and 3: Advanced Apparel Design)
- Thirty-six semester hours of upper-division coursework, of which at least 18 must be within at least nine must be outside the School of Human Ecology. At least 21 semester hours of upper-division coursework must be taken in residence at the University
- Enough additional coursework to make a total of 120 semester hours
Option II: Merchandising and Consumer Sciences
In addition, students following the merchandising option must complete the following degree-level requirements. In some cases, courses that fulfill degree-level requirements also meet the requirements of the core.
- One of the following: Statistics and Data Sciences 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 306, or Educational Psychology 371
- Chemistry 301 or 301H, 302 or 302H, and 204; and Biology 311C
- Economics 301 or 304K
- The following textiles and apparel courses:
- Thirty-six semester hours of upper-division coursework, of which at least 18 must be within and at least nine must be outside the School of Human Ecology. At least 21 semester hours of upper-division coursework must be taken in residence at the University
- Enough additional coursework to make a total of 120 semester hours
Option III: Textiles and Apparel Honors
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Breadth Requirement: An approved calculus course and an approved statistics course (one of these must be honors); Chemistry 301H and 302H; Biology 315H and 325H. Credit earned by examination may not be counted toward this requirement.
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A section of Undergraduate Studies 302 or 303 that is approved by the departmental honors advisor
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A section of Rhetoric and Writing 309S that is restricted to students in the Dean’s Scholars Honors Program
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Twenty-two semester hours selected from the three streams of textiles and apparel courses with at least three semester hours in each of the streams: apparel, technical, and functional design; merchandising and consumer science; and textile conservation and museum studies, as well as Human Development and Family Sciences 322 with consent of the honors advisor
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Six hours of textiles and apparel, including Textiles and Apparel 379H. In all cases, students will be required to conduct research and write a thesis. In some cases, this thesis will be accompanied by a portfolio of work
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Six additional semester hours from biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering, mathematics or physics. Courses designed for non-science majors may not be counted toward this requirement
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Six semester hours of coursework from the College of Liberal Arts and/or the College of Fine Arts
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Thirty-six semester hours of upper-division coursework. At least 21 semester hours of upper-division coursework must be taken in residence at the University
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Twelve additional semester hours of coursework approved by the departmental honors advisor
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Enough additional coursework to make a total of 120 semester hours
Option IV: Textile Conservation and Museum Studies
- Mathematics 408C, 408N, or Statistics and Data Sciences 332
- One of the following: Statistics and Data Sciences 301, 302, 303, 304, 305,306, or Educational Psychology 371
- Chemistry 301 or 301H, 302 or 302H, 204, and 320M
- Anthropology 302 and 304
- The following textiles and apparel courses:
- Thirty-six semester hours of upper-division coursework, of which at least 18 must be within and at least 12 must be outside the School of Human Ecology
- Enough additional coursework to make a total of 126 semester hours
Special Requirements
Students must fulfill both the University's General Requirements for graduation and the college requirements. They must also earn a grade of at least C- in each mathematics and science course required for the degree, and a grade point average in these courses of at least 2.00. More information about grades and the grade point average is given in the General Information Catalog.
To graduate under Option III, students must remain in good standing in the Dean’s Scholars Honors Program, must submit an honors thesis approved by the departmental honors advisor, and must present their research in an approved public forum, such as the college’s annual Undergraduate Research Forum. More information about the Undergraduate Research Forum is available at https://cns.utexas.edu/innovative-education/undergraduate-research/undergraduate-research-forum.
Order and Choice of Work
The student should consult the faculty advisor each semester about order and choice of work and balancing the laboratory load. Students should also check prerequisite requirements carefully.