Portfolio Development Recommendations

Each of the departments below have identified courses that would assist an incoming student in preparing a portfolio. For more specific advisement, you can contact the individual departments directly. If you don't have drawing skills, consider a basic drawing class in Fine Arts.

Not all courses are required for the degree program and not all are offered every term to continuing education students.

» Portfolio Requirements (from the Office of Admissions)

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Accessories Design (AAS)

LD 261 Sketching Accessories (2.5 credits)

Communication Design (AAS)

CD 122 Digital Layout I (1.5 credits)
CD 123 Basic Bookbinding (1.5 credits)
CD 261 Portfolio Development (1.5 credits)

(offered only in Fall terms)

Animation, Interactive Media, & Game Design (BFA)

All program applicants are required to have an AAS degree from an accredited college or 60 credits in a bachelor's degree program, from an accredited institution, including all of the liberal arts course work required for the AAS degree at FIT.

A degree in art or design is recommended, but not required. Applicants should have an art background, with an emphasis on drawing. All applicants must have completed the following course work or the equivalent prior to application: CG211, CG212, CG213, and CG221.

Fabric Styling (BFA)

Any courses that include instruction in the Adobe Creative Suite.

Fashion Design (AAS)

AR 101 Fashion Art and Design (1.5 credits)
FF 111 Visual Design Concepts 1 (2 credits)
FD 133 Materials and Construction 1 (2 credits)

Illustration (AAS)

IL 111 Fashion Illustration 1 (3 credits)
IL 123 General Illustration 1 (1.5 credits)
IL 131 Illustration Life Drawing 1 (1.5 credits)
IL 133 Anatomical Life Drawing for the Illustrator 1 (2 credits)
IL 143 Fashion Drawing 1 (2 credits)

Interior Design (AAS)

FA 141 Drawing 1 (1.5 credits) (especially for students with no drawing background)
ID 151 Basic Drafting Techniques (1.5 credits) (take together with ID 133 or prior to ID 133)
ID 133 Presentation Techniques 1 (1.5 credits)
ID 172 Design, Color, and Lighting Principles & Theory (1.5 credits) (primarily for individuals who are not sure if they want to do Interior Design; is a good intro to ID, but does not do much to prep a portfolio)

Jewelry Design (AAS)

Any Basic 100-Level JD Design & Drawing courses
FA 104 Sculpture: Basic (1.5 credits)
FA 107 Basic Design (1.5 credits)
FA 141 Drawing 1 (1.5 credits)
TD 141 Nature Studies (1.5 credits)

Menswear (AAS)

FF 111 Visual Design Concepts 1 (2 credits)

Photography (AAS)

PH 117 Principles of Photography incl. Darkroom Instruction (2 credits)
PH 118 Beginning Digital Photo (2 credits)
PH 130 Lighting 1 (2 credits)
PH 171 Digital Darkroom (2 credits)

Spatial Experience Design (BFA)

DE 101 Principles of Display and Exhibit Design: Small Scale (2 credits)
DE 102 Principles of Display and Exhibit Design: Large Scale (2 credits)
DE 141 Display Graphics l (2 credits)
DE 143 Styling for Visual Presentation (2 credits)

Textile/Surface Design

TD 112 Textile Color Fundamentals (2 credits)
TD 121 Studio Practices (3 credits)
TD 141 Nature Studies (1.5 credits)