PhDs in Fashion & Related Fields

I was amazed at the variety of disciplines interwoven into Fashion, when I first started to explore the subject: Business -marketing, finance, consumer behaviour, data analysis applications, Art, History, Science (particularly Fabric Science) and the varied skills in the making of garments - design, visual presentation, cutting, sewing, pattern-making. There are many aspects that are judged complex and absorbing enough for Doctoral Study.

All schools listed have the full standing of their country's Higher Education Authority. The American schools are all RA. I didn't list tuition, though it's available on the sites. We're looking at 3-year programs, $20-30K per year, in general. So probably, all-in, three years of school will cost $70K to 100K. They are all on-campus programs with one hybrid exception listed - campus and distance.

I went at this country-by-country. There are around a dozen US schools offering Fashion (or related) PhDs, about the same number in UK and strangely, far less in Italy or France, countries regarded as fashion capitals. IIRC only one in each. germany had NO doctorates, plenty of Master's. Not surprising. German Authorities are very picky about who gets called "Herr / Frau Doktor.

My original listing vanished into cyberspace a few days ago - the whole thing. I've done the US list over and I should have the UK list re-done in a day or two. Autralia has only one or two - Canada has none at the Doctoral Level.

US UNIVERSITIES OFFERING PhD in FASHION & RELATED FIELDS​

Kansas State U - Manhattan KS
PhD. Programs, Apparel and Textiles,
https://catalog.k-state.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=2&poid=411

University of Georgia, Athens GA
PhD. Programs Textiles, Merchandising and Interiors
https://www.fcs.uga.edu/tmi/graduate-phd

Cornell University, Ithaca NY
PhD. Programs, Apparel Design, Fiber Science.
https://gradschool.cornell.edu/academics/fields-of-study/subject/fiber-science-and-apparel-design/apparel-design-phd-ithaca/
https://gradschool.cornell.edu/academics/fields-of-study/subject/fiber-science-and-apparel-design/fiber-science-phd-ithaca/

Auburn University, Auburn AL
PhD. Program, Dept. of Consumer and Design Sciences. Apparel Research, Design and Production Management.
http://humsci.auburn.edu/apparel/

University of Wisconsin, Madison WI
PhD. Programs, Design Studies - specializing in Textiles / Clothing Forms "Degree Candidates may specialize in research or creative practice while working"
https://humanecology.wisc.edu/academics/graduate-programs/design-studies/

University of Missouri, Columbia MO
Ph.D. Program, Human Environmental Science, with Textile and Apparel Management emphasis.. Areas: Apparel product development and manufacturing; apparel marketing and merchandising; e-commerce, global sourcing and supply chain management; economic / trade issues related to textiles and apparel; historical and cultural aspects of textiles and dress; consumer marketplace concerns.
https://tam.missouri.edu/graduate/

Iowa State University, Ames IA
Ph.D. Program in Apparel, Merchandising and Design (Hybrid - on campus and disatnce)
https://aeshm.hs.iastate.edu/graduate-students/graduate-programs/apparel-merchandising-and-design/doctor-of-philosophy/

Ohio State U., Columbus OH
Ph.D Program in Fashion and Retail Studies
https://gpadmissions.osu.edu/programs/program.aspx?prog=0215

Oregon State U., Corvallis OR
PhD program in Textiles and Clothing
https://business.oregonstate.edu/sites/default/files/graduatehandbook_2012-13.pdf

Louisiana State U., Baton Rouge LA,
PhD programs in Textiles, Apparel Design and Merchandising
https://www.lsu.edu/agriculture/tam/academics/graduate.php

University of North Carolina, Greensboro NC
PhD program in Consumer, Apparel and Retail Studies
https://bryan.uncg.edu/programs/phd/list/consumer-apparel-and-retail-studies-3/

Note: I dropped Mississippi State U., Starkville MS, And Purdue University, W. Lafayette Indiana from the list. It appears they still offer Master's degrees, but currently have no PhD programs in this area.

Pre-Doctoral Fashion Studies? I read that in the US, there are 74 certificates available, 108 Associate Degrees, 193 Bachelors and 48 Masters programs. That's a lot of Fashion education!

UK list will follow in a day or two - J.

 

Being on-campus doctoral degrees, is there not tuition waivers and stipends? I know many on-campus degrees only admit students should they have the funding necessary to support them financially.

 

I don't doubt there are, Josh. I've seen mention of these aspects on some of the sites, on a brief flip-through, but I'm not sufficiently versed to comment. All I can do is find 'em, for others to judge. I hope you didn't think I was bright, or something. That would be asking for disappointment.

 

The PhD in Human Ecology at the University of Alberta here in Edmonton has concentrations in Material Culture and Textile and Apparel Science.

 

PS - @JoshD I've not seen this information usually included in listings of other Doctoral programs on DI - so I didn't look for it.

 

Thanks. I found the program included in a listing someplace but I didn't find it on the University site. (It was the only Canadian doctoral program I found.) I'll look on the site again and include it in my list if it's still operating.

Oh, here it is! Thanks again!

University of Alberta Edmonton AB
PhD Program in Human Ecology - Concentrations in Material Culture, Textile and Apparel Science
https://www.ualberta.ca/agriculture-life-environment-sciences/programs/graduate-programs/prospective-students/human-ecology/human-ecology-phd-degrees.html

 

I've recently applied to the PhD in this department with the hopes of beginning my studies in fall 2023. If accepted, I plan to pursue the Children, Youth, and Families program. The Human Ecology department is an intriguing mishmash of concentrations that resulted from the merger of the Home Economics and Family Science departments many years ago. The four concentrations one could pursue in the department's doctoral program include Material Culture, Textile and Apparel Science, Aging, and Children, Youth, and Families.

 

I wish you every success, in starting this program and in all your future studies.

 

I can understand these degrees being available in both LA and WI, but KS? I am a bit shocked.

 

"If you build it, they will come," perhaps?

 

Thanks very much!

 

Then brace yourself. I'll be posting a couple of Fashion PhD programs I found in China, soon! I'm serious.

 

My mom completed an Associates degree at a career college in the 1980s here in Arkansas in Fashion Merchandising although it only stated a Diploma in Fashion Merchandising because the school lost accreditation while she was in the middle of earning it and it closed 2 years later. She never really did anything with the diploma either although she was paid a little more for it when she went into substitute teaching a few years later and never worked full time anyway after she and my dad married. She’s done seamstress work and put on small fashions shows here in the city but that’s no thanks to her non-accredited degree.

 

Thanks for a very interesting family story, Carlton. I have a "Career School Fashion Story" of my own, to tell.

When I first decided to learn about fashion, in 2021, it was to understand and "think like" recurring women characters in my occasional stories. I picked a course from a career-school-by-mail, because I was familiar with them. Cost about $700. No degree -"Ministry don't allow no Career School degrees 'round here."

The school was ho-hum. Read, do your ticky-box tests, open-book... but the TEXT (by Anne Marie Iverson) was enthralling. What an engaging, knowledgeable writer! I should have bought her $30 book and skipped the school -which will remain un-named. A school sued me once - you regulars know all about that. Don't want another...

I was hooked, right on Chapter 1. I went down all kinds of byways. For instance there was a list of "150 fashion names you should know." I read up, here and there, on all 150. We were only tested on eight or ten, which were detailed in that section the book. I didn't care. I now have a book of 500 names. Fascinating stories. And all of them are needed, to put 200 years of fashion history together.

I went down other self-made, sometimes historical byways, such as women's suits in Edwardian days, and "Gibson Girl" blouses - which have experienced a revival in recent days. Any woman fortunate enough to have $4-500 to spend on a blouse can have a faithful reproduction, in beautiful fabrics. A lady on a budget can get a mass-produced copy for $35 that still looks very tasteful.

I'm now a confirmed fashion-junkie for life. Fashions for women - and for me. Has it helped my understanding of those women in my writing, and their lives? Heck, yeah! Two of them work in fashion (one in fashion AND finance) and they are dynamic and highly cerebral people. They lead and inspire me. I NEED this knowledge to keep up with them! I'm taking courses and reading now on Psychology of Women, to continue the learning process.

I can sketch pretty well these days and I have zero problems with colour. Ideas come fairly easily -- but not all the time. I'll get to sewing shortly. I have all I need to start. The school? Well, the diploma looks really nice. I had it framed in very feminine colours, on purpose - pale aqua and pink - and I think it's definitely a "fashion statement."

I don't care if I ever make a DIME. From writing or fashion. This is what I want to do -- and I'll keep on doing it.

 

UK PhD in Fashion or Related - Part 1 ​

First of two parts - rest in a day or two. I took cost figures from advertising sites which had listings of the schools. They chose to publish the "one price" all-inclusive figure. I suggest you go to the school sites for yearly costs etc. I was unable to access the Robert Gordon University Postgrad site without a password - so the link is to a firm that advertises their degrees. These are again, overwhelmingly on-campus degrees. There are part-time programs, but they're still on campus. Even the famous Heriot-Watt University, pioneers in distance MBAs only offer Fashion programs on-campus. (UK or Dubai.)

Here they are. The rest in a day or two:

​

University of Huddersfield
PhD Program Fashion and Textiles
https://courses.hud.ac.uk/full-time/postgraduate/fashion-and-textiles-phd

University of Manchester
PhD Program Textiles and Apparel
https://www.manchester.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-research/programmes/list/12352/phd-mphil-textiles-and-apparel/

Royal College of Art
PhD Program Design - 4 yrs f/t 7 yrs p/t - 10K GBP/yr F/T
https://www.rca.ac.uk/study/programme-finder/design-mphil-phd/

University of Southampton
PhD program Fashion (US $86,445 total)
https://www.southampton.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-research/art-design-media-fashion

Manchester Metropolitan University
PhD Program Fashion and Clothing (US $64,502 total)
https://www.mmu.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/research-study/research-degree-list/7094.php

Robert Gordon University (Aberdeen Scotland)
PhD Program Fashion and Craft (US $54,145 total)
https://www.postgraduatesearch.com/courses/search/postgraduate/robert-gordon-university/fashion-and-craft-phd/57442312

University of the Arts - London
PhD Program Fashion (US $50,889 total)
https://www.arts.ac.uk/research/phd-and-mphil-degrees
*This site includes 2 Fashion Colleges - London College of Fashion and Central St. Martin's. Central St. Martins is FAMOUS!

Heriot-Watt University - UK and DUBAI Campuses
PhD Programs - Textile Science and Tech, Textile Design & Clothing Mfg, Practice-based Design
https://www.hw.ac.uk/tex/research/phd-opportunities.htm

 

Speaking of fashion - new image, here for me (at left). The tanned guy with the dark beard was 40. That was from a 1983 "no-fly" list. This is me, now. 80. 2023. from my new, "Golden Age" free bus pass. Not a bad look. It'll do. ....Let my Golden Age begin!

 

That was the year I was born. Nice pic by the way.

 

Thanks!

 

PhD Programs in Fashion & Related - UK Part 2​

Not many more to report. This is it. More countries follow soon. I also had Glasgow Caledonian U. and Northumbria U. on my list - but found no Doctoral programs in fashion or related disciplines on offer at either University. Not to say you couldn't possibly, with a specific project in mind, find something, under, say, a sustainability or consumer science rubric, but no specific fashion-related programs shown.

​

Durham University, Durham UK
PhD programs in various aspects of fashion, textiles, merchandising
https://www.durham.ac.uk/business/our-people/helen-goworek/
"Helen is interested in supervising PhD topics that relate to her research interests and teaching, including consumer behaviour; sustainability; design; creative marketing; the fashion and textiles industry; retail buying and supply chain management, in either contemporary or historical contexts."

Cranfield University Cranfield, Bedford. School of Aerospace, Transport & Manufacturing (SATM)
PhD program in Sustainable Fashion Products and Textile Production, Using enviromentally benign fibres manufacturing processes.
https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/som/research-degrees

Ulster University, Belfast, Northern Ireland
PhD Programs in (1) Online Stitching Communities, (2) Archiving Fashion and Textiles
https://www.ulster.ac.uk/doctoralcollege/find-a-phd/1045104
https://www.ulster.ac.uk/doctoralcollege/find-a-phd/341379