The university was included in three of Fashion-Schools.org's 2015 rankings.
Texas Tech University's apparel design and manufacturing (ADM) program received several rankings as part of Fashion-Schools.org's annual fashion design schools and colleges lists. The program was ranked No. 7 in the Top 10 Fashion Design Schools and Colleges in the Southwest, No. 20 in the Top 25 Public Fashion Design Schools and Colleges and No. 38 in the Top 50 Fashion Design Schools and Colleges in the U.S.
In 2013, Texas Tech was ranked No. 45 nationally and No. 5 in the Southwest, then No. 31 nationally and No. 5 in the Southwest in 2014, according to the rankings website.
“It is good to know we are one of the top 10 programs in the Southwest and one of the top 20 in the U.S.,” said Su Shin, ADM program director and associate professor. “In 2013, ADM was referenced in the top five for fashion schools in the Southwest. Since then, we have been nationally recognized as one of the top fashion design programs, which means the expectations of our ADM program is growing.”
Fashion-Schools.org started the rankings program in 2013 in response to emails from aspiring fashion designers and merchandisers, according to its rankings. The rankings are determined based on the school's academic reputation, admission selectivity, depth and breadth of the program and faculty, value as it relates to tuition and indebtedness and geographic location. For the 2015 survey, Fashion-Schools.org incorporated school surveys into the rankings as well as gathering information from the school itself, the school's website and reputable publications.
The apparel design and manufacturing program is part of the Department of Design within the College of Human Sciences. The program is only home to an undergraduate program, but they hope to develop a master's program and a four-plus-one degree certificate graduate program, which would combine a four-year undergraduate degree with a two-year master's program for students who would like advanced learning opportunities and the ability to earn another degree in a short amount of time, Shin said. She believes the addition of a graduate program will improve their rankings.
The ADM program offers a portfolio review for students' successes, a TechStyle Fashion Show for seniors and internships as part of its program. It teaches students to use apparel computer-aided design and 3D virtual design software. It houses the only 3D body scanner in the Southwest region and allows undergraduate students to participate in faculty research.
For more information on the rankings, visit Fashion-Schools.org and for more information on the ADM program, visit its website.