About the Program
Are you excited about fashion and have a great sense for business? Do you want to study in an engaging learning environment, partner with industry professionals and create sustainable innovative solutions?
In this program, you will gain the specialized job skills required to be a responsible future leader. As a graduate, you will be ready to pursue an extensive range of career opportunities in buying and category management, product development, fashion marketing, brand management, wholesale selling, retail operations management, social media and digital commerce.
You will also gain a solid foundation in advanced business, fashion and sustainability studies through engaging teaching practices delivered by experienced professionals. The Boutique and the FIELD (Fashion Industry Education Exchange and Leadership Development) project provide unique opportunities for you to apply knowledge gained across many courses. The FIELD project is a case competition designed by a real industry client that culminates in a networking event showcasing graduating student work. Past industry clients have included Holt Renfrew, Urban Planet, Nobis, RW&Co. and Walmart Canada.
Credential Awarded
Ontario College Advanced Diploma
Duration
6 Semesters (3 Years)
Starts
September
Program and Course Delivery
This program is offered in Seneca's hybrid delivery format with some courses available in Seneca's flexible delivery format. Some coursework is online and some must be completed in person. Students will need to come on campus to complete in-person learning requirements. For courses offered in the flexible delivery format, professors use innovative learning spaces and technology to teach students in a classroom or lab and broadcast in real time to students attending remotely. In flexible courses, students have the choice of coming on campus or learning online.
Skills
Throughout this program you will develop the following skills:
- forecast fashion trends for a product line
- build winning brand concepts
- develop innovative sustainable solutions across all aspects of fashion
- gain confidence in using math for decision making
- use a variety of creative software for visual communication
- strengthen ability to work in a team
- develop creative content for multiple digital channels
Your Career
Graduates of the program can explore the following career options:
- marketing co-ordinator
- junior sales rep
- assistant buyer
- e-commerce co-ordinator
- social media specialist
- allocation analyst
- retail store manager
- entrepreneur
Affiliations/Associations
- Apparel Affinity Group
- Canadian Apparel Federation
- Canadian Retail Educator's Association
- Fashion Group International
- Fashion Takes Action
- Retail Council of Canada
- Textile Society of Canada
Sustainability
Our School of Fashion is committed to promoting and advocating sustainable development. As a member of Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Canada, we integrate sustainable practices into our teaching and initiatives.
Program Learning Outcomes
This Seneca program has been validated by the Credential Validation Service as an Ontario College Credential as required by the Ministry of Colleges and Universities.
As a graduate, you will be prepared to reliably demonstrate the ability to:
- Examine historical and current fashion and design influences and their relationship to designers, producers and retailers to make business, forecasting, and design decisions.
- Analyze ethical, sustainable and innovative leadership practices in the domestic and global fashion industry.
- Integrate principles of product development, buying and supply chain management to make strategic decisions in the manufacturing, wholesale and retail sectors of the fashion industry.
- Apply professional sales and customer service techniques to sell and/or promote products through all channels of distribution.
- Develop a fashion concept considering textile, design, apparel characteristics and the production process to influence consumer end-use.
- Develop business management strategies for fashion products and services through analysis of fashion and market trends.
- Create marketing strategies to promote fashion products and services to target consumers.
- Produce visual communication collateral using design principles, strategies and technologies to support product and professional branding in the fashion industry.
- Enhance fashion business decisions by using retail mathematics and financial management skills across distribution channels.
- Analyze data and budgets to support business strategies across distribution channels.
- Recognize organizational and interpersonal dynamics to develop leadership skills as a member of the fashion industry.
- Engage emerging technologies to implement business management strategies and tactics in order to respond to the global marketplace.
- Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), or equivalent, or a mature applicant
- English: Grade 12 C or U, or equivalent course
- Mathematics: Grade 12 C or U, or Grade 11 U or M, or equivalent course
Canadian citizens and permanent residents may satisfy the English and/or mathematics requirements for this program through successful Seneca pre-admission testing.
Recommended upgrading for applicants who do not meet academic subject requirements.
Although not required for admissions, courses in fashion studies and work experience in the field are recommended for success in the program.
International Student Information
International admissions requirements vary by program and in addition to English requirements, programs may require credits in mathematics, biology, and chemistry at a level equivalent to Ontario’s curriculum, or a postsecondary degree or diploma, equivalent to an Ontario university or college. Program-specific pre-requisite courses and credentials are listed with the admission requirements on each program page. To review the academic requirements please visit: Academic Requirements - Seneca, Toronto, Canada (senecapolytechnic.ca).
Pathways
As a leader in academic pathways, we offer a range of options that will allow you to take your credential further in another Seneca program or a program at a partner institution.
To learn more about your eligibility, visit the Academic Pathways web page.