Program Aims & Objectives
The main objective of the Master in Fashion Design is bringing students in direct contact with the real world of fashion design industry in Italy and abroad. The program will not only provide students with the instruments to understand how things are done, but also to assist each one in working out the reasons why they are done. Besides the “problem solving” skill, typical of the design culture, students are encouraged to develop a “problem setting” approach, in which the practical knowledge they have gradually acquired becomes part of the individual capability for critical elaboration.

The structure of the Master is based upon project experiences in order to help students understand the trends, cultural and contemporary issues influencing the fashion design domain; produce innovative solutions with awareness of the global fashion system; foster a personal creative style and individual expressive language; generate ideas and specify appropriate means of production; demonstrate a deep degree of awareness concerning production in the fashion system; establish an individual mode expression.

Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course, students will have:

• Demonstrated an individually driven conceptual research project using research project using research methods and techniques appropriate for professional standards in fashion design practices;
• Demonstrated an understanding of the professional field and restraints; the ability to deal with requests thus being able 9 to interpret their own work in this context;
• Demonstrated a critical and personal development in envisioning advanced processes related to the project;
• Effectively demonstrated a reflective and evaluative approach to their own work allowing them to act independently in identifying, implementing and sustaining individual research and practices at a professional level;
• Demonstrated innovative approaches to fashion built on knowledge and awareness of the system;
• Demonstrated self and professional management skills in terms of interaction in a multi-cultural domain, teamwork and time constraints at a professional level;
• Demonstrated an ability to effectively communicate concepts, methods and design proposals in spoken, visual and written forms.

Degree & Certification
Upon graduation from Domus Academy, you’ll earn a degree that’s recognized around Europe and the world—an Academic Master’s Degree (60 ECTS credits) accredited by the Italian Ministry of Education, Universities and Research (MIUR). The Academic Master’s Degree is validated through NABA, Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti Milano. You’ll also earn a second valuable qualification: the Domus Academy Master’s Diploma.

Domus Academy’s accreditation has helped build relationships with prestigious companies, so you have the chance to gain practical work experience during your course of study. An accredited degree, plus the practical experience you gain through an internship, shows employers that you received a top-quality education and that you bring industry-relevant knowledge and skills to the table when you join their team. Domus Academy’s accreditation also means that the relevant academic credits you earn at Domus Academy will transfer to other institutions if you choose to work toward another master’s or a doctoral-level degree.

Career Opportunities
The aim of the Fashion Design program is to train professionals who have the ability to combine their creativity and their organizational skills with theoretical and knowledge with the world of production. Among employment opportunities: Fashion Designer, Art Director, Textile Designer, Trend Searcher and Product Manager, Cool Hunter or Fashion Editor in fashion brands, design offices, magazines or establishing their own business.

Declaration of Value
In order to receive the Academic Master Degree at the completion of the program students holding a non-Italian Bachelor Degree are required to have their degree validated prior to starting the program. In order to do so, students must contact the Italian Embassy or Consulate in the country where the degree was issued in order to ask for the so called “perfezionamento documenti”, consisting of:

• Translation into Italian (by certified translator) of the student’s High School Diploma*
• Translation into Italian (by certified translator) of the student’s High School Academic Transcripts*
• Translation into Italian (by certified translator) of the student’s Bachelor Degree*
• Translation into Italian (by certified translator) of the student’s Undergraduate Academic Transcripts*
• “Dichiarazione di valore in loco” (Declaration of Value) of the student’s High School Diploma & Bachelor Degree. (The “Dichiarazione di valore in loco” is the document attesting that the study qualification obtained in the student’s country of residence is valid for accessing Italian Universities or Academies)

For a complete list of Italian representative authorities worldwide please see here. The legalized and translated documents, as well as the “Dichiarazione di valore in loco” will be issued to the student.

*Please Note: All Consulates vary and they may have slightly different requirements. You must contact the Consulate, which holds jurisdiction where the diploma/degree issuing school is located.

The program is organized into four main modules lasting eight weeks each that include courses and workshops, followed by an 8 week internship period and a final portfolio presentation. For a full description of the program structure see Fashion Design Master’s Degree.

Core Workshops – Required

• Fashion Collection Workshop
• Fashion Identity Workshop

Elective Workshop – Choose one

• Fashion Styling Workshop
• Fashion Buying Workshop
• Fashion Collection Workshop
• Fashion Identity Workshop

Courses

• Fashion Culture
• Fashion & Luxury Marketing & Management
• Visual Representation
• Personal Branding

Professional Experience
The Professional Experience is the final step of a process in which students, thanks to a one-to-one tutorship, receive a deep and balanced evaluation of their skills and aspirations, in order to build a career, which fits their aims. There are three kinds of Professional Experiences:

• Internship in a Company/Firm: the students will be hosted in a work environment developing assigned real projects.
• Field Learning Experience: a work project carried out on campus in collaboration with a company and supervised by a project leader. The students will approach contemporary themes and explore a wide range of design subjects in a multidisciplinary environment.
• Entrepreneurship Module: an entrepreneurial journey in order to develop business and managerial skills. The students will be given a specific toolbox of frameworks and approaches both in theory and practice. In all cases during this crucial phase students are mentored on a step-by-step basis, and acquire the fundamental experience of dealing with the real world, with real business and with the people working in the field.

*prices are subject to change

This is an SAI Select Services Program; it includes the important on-site services!

• Academic Master’s Degree awarded by Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti (NABA)
• Master’s Diploma from Domus Academy
• Program tuition
• Student health insurance providing full coverage and medical emergency evacuation
• SAI orientation to the host city and school
• SAI staff on-site providing assistance as needed and 24-hour emergency support

Pre-departure and Re-entry services

• Admissions counselor assigned to you, providing friendly assistance throughout your study abroad experience
• Helpful pre-departure tools and resources
• Assistance with student visa application
• Assistance with financial aid and loan processing
• Paid registration fees for national re-entry conferences
• SAI alumni network

Housing is not included in SAI Select Services Programs. However, your SAI Admissions Counselor will be happy to provide you with information and recommendations for local housing agencies, as well as school-provided apartments. Students who do not have prior housing arrangements should begin speaking with their Admissions Counselor as soon as possible.

Passports
Passports should be valid for 3 months after planned departure from Italy.

Student Visas
In accordance with Italian law students studying in Italy for 90 days or more are required to obtain a student visa. Those with Italian/EU citizenship are exempted. Non-US nationals should consult their local Consulate for information on student visa requirements.

Students must appear in person at the Italian Consulate to present their student visa application. Our Student Visa Office is available to assist students in getting ready for the appointment; SAI provides student visa consulting for all our students at no cost.