Those heading into a career in fashion may not decide to attend design schools devoted only to fashion. This doesn’t need to be seen as a career-killing move because fashion is just one branch of the broader world of design itself. Human creativity is exercised not solely in the realm of clothing and accessories, but extends into every other part of life as well. So a design school offering fashion alongside other types of programs might easily suit the person planning a fashion career.

Many universities offer such varied programs, and other schools devoted strictly to design develop even more elaborate programs. A design school like the California College of the Arts, for example, is known for its architecture program. Yet it offers many others as well, including fashion programs, on both its San Francisco and Oakland campuses. Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in England is another such institution with this broad design emphasis.

In addition to fashion courses provided by these institutions, several other kinds of design courses are incorporated also, frequently as many as thirty various disciplines. For instance, these colleges might give undergraduate and graduate degrees in such fields as sculpture, industrial and furniture design, architecture, robotics, animation and photography. A number of schools also incorporate website and digital design in this group as well.

A wider ranging design school of this kind could include fashion right along with all of these other subjects, since each one of these courses is equally seen as a component of the wider world of design.

Some may feel that it’s still better to study at a fashion designing school that devotes itself just to that aspect of the design world. This is a valid option, of course. But consider another rationale for combining many different programs into a single design school. While the students taking different degrees will remain largely isolated from each other, there will still be courses they take in common, and they will still encounter each other in different ways. Each discipline is going to influence others, and as a result, every one of those disciplines will benefit from fresh ideas and outlooks.

Is being a fashion designer a dream of yours? If so, make sure you give a lot of thought as to the design school where you plan on studying. Choosing from among the many fashion colleges can be difficult, so make sure you investigate them carefully.