From Fashion Merchandising to Advertising, Sports Communication, Games And Multimedia, or theatre, students at Marist University are given the rare opportunity to turn their passion into a profession.
Marist University
Be it former anchor of CNN Cuomo Prime Time Chris Cuomo; actress Caitlin Mahoney recognised for her performance in Orange Is the New Black and The Good Wife; or David M. W. Powers, Chief Strategy Officer at Qualcomm, these accomplished individuals showcase how the top programs at Marist University equip students with the expertise required to be leaders in their chosen industries.
Marist University, recognized for excellence by TIME Magazine and the Princeton Review,, is noted for its leadership in the use of technology to enhance the teaching and learning process.Founded in 1929, Marist’s 150-acre campus is in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and branch campus in Florence, Italy.
Helmed by President Kevin Weinman, the undergraduate and graduate students at Marist are encouraged to create a unique and personalized coursework in and out of the classroom, which provides valuable personal growth and occupational expertise to reflect their individual passions.In this article, we explore the top courses at Marist University, highlighting how its specialised curriculum empowers students to excel in the rapidly evolving creative sectors.
B.F.A. Fashion Design
The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Fashion Design trains students to create apparel for various markets considering creative, technical, and cost factors. Students develop skills in design, textiles, draping and flat pattern making, garment construction, and computer-aided design. In their senior year, they design and execute an apparel collection under the guidance of a professional designer to be shown at the school’s annual Silver Needle Runway Show.
The Design major exploreS the critical elements of fashion design. Course offerings support all aspects of the design and construction process, as well as the application of fashion industry-specific technology and software. The curriculum balances the creative aspects of design concept, drawing, color and rendering, collection development, etc. with technical education in sewing, textiles, pattern-making and draping, and the application of fashion industry-relevant technology, including new industry computer software. The Steel Plant’s high ceilings, exceptional light, and modern equipment enhance the suite of design studios.
Particular emphasis on critique of portfolios and design collections allows students to experience corrective criticism within the supportive environment of the Program, as well as under the guidance of industry professionals. Internships are also emphasized as a key to developing those skills necessary to prosper in the business world. The combination of technical and creative design courses are augmented by an array of elective courses, including Couture Techniques, Knitwear Design, 3-D Printing, and many others. Short-term studies in Europe and Asia, and full semester abroad studies in London, Paris, Florence, and Hong Kong round out the students’ education.
B.S. Fashion Merchandising
The Bachelor of Science degree in Fashion Merchandising concentrates on the planning, procurement, and marketing aspects of the fashion business. Students learn to research target markets, analyze business results and develop strategies that effectively meet the needs of consumers. The Merchandising major relies on foundational courses such as Fashion in Culture and Commerce, Digital Software Studies and Textiles and then advances with concentrations in Business, Product Development, or Fashion Promotion.
The Business concentration is augmented by courses in related fields like Accounting, Business, Communications, and Economics, highlighting the importance of business skills in today’s workplace. Electives such as Accessory Merchandising, Fashion Branding and Licensing, and Product Sourcing greatly contribute to the enrichment of the concentration. The Fashion Promotion concentration is enhanced with courses in related fields such as Fashion Show Production, Visual Merchandising and Communications. The Product Development concentration includes coursework such as Supply Chain Management, Private Label Development, Branding and Licensing, and Sustainability.
The Business concentration focuses on the planning, procurement, and marketing aspects of the fashion business. Students learn to research target markets, analyze business results, manage the supply chain, and develop strategies that effectively meet the needs of consumers. The Product Development concentration explores the development of private label or branded merchandise, supply chain management, and the use of product data management techniques. The Fashion Promotion concentration is geared toward the student seeking a career in fashion public relations or advertising, event production or on-line promotion.
A capping course is required for all senior Merchandising students. The capstone project requires that the student relate his or her knowledge of fashion merchandising and program concentration, related courses and the core, often in collaboration with fashion companies.
Advertising
The Advertising concentration within the Communication major is focused on careers in advertising, whether the interest lies in creative, media, strategy, or account management. This concentration provides hands-on exposure to the industry, giving you a competitive edge when students enter the field after graduation. Alumnus Meghan spent a semester in Prague, where she interned for Prague Pride, the Czech Republic’s largest LGBT organization, and organised a business forum encouraging companies to increase diversity and decrease bias.
After exploring the advertising industry, its disciplines, and its place in society, students can choose courses to align with their interests. Creative Courses prepare them to conceptualise, create, and produce advertising for all media. They will engage in projects creating and producing advertising for clients, and will explore web and experiential media. The Strategic Courses prepare students for careers in advertising agencies, working as a strategist, account executive, media buyer or planner, brand manager, or sales representative. Students will have the opportunity to research local businesses and present real advertising campaigns and proposals to them as clients.
Students will see campaigns through from brief to concept to completion and from different perspectives that make up creative, media, strategy, and account management; learn to develop storytelling skills to drive brand recognition and create consistent branding initiatives; and develop skill and confidence in public presentation environments, from running meetings to presenting at national student advertising competitions. They will practice research methods in advertising, learn to analyze consumer insights, and apply data to real-world decision-making; develop a portfolio of work that showcases your unique point of view, an absolute necessity for securing a job in the advertising industry; and develop divergent thinking skills to create stand out campaigns.
Sports Communication
The Sports Communication concentration teaches students to analyze sports in new ways, critically examining the role of sports in society and considering such areas as gender, race, and public policy in the context of sports. With a unique combination of theory and practice, they will have real-world experience in sports communication long before they enter the industry after graduation.
Studying in the Sports Communication concentration at Marist, you will gain both a vast understanding of the communication industry as a whole and develop in-depth knowledge of the sports communication field. Your communication coursework is supplemented with unique and exciting sports communication classes such as: Sport, Culture, and Communication; Issues in Sports Media; Sports Reporting; Sports Broadcasting; and Sports Public Relations.
Marist Center for Sports Communication is a leader in the study of and practice in sports communication, helping to prepare an engaged group of future leaders in a far-reaching discipline. The Center has achieved national and international recognition for the unique educational experiences it provides to undergraduates; students have the opportunity to work on industry-standard sports shows, participate in sports research, and learn from titans in the Sports Communication industry.
Sports Communication students at Marist are uniquely positioned with access to hands-on opportunities as part of the academic experience. The Sports Communication concentration requires an internship to ensure success post-graduation. Students will have access to ESPN Control Room: produce NCAA Division I basketball and volleyball games for broadcast on ESPN3 and ESPN+; Center for Sports Communication: produce sports podcasts, conduct sports communication research with leading faculty, and engage with industry professionals; and Center Field: write and produce high quality sports stories for this student-run online publication.
Art History
Marist University
Art History students at Marist will be immersed in the heritage, theory, and culture of art origins and its future and will be provided opportunities for hands-on application of art history to be well-prepared for a career in art. Students explore the history of the visual arts; from prehistoric caves and the pyramids of Egypt to the challenging and contemporary art. Courses like Museum Studies provide valuable insights into the world of art. They can also design their own study plan by pursuing an alternative discipline, such as a foreign language, anthropology, or business.
At Marist, the faculty believes that one of the best ways to connect with history is to immerse in the art, heritage, and technology of other cultures. The Art History concentration within the Fine Arts BA, BS in Studio Art, and Certificate in Studio Art are all available at the branch campus in Florence, Italy. The Florence campus, as well as 70+ study abroad locations, are available for short-term opportunities, and Art History students can also embark on short-term attachment programs in France, England, Italy, Greece, and Japan.
There are many success stories emerging from this major. Alumnus Julianna White, now Junior Editor at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, reflects on her Marist experience as some of the best times of her life. Her professors became trusted advisors that helped lead her to landing her dream job in Washington, DC.
B.S. Digital Media
The B.S. in Digital Media is designed to allow students the opportunity to explore, in depth, the new exciting field of Digital Media under the guidance of recognized working artists, designers, and educators. It combines courses in digital media with a balanced curriculum of art studio, art history, and liberal arts.
To focus their studies, students select one of three major concentrations: Graphic Design, Animation or Digital Art. However, the degree is flexible and can be tailored to students’ interests. For example, students can choose courses in Communication, Information Technology, or internships. No matter the focus, the Digital Media student will get training in new media using powerful software and equipment, as well as an understanding of Digital Media concepts, history and heritage in the traditional media.
Film And Television
The Film and Television concentration in the Media Studies and Production major creates exciting opportunities for students to mold the coursework around their interests. Whether they want to be behind the scenes editing and producing or are drawn to the theory, history, and criticism of film and television, they will choose from Screenwriting for Film and Television, Directing the Narrative Film Experimental Film and Video, Lighting and Cinematography, Audio Production, or Race and Ethnicity in Film.
As a first-year Media Studies and Production Major with a concentration in Film and Television, alumnus Jackson was posed with the idea to make a music video by close friend Steven for the Silver Fox Awards, Marist’s campus film, music, and media awards event. A year later, Jackson won the award for the best music video as a sophomore with “Spaceship Boy,” the titular track of his EP. The song has nearly two thousand plays on Spotify and its accompanying video has nearly 1.6 thousand views on YouTube.
At Marist, the faculty believes that producing media serves the needs of clients and provides real-world skills for an edge in the industry. That’s why Film and Television students produce work for clients in the community like Walkway Over the Hudson, the Franklin Roosevelt Home and Library, and Marist School of Computer Science and Mathematics, and collaborate on interdisciplinary projects with students from other majors. For example, Film and TV students are helping produce a documentary film for Crime and Justice faculty member Dr. Julie Raines to raise awareness of courts seeking to remedy conditions such as drug addiction and mental illness as an alternative to incarceration.
Games And Multimedia
The Marist approach to curricula is interdisciplinary, flexible, and geared specifically toward a student’s career goals. The Games and Emerging Media Major levels up this approach by being a hybrid of distinct interwoven tracks. Facilitated by the School of Communication and the Arts and the School of Computer Science and Mathematics, this degree offers concentrations in Technical Development and Programming and in Design, Writing, and Culture.
In an industry as evolutionary and revolutionary as game and media design, it is essential that faculty can keep up with the change. That is why Marist Games and Emerging Media faculty take their experience in the field and apply it to their classrooms, ensuring that students are one step ahead when taking their place in the industry. All classes are project-based and involve student and faculty collaboration to create games, apps, websites, prototypes, VR—AR experiences, mobile games, board games, and other design projects.
The university hosts workshops, lectures, and Q&As with industry professionals to gain in-depth understanding of the industry. Marist is also the official location of the annual Hudson Valley Undergraduate Games Conference where students present research and game demos. They are encouraged to participate in Play Innovation Lab, where they will have the opportunity to design and research games, as well as help organise and participate in games-related events.
Alumnus Erin was one of five chosen through Girls Make Games, a fellowship with LearnDistrict Inc., to fly to San Francisco to publish her game through the Google Play store. Launched in February 2019, her first game, Symphony, has more than 10,000 downloads. While at Girls Make Games, she inspired future game developers, overseeing groups of girls working on two-dimensional “infinite runner” games like Temple Run or Subway Surfers. The ability to share her imagination through her love for technology prompted Erin to pursue a dual major in Computer Science and Games and Emerging Media at Marist.
Cinema Studies
Cinema Studies students learn the critical study of cinema as an art form, a business, technology, a form of entertainment, and a cultural product that both reflects and shapes culture. The curriculum provides a comprehensive study of cinema and its impact, as well as the opportunity and the fifteen credit minor features a wide range of cinema courses, including Film and History, Experimental Film and Video, Documentary, Race and Ethnicity in Film, Topics in Global Cinema, Philosophy and Film.
At Marist, the faculty believes in the value of an inter-disciplinarian, liberal arts approach to academics, which is why students of any major can minor in Cinema Studies. The minor is designed to complement all majors, including but not limited to communication, theater, art, digital media, literature, history, and psychology, and deepen critical and analytical skills in relation to the minor and dominant field of study.
Jasmeen Dugal is Associate Editor at FashionABC, contributing her insights on fashion, technology, and sustainability. She brings with herself more than two decades of editorial experience, working for national newspapers and luxury magazines in India.
Jasmeen Dugal has worked with exchange4media as a senior writer contributing articles on the country’s advertising and marketing movements, and then with Condenast India as Net Editor where she helmed Vogue India’s official website in terms of design, layout and daily content. Besides this, she is also an entrepreneur running her own luxury portal, Explosivefashion, which highlights the latest in luxury fashion and hospitality.
