Auburn University’s fashion programs continue to earn top regional, national rankings

Auburn University remains among the best fashion merchandising and fashion design schools in the region and country, according to a website devoted to researching fashion schools for students seeking information about programs and careers.

The website, www.fashion-schools.org, has named Auburn the top fashion merchandising school in the South, which includes Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, West Virginia, Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas.

This is the fourth straight year Auburn has earned the top spot in the region for fashion merchandising. Nationally, Auburn is ranked second behind the Fashion Institute of Technology, or FIT, in New York. FIT also earned top honors as the best fashion design school in the country.

Auburn was considered the 18th best fashion design school in the country, eighth among public schools and colleges and third in the South. The national and regional rankings place Auburn higher than any other school in the Southeastern Conference. Auburn bested all SEC schools named in the fashion merchandising rankings.

The Savannah College of Art and Design, a perennial powerhouse in the nation and region, is considered the top fashion design school in the South and fifth in the nation. In fashion merchandising, SCAD earned the 10th spot nationally and third in the South.

The Apparel Merchandising, Design and Production Management program at Auburn University is offered by the Department of Consumer and Design Sciences in the College of Human Sciences.

Department Head Pam Ulrich said Apparel Merchandising, Design and Production Management faculty consistently strive to present the most updated knowledge about the fashion industry, use new technologies in their teaching and mentor students through internships and competitive award opportunities. All students are required to complete full-time internships and do so throughout the country and even internationally.

The writers, designers and researchers behind the website began publishing regional and national rankings in 2013 at the request of aspiring fashion designers and merchandisers asking about the best schools in the country, a given state, or a particular region. The result also provided students access to ample information so they can make an informed decision about the school and program that best fits their needs.

To prepare its rankings, the website team examined hundreds of schools across the country with fashion design and fashion merchandising on the basis of academic reputation, admission selectivity, depth and breadth of the program and faculty, value as it relates to tuition and indebtedness and geographic location. School surveys were an added factor in 2014.