Fiber Science & Apparel Design

The Department of Fiber Science & Apparel Design (FSAD) provides an opportunity to study and research fibers, fabrics, apparel, and the apparel industry from design, management, historical, and scientific perspectives. The department has twelve faculty in addition to other academic and nonacademic support staff who serve approximately 130 undergraduate and 20 graduate students.

The Undergraduate Major has three concentrations: apparel design, apparel textile management, and fiber science. Students learn the basics of design, apparel, and fibers and then focus on one of the concentration areas for upper level course work. They complement these major courses with other courses in the College of Human Ecology and Cornell University's other colleges as well as Study Abroad opportunities.

The Graduate Program in the field of textiles offers four graduate degrees. In the M.S. and Ph.D. in fiber science, students learn the basics of fiber chemistry, engineering and physics and have the opportunity to apply this knowledge to a wide variety of topics including nanotechnology, sustainable materials, and biomedical materials. The M.A. and Ph.D. in apparel design integrate principles in the application of design, technology, physical sciences, the humanities, and social sciences to meet basic human needs for clothing and offer students the opportunity to apply their knowledge to topics that include functional and fashion apparel design, the meaning of dress and fashion, and apparel technology.

The department has a broad outreach effort that includes programs related to the apparel industry, personal pesticide protection, textile programs for youth, and water quality. These outreach efforts take the research knowledge of the department and extend it into the broader community. A significant part of the FSAD outreach effort makes use of the Cornell Cooperative Extension network and partners with a variety of state and non-profit organizations throughout New York State and in New York City.

The department has an outstanding Costume Collection with 8,000 items that is used primarily for teaching and research. The collection includes apparel and accessories dating from the eighteenth century to the present. We also host a very fine ethnographic collection of textiles and complete costumes and a small collection of European and American textiles.