Winning design from an FDM student in the International Biotech Fashion Show(2012)

The FDM programme offers high quality and dynamic training focusing on fashion design, apparel production, quality control and technical skills to enhance local and international trade in textile products. It is designed to assist individuals to become self reliant by training them for self-employment and diverse opportunities in the textile industry.

Career Opportunities
Fashion Design and Marketing graduates will find employment:

• Fashion Houses
• Garment Industries
• Teaching in Fashion Design Colleges
• Interior Design Firms
• Self Employment Enterprises
• Textile Industries
• Jewelry Designers
• Fashion Sales Personnel
• Fashion Stylist/ Costume Designers
• Fashion Illustrators
• Fashion Journalists
• Image Consultants
• Fashion Managers/Marketers
• Research Scientists

Internal Links
Our teaching programmes are multidisciplinary and you will have the opportunity of studying units in other departments such as:

Fine Art
Sociology
Foods Nutrition and Dietetics
Communications Skills among others.

External Links
Local and International Linkages

• DKTE in Ichalkaranji, Maharashtra, India
• Tshwane University of Technology in South Africa
• Thika Cloth Mills
• Manchester Metropolitan University – Britain
• African Cotton and Textile Industries Federation (ACTIF)
• Kenya Association Manufacturers (KAM)
• Kenya Apparel Manufactures and Exporters Association (KAMEA)
• African Regalia
• Cazenovia College – New York - USA
• Vera College Beauty College

Research Activities
Main Thematic areas of Research

• Fashion Design
• Textile Science
• EMarketing
• Consumer behavior
• Entrepreneurship

Academic Staff and Specialisations
On enrolling in our department you will be taught by a qualified and committed team of 10 staff members. These lecturers comprise 1 Professors, 3 PhD holders, and 6 Masters holders on staff development here and abroad. The department aims to have all the staff attaining doctoral status in the next few years. The staff members have degrees in the following areas of specialisation:

• Family and Consumer Sciences
• Textile Science
• Community Resource Management
• Fine Art
• Home Economics Education
• Fashion Design

Specialty and Branding
Our dynamic and proactive approach in reviewing our programmes puts us at the forefront in meeting market demand. In the recent evaluation results on performance contraction 2010/2011, the department’s chairman was ranked the best in the university.
The department held a very successful International Conference in Nov. 2011, where synergy with various industry players resulted in a action oriented report launched in February 2012. This interaction resulted in partnership with major industry players in the Cotton, Textile & Apparel sector. We are geared at ensuring the Textile, Cotton & Apparel industry is revived and becomes a major income earner for the country.

We are committed to being the Department of choice, providing you with world class training and research opportunities that are market driven and able to meet the challenges of today's community and economy. By choosing our programme you will be sure of attaining a marketable degree that will enable you to compete effectively in employment and creating jobs.
Study Mode and duration

• The department offers full-time and school-based modes of study.
• All the programmes are 4-year degree programmes where students enroll for between 5 and 7 units each semester.

Postgraduate Students Research and Taught Units :Study mode and duration
The Masters in Fashion Design and Marketing degree programme is by coursework, examination and thesis. The programme will take a minimum of 18 months. Students pursuing it will take a minimum of 10 units. The 1st year of study shall be spent on course work and examination. In their second year, students undertaking MSc. by coursework, examination and thesis shall concentrate on their research work. PhD students undertake their studies by thesis only.

Resources
The department has 2 clothing and textiles labs. You will also have access to reference materials in the resource library that is housed in the department for student and staff use.

Student Profiles
Fresh high school graduates choose our department to gain hands-on experience in the theory and practice of Fashion Design studies. Entrepreneurs seeking to boost their academic qualifications by enrolling fulltime in our SSP programme.

Fashion design students on an academic trip to a fashion enterprise(March 2012)

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