Michigan State University
Professional programs focusing on the design production, the Department of Human Environment and Design offers distribution and use of clothing, textiles, and other products in living/working environments. The target of Human Environment and Design (HED) is to offer programs designed to provide students with an understanding of the social-cultural and physical components of the near environment, their impacts on human life, and the technical knowledge and skills essential to fulfill requirements for entry-level professional positions.
The Apparel and Textile Design program teaches students the required skills and training for careers designing clothes and textile products. Taking into consideration interactions among the person, the product, and the environments in which they are used, students learn to create and evaluate designs. Students will learn to gauge the needs, values, goals, and resources as they implement design solutions. The products are created with overall comfort, performance, and design satisfaction in mind. Ultimately, the goal is the improvement of quality in both life and environment.
In the new reality of the twenty-first century, apparel designers will form alliances with other professionals in interdisciplinary teams. Apparel designers and biomechanical engineers, textile chemists and physicists, or medical scientists usually make up these teams. Stressed in the program is teaching the ability of fast decision-making and communication skills to allow for adequate relationships with employers, employees and clients. Functional and aesthetic design problems can be solved innovatively by using computer-aided design technology.
