Students have regular opportunities to take study tours to various European and domestic locations. Faculty members in the fashion and interior design department firmly believe that a college education is not complete without an opportunity to travel. The department tries to offer at least one study tour each year. Recent trips included visits to Paris, China, Italy and Greece.
Study Away
Study tours last approximately two weeks and are usually scheduled right after the end of spring semester. A faculty member arranges the trip and accompanies the students.
In Paris, fashion students are exposed to the global fashion industry along with visits to traditional points of interest, such as The Louvre, Notre Dame and Versailles. Recent tours to Italy and Greece took students to all the classic historical sites. Students were able to see the buildings and decorative arts that are talked about in class. These trips inspire students' creativity!
The China experience gives students an opportunity to visit a part of the world that, for many years, was isolated from the West. Missouri State’s sister campus in Dalian makes the arrangements for our groups and provides an English-speaking guide to help the travelers navigate the unfamiliar culture. Fashion students are offered a glimpse into the huge fashion industry. Interior design students visit some of the oldest sites in the world and gain an understanding of how the past influences the designs of today. The unique architecture of the region also serves to influence students of fashion and interior design.
Annually, a group of 20 students travel to New York City for a five-day visit to the fashion capital of North America. Visits to a variety of fashion businesses including Tommy Hilfiger, Kate Spade, Calvin Klein, Capelli International and Cotton Incorporated, are mixed with the opportunity to interview for internships. The opportunity to shop, sightsee or see a Broadway show is a plus.
