Socially Responsible & Sustainable Apparel Business

The Department of Fashion and Apparel Studies offers a graduate certificate in socially responsible and sustainable apparel business. The certificate is comprised of nine, one-credit courses that are offered online and can be pursued worldwide.

The graduate certificate provides a foundation of knowledge needed to manage design, product development, buying, promotion, sourcing and production of apparel, textiles and footwear in ways that are socially responsible and sustainable. The competencies and skills embedded in the courses are based on research with industry leaders and professionals who lead nongovernmental organizations and civil society groups with a stake in the global apparel business. The coursework is grounded on principles of the United Nations (UN) Global Compact, a voluntary international initiative bringing together companies, labor and civil society groups, and various UN agencies in support of human rights, labor and the environment. The following learning goals have been established for students completing the certificate: 1) Evaluate how apparel, textile and footwear businesses address the Global Compact principles for human rights, labor standards and environmental stewardship and how they can more effectively address them in the future; 2) analyze the moral and ethical responsibility of business and individuals toward human rights labor standards and environmental stewardship; and 3) recommend various strategies for affecting change in the industries.

The courses and learning materials for the certificate were developed by a team of faculty from the University of Delaware, Cornell University and Colorado State University based on work supported by the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under Award No. 2006-01405.

Students completing the requirements for the graduate certificate will be awarded a certificate that is signed by the department chairperson and the department's Graduate Studies Committee chair. Additionally, a notation of receipt of the certificate will be made on the students' transcripts.

The graduate certificate in socially responsible and sustainable apparel business is not associated with the Lerner College of Business and Economics.

1. Choose your graduate program
2. Start your online application
3. Gather the following documents:
   • Transcripts
   • Test scores
   • Letters of recommendation
   • Write your graduate Application essay
   • Check if supplemental documents are needed
   • Check if writing samples are needed
   • Resume
   • TOEFL or IELTS Score
4. Upload documents to your application
5. Complete the OISS Pre-Arrival Task List
   • Request an I-20 or DS-2019
   • Finalize conditions for graduate admission
   • Set up your UD accounts
   • Prepare your finances
   • Complete your family medical history form
   • Confirm your medical insurance
   • Get immunized
   • Obtain a visa
   • Communicate with your academic advisor or department
   • Pack your bags
   • Make your travel plans to the U.S.
   • Learn about Delaware and the U.S.
6. If you decide NOT to attend

The University of Delaware’s graduate application system is designed to put the applicant in control of not only the application but all documents associated with that application. You should have no need to send a single item by mail during the applicant stage. Self-managing your own application in this way is possible because we have designated areas within the application where each required document should be uploaded.