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Getting a double major in Psych (BA) and Fashion design, any advice?
I'm thinking of getting a double major in Psychology (BA) and Fashion design. I am currently 17 years old, a Junior in high school, and have a GPA of 4.1 weighted/3.76 unweighted. Do you have any advice? Any programs or community college classes you would suggest? Colleges with good programs I should apply to?
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Dr’s Answer
Ava, your interest in both Psychology and Fashion Design is unique and ambitious. While some might discourage a double major due to workload and differences in fields, it’s not an impossible path—it just requires a clear plan. Here’s what to consider:
Ups of a Double Major in Psych & Fashion Design
Creative & Analytical Edge: Psychology can give you insights into consumer behavior, branding, and emotional connections with fashion, which could be useful in areas like fashion marketing, consumer psychology, or even designing for specific demographics.
Career Flexibility: If you decide to shift career paths later, having both backgrounds can keep your options open. You could work in psychology-related fields while keeping fashion as a side business or vice versa.
Unique Skill Set: Fashion is influenced by human behavior, culture, and perception—understanding psychology could help with predicting trends, branding strategies, or even creating clothing lines tailored to specific psychological needs (like sensory-friendly clothing).
Challenges & Considerations
Workload & Time Commitment: Fashion design is highly project-based with practical coursework, while psychology requires a lot of research and theory. Balancing both will be demanding.
College Policies: Some universities may not allow these as a double major, or they may have scheduling conflicts. Some might offer fashion as a minor instead.
Longer Study Duration & Cost: Completing both may extend your graduation timeline unless you overload on courses. Tuition costs may also be higher.
Here is just a little Alternative Approaches you could also see into...
1. Major in One, Minor in the Other – This reduces stress but still allows you to study both.
2. Take Fashion Design as a Certificate or Associate Degree – You could study psychology at a university while doing fashion design courses at a community college or online.
3. Explore Interdisciplinary Fields – Fields like consumer psychology, fashion marketing, or brand psychology could blend both interests.
Ultimately, if you’re passionate and organized, it’s possible—but make sure your workload is manageable. If your goal is to integrate both fields in your career, you might not need a full double major. But I also want to mention there are paths where you can totally combine both these careers but it depends how you want to proceed in your own desires.
Soooo, These below are careers that blend both fashion and psychology, offering unique opportunities to apply psychological principles within the fashion industry.
1. Fashion Psychologist
Fashion psychologists study the impact of clothing choices on human behavior and emotions, exploring how fashion influences identity, body image, and consumer behavior. They often consult for brands to enhance customer experiences and design strategies that align with psychological insights. Dawnn Karen is a notable fashion psychologist who founded the Fashion Psychology Field and authored "Dress Your Best Life." She has collaborated with various brands and serves as a professor of psychology.
2. Consumer Behavior Analyst in Fashion
These professionals analyze psychological factors that drive purchasing decisions in the fashion industry. They assess how emotions, cultural influences, and social trends affect consumer behavior, helping brands tailor their marketing strategies effectively. Oh, like, Jennifer Heinen, a fashion psychologist, who provides insights into how fashion trends reflect personality traits, aiding brands in understanding consumer preferences. 🤔
3. Fashion Marketing Specialist with a Psychology Background
Individuals in this role apply psychological principles to develop marketing campaigns that resonate with target audiences. Understanding consumer motivations and perceptions allows them to create compelling narratives that drive brand engagement. For example, Monique Foy, formerly head of marketing for Elie Saab, transitioned to founding Cosmic Dealer, a brand focusing on wellness products. Her background in fashion marketing and understanding of consumer psychology is part to her brand's success. 💫
These careers exemplify the integration of fashion and psychology, showing how interdisciplinary approaches can lead to innovative roles within the industry, so if you are interested in any you can totally check them out and hope helps. Good luck Ava! 🫡
Research Universities: Look at schools that offer strong programs in both fields and check their double major policies.
College counselors can guide you on feasibility and alternative paths.
Try online fashion courses (like Coursera or Parsons' online programs) or community college classes before committing.
Ups of a Double Major in Psych & Fashion Design
Creative & Analytical Edge: Psychology can give you insights into consumer behavior, branding, and emotional connections with fashion, which could be useful in areas like fashion marketing, consumer psychology, or even designing for specific demographics.
Career Flexibility: If you decide to shift career paths later, having both backgrounds can keep your options open. You could work in psychology-related fields while keeping fashion as a side business or vice versa.
Unique Skill Set: Fashion is influenced by human behavior, culture, and perception—understanding psychology could help with predicting trends, branding strategies, or even creating clothing lines tailored to specific psychological needs (like sensory-friendly clothing).
Challenges & Considerations
Workload & Time Commitment: Fashion design is highly project-based with practical coursework, while psychology requires a lot of research and theory. Balancing both will be demanding.
College Policies: Some universities may not allow these as a double major, or they may have scheduling conflicts. Some might offer fashion as a minor instead.
Longer Study Duration & Cost: Completing both may extend your graduation timeline unless you overload on courses. Tuition costs may also be higher.
Here is just a little Alternative Approaches you could also see into...
1. Major in One, Minor in the Other – This reduces stress but still allows you to study both.
2. Take Fashion Design as a Certificate or Associate Degree – You could study psychology at a university while doing fashion design courses at a community college or online.
3. Explore Interdisciplinary Fields – Fields like consumer psychology, fashion marketing, or brand psychology could blend both interests.
Ultimately, if you’re passionate and organized, it’s possible—but make sure your workload is manageable. If your goal is to integrate both fields in your career, you might not need a full double major. But I also want to mention there are paths where you can totally combine both these careers but it depends how you want to proceed in your own desires.
Soooo, These below are careers that blend both fashion and psychology, offering unique opportunities to apply psychological principles within the fashion industry.
1. Fashion Psychologist
Fashion psychologists study the impact of clothing choices on human behavior and emotions, exploring how fashion influences identity, body image, and consumer behavior. They often consult for brands to enhance customer experiences and design strategies that align with psychological insights. Dawnn Karen is a notable fashion psychologist who founded the Fashion Psychology Field and authored "Dress Your Best Life." She has collaborated with various brands and serves as a professor of psychology.
2. Consumer Behavior Analyst in Fashion
These professionals analyze psychological factors that drive purchasing decisions in the fashion industry. They assess how emotions, cultural influences, and social trends affect consumer behavior, helping brands tailor their marketing strategies effectively. Oh, like, Jennifer Heinen, a fashion psychologist, who provides insights into how fashion trends reflect personality traits, aiding brands in understanding consumer preferences. 🤔
3. Fashion Marketing Specialist with a Psychology Background
Individuals in this role apply psychological principles to develop marketing campaigns that resonate with target audiences. Understanding consumer motivations and perceptions allows them to create compelling narratives that drive brand engagement. For example, Monique Foy, formerly head of marketing for Elie Saab, transitioned to founding Cosmic Dealer, a brand focusing on wellness products. Her background in fashion marketing and understanding of consumer psychology is part to her brand's success. 💫
These careers exemplify the integration of fashion and psychology, showing how interdisciplinary approaches can lead to innovative roles within the industry, so if you are interested in any you can totally check them out and hope helps. Good luck Ava! 🫡
Dr recommends the following next steps:
Updated
Grace’s Answer
Hi Ava.
My only piece of advice is when you start applying to colleges, ask them if you would be able to do the double major you have planned. Some programs do not allow you to double major in certain subjects or may only allow you to take the other subject as a minor. These would be questions to ask maybe your school counselor or if college representatives come to your school, they may be able to point you to the correct resources.
My only piece of advice is when you start applying to colleges, ask them if you would be able to do the double major you have planned. Some programs do not allow you to double major in certain subjects or may only allow you to take the other subject as a minor. These would be questions to ask maybe your school counselor or if college representatives come to your school, they may be able to point you to the correct resources.
I appreciate this, thank you for the advice.
Ava
Updated
Juliet’s Answer
Business& tech, health and art and design and fine arts
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
Hello, Ava !
You have two very exciting career interests ! Either one will afford you a wonderfully satisfying career! But, there is a catch. You would not be able to do a double major of Fashion Design and Psychology. These two majors are very demanding with on campus and off campus work. Plus they do not connect with one another.
I would highly advise you not to double major. It's not needed, necessary and really doesn't give you an edge even if you hear other people say it does - employers never prefer one way or the other, and it may be looked at as a disadvantage because these two majors are not related and do not connect. Double Majoring sounds great as a thought, however, it will cost more money, overload you with classes and in the end be an exhausting, time consuming venture that may cause you to give up on the idea. Never rush, cut corners or speed up your education. The employers you apply for for fashion work will want you to have one degree in Fashion. When you apply for human services jobs, you will need one degree in Psychology. So, this means, at this time, you should give yourself time to decide which one you really, really want to do for your future work. The Psychology would require a Masters or Doctorate depending on what work you want to do. The Fashion field would require a Bachelors degree.
Once you've decided on A (1) Major, look no further than your own back yard - California State University, Sacramento. I got my degree from there ! I would say it's your best bet for a Psychology program. If you decide to dedicate your talents to Fashion Design, California State University, Sacramento is also for you ! They offer Bachelors Degree Programs in Fashion Design through the Family and Consumer Science Department. Go for an orientation there as s well as Sacramento City College and explore the possibilities. There is also Sacramento Academic and Vocational Academy for Fashion Design, but you would not obtain a Bachelors Degree there. The University of San Francisco has a campus in downtown Sacramento which you can look into. They offer degrees in Marriage and Family Counseling, but no programs for Psychology or Fashion Design at the Sacramento campus. Sacramento City College does offer a fashion Associates Degree in Applied Apparel Studies and you can transfer to California State University, Sacramento for your Bachelors Degree in Fashion Design. Any college usually offers Psychology programs.
So the biggest advice from me is do not double major. Give yourself space to choose one, either Psychology or Fashion Design to obtain a Bachelors Degree in. Never overload yourself as a college student - you will be very busy and double majoring is never recommended, needed or required. Focus on one career and you will ace it !
Best wishes in all you do !
You have two very exciting career interests ! Either one will afford you a wonderfully satisfying career! But, there is a catch. You would not be able to do a double major of Fashion Design and Psychology. These two majors are very demanding with on campus and off campus work. Plus they do not connect with one another.
I would highly advise you not to double major. It's not needed, necessary and really doesn't give you an edge even if you hear other people say it does - employers never prefer one way or the other, and it may be looked at as a disadvantage because these two majors are not related and do not connect. Double Majoring sounds great as a thought, however, it will cost more money, overload you with classes and in the end be an exhausting, time consuming venture that may cause you to give up on the idea. Never rush, cut corners or speed up your education. The employers you apply for for fashion work will want you to have one degree in Fashion. When you apply for human services jobs, you will need one degree in Psychology. So, this means, at this time, you should give yourself time to decide which one you really, really want to do for your future work. The Psychology would require a Masters or Doctorate depending on what work you want to do. The Fashion field would require a Bachelors degree.
Once you've decided on A (1) Major, look no further than your own back yard - California State University, Sacramento. I got my degree from there ! I would say it's your best bet for a Psychology program. If you decide to dedicate your talents to Fashion Design, California State University, Sacramento is also for you ! They offer Bachelors Degree Programs in Fashion Design through the Family and Consumer Science Department. Go for an orientation there as s well as Sacramento City College and explore the possibilities. There is also Sacramento Academic and Vocational Academy for Fashion Design, but you would not obtain a Bachelors Degree there. The University of San Francisco has a campus in downtown Sacramento which you can look into. They offer degrees in Marriage and Family Counseling, but no programs for Psychology or Fashion Design at the Sacramento campus. Sacramento City College does offer a fashion Associates Degree in Applied Apparel Studies and you can transfer to California State University, Sacramento for your Bachelors Degree in Fashion Design. Any college usually offers Psychology programs.
So the biggest advice from me is do not double major. Give yourself space to choose one, either Psychology or Fashion Design to obtain a Bachelors Degree in. Never overload yourself as a college student - you will be very busy and double majoring is never recommended, needed or required. Focus on one career and you will ace it !
Best wishes in all you do !
Updated
Gerald J’s Answer
I would do one or the other.
Do not do both at the same time.
You do not want to stress out.
You could burn out, if you're not careful.
My recommendation would be, try psychology and see how that goes.
If you do not like it, then you have fashion to fall back on.
Do not do both at the same time.
You do not want to stress out.
You could burn out, if you're not careful.
My recommendation would be, try psychology and see how that goes.
If you do not like it, then you have fashion to fall back on.