In the Jewelry Lab Instructor and Creative Director of the Jewelry Design program, John Ahr, shows a student how to center a torque on a neck mandrel.
ASSOCIATE OF ARTS
JEWELRY DESIGN
The Jewelry Design Program provides students with a broad understanding of the jewelry industry through in-depth study of the creative process, jewelry styles, and the technical properties of metals and gems.
What Our Students Learn In our program, students learn how to design, produce, and market functional and wearable jewelry by providing in-depth knowledge of both the creative and manufacturing processes involved in jewelry making.
Why FIDM FIDM's Jewelry Design program is uniquely positioned to link jewelry design to fashion and has the benefit of FIDM's incredible network of fashion industry connections. FIDM's custom-designed, state-of-the-industry Jewelry Design Studio is located in the heart of Los Angeles's Jewelry District, one of the largest in the world. The program features an in-depth study of Jewelry Design past and present, so students have an artistic and historical context for their work. Instructors are creative professionals in the industry. Consulting Jewelry Designer Kim Hurlbert, a graduate of Gemological Institute of America and Gemological Association of Great Britain, helped launch the program.
[top left] Silver cuff bracelet; Class: Creative Design for Jewelry II; Student: Danielle Samuels [top right] Silver necklace; Class: Creative Design for Jewelry II; Student: Danielle Samuels [bottom left] Silver necklace set with a star sapphire; Class: Creative Design for Jewelry III; Student: Bevelyn Esparza [bottom right] Gold & silver cuff; Class: Computer-Aided Jewelry Design II; Student: Zoe Hung
REQUIRED CLASSES FOR ASSOCIATE OF ARTS (A.A.) (for students without a prior college degree)
| GNST 1040 | English Composition | 3 |
| GNST 1200 | 20th Century Designers | 3 |
| GNST 1230 | Color & Design Theory | 3 |
| GNST 1450 | College Mathematics | 3 |
| GNST 1520 | Gemology | 3 |
| GNST 1560 | History of Jewelry | 3 |
| GNST 1600 | Effective Speaking | 3 |
| GNST 1650 | Critical Thinking | 3 |
| GNST 2020 | Survey of Western Art I | 3 |
| GNST 2960 | American Political & Economic History | 3 |
| GNST 2980 | Professional Practices | 3 |
| JDSN 1100 | Material & Methods for Jewelry Manufacturing | 3 |
| JDSN 1200 | Rendering I | 3 |
| JDSN 1400 | Rendering II | 3 |
| JDSN 1500 | Introduction to Computer-Aided Design | 3 |
| JDSN 1600 | Metalsmithing I | 3 |
| JDSN 1700 | Wax Carving & Casting | 3 |
| JDSN 1800 | Metalsmithing II | 6 |
| JDSN 1850 | Business of Jewelry Design | 3 |
| JDSN 1900 | Creative Design for Jewelry I | 3 |
| JDSN 2100 | Computer-Aided Jewelry Design I | 3 |
| JDSN 2200 | Metalsmithing III | 6 |
| JDSN 2300 | Creative Design for Jewelry II | 6 |
| JDSN 2500 | Computer-Aided Jewelry Design II | 3 |
| JDSN 2700 | Creative Design for Jewelry III | 6 |
| JDSN 2950 | Sample Case Development & Presentation | 3 |
| Total Units of Credit | 90 |
REQUIRED CLASSES FOR PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATION (A.A.) (for students with a prior college degree)
| GNST 1200 | 20th Century Designers | 3 |
| GNST 1520 | Gemology | 3 |
| GNST 1560 | History of Jewelry | 3 |
| JDSN 1100 | Material & Methods for Jewelry Manufacturing | 3 |
| JDSN 1200 | Rendering I | 3 |
| JDSN 1400 | Rendering II | 3 |
| JDSN 1500 | Introduction to Computer-Aided Design | 3 |
| JDSN 1600 | Metalsmithing I | 3 |
| JDSN 1700 | Wax Carving & Casting | 3 |
| JDSN 1800 | Metalsmithing II | 6 |
| JDSN 1850 | Business of Jewelry Design | 3 |
| JDSN 1900 | Creative Design for Jewelry I | 3 |
| JDSN 2100 | Computer-Aided Jewelry Design I | 3 |
| JDSN 2200 | Metalsmithing III | 6 |
| JDSN 2300 | Creative Design for Jewelry II | 6 |
| JDSN 2500 | Computer-Aided Jewelry Design II | 3 |
| JDSN 2700 | Creative Design for Jewelry III | 6 |
| JDSN 2950 | Sample Case Development & Presentation | 3 |
| Total Units of Credit | 66 |
This program starts in the fall on the Los Angeles campus.
For important information about the completion rate, educational debt, and earnings of students who attended this program, go to fidm.edu/go/ge/jd.