Curriculum

The first year focuses on basic skills – jewelry design, sculpture, casting, drafting, and fashion jewelry. In your second year, you’ll choose a concentration – Design or Studio – and take more specialized classes to develop your expertise.

In the Design option, you’ll focus on the fashion and aesthetic elements of jewelry. You’ll learn to transform a 2D rendering into a 3D design. Studies include cost estimation, design analysis, manufacturing methods, and line-building, as well as fashion forecasting, market analysis, and world trends.

Semester 1
JD 113 Beginning Soldering Techniques
JD 114 Piercing and Sawing Techniques
JD 121 Wax Carving
JD 131 Mechanical Drafting for Jewelers
JD 133 Intro. to Jewelry Design
JD 172 Tools, Equipment & Processes
FA 104 Sculpture - Basic G6
FA 141 Drawing I
EN 121 English Composition
SC 111 Intro. to the Physical Sciences

Semester 2
JD 115 Metal Forming Techniques
JD 116 Costume Jewelry: White Metal
JD 122 Jewelry Casting
JD 134 Jewelry Design II
JD 171 Materials & Properties
JD 173 Materials and Findings
FA 107 Basic Design

Semester 3
JD 231 Objects Design and Rendering
JD 233 Jewelry Design III
JD 241 Intro. to Gemology
JD 262 Estimating Costs
JD 263 Costume Jewelry Prod./Mktg.
CG 111 Intro. to Computer Graphics
DE 101 Display Design: Small Scale

Semester 4
JD 235 Fine Jewelry Portfolio
JD 236 Fashion Jewelry Portfolios
JD 243 Gemology II
JD 261 Changes and Trends
CG 212 Intro. to 3D Computer Modeling
SD 141 Nature Studies


In the Studio option, you’ll learn to develop a jewelry line from start to finish, including all phases of production.

Semester 1
JD 113 Beginning Soldering Techniques
JD 114 Piercing and Sawing Techniques
JD 121 Wax Carving
JD 131 Mechanical Drafting for Jewelers
JD 133 Intro. to Jewelry Design
JD 172 Tools, Equipment & Processes
FA 104 Sculpture - Basic
FA 141 Drawing I
EN 121 English Composition
SC 111 Intro. to the Physical Sciences

Semester 2
JD 115 Metal Forming Techniques: Chasing and Repousse
JD 116 Costume Jewelry: White Metal
JD 122 Jewelry Casting
JD 134 Jewelry Design II
JD 171 Materials & Properties
JD 173 Materials and Findings
FA 107 Basic Design

Semester 3
JD 213 Non-Trad. Metal Construc. Tech.
JD 214 Diamond Jewelry Techniques
JD 215 Alt. Materials/Jewelry Fabrication
JD 216 Adv. Piercing & Metal Carving
JD 241 Intro. to Gemology
JD 251 Principles of Silversmithing
JD 262 Estimating Costs
CG 111 Intro. to Computer Graphics

Semester 4
JD 217 Handmade Platinum Jewelry
JD 218 Hollow Form Jewelry
JD 219 Clasps, Closings, and Findings
JD 243 Gemology II
JD 252 Silversmithing Project Studio
JD 261 Changes and Trends