Istituto Marangoni Miami, Miami Dade College create fashion degree pathway

Istituto Marangoni Miami and Miami Dade College’s Miami Fashion Institute signed an agreement on Oct. 12 in Miami that gives fashion graduates a transfer path into bachelor’s programs and new scholarship options. The deal aims to expand access to advanced fashion education and deepen collaboration between the two schools.

Why it matters: - The agreement gives Miami fashion students a clearer route from an associate degree to a bachelor’s degree. - The partnership adds scholarship funding that can reduce the cost of continuing education. - The deal expands local talent pipelines in Miami’s fashion and creative industries.

What happened: - Istituto Marangoni Miami and Miami Dade College’s Miami Fashion Institute formalized an articulation agreement on Oct. 12, 2026. - IMM President Hakan Baykam and MDC President Madeline Pumariega signed the memorandum of understanding at MDC’s Miami Fashion Institute in downtown Miami. - The agreement creates a bachelor’s degree pathway for qualified MDC fashion graduates and adds scholarship opportunities.

The details: - MFI graduates who earn an Associate of Science in Fashion Design may transfer into IMM’s Bachelor of Fine Arts programs in Fashion Design or Fashion Styling. - Transfer is subject to IMM’s admissions, prerequisite and degree requirements. - Students who complete their associate degree at MFI will be considered to have fulfilled IMM’s general education requirements. - IMM will award one 100% talent-based scholarship and three 50% talent-based scholarships to selected students. - All MDC fashion graduates are eligible for a 25% MDC scholarship, even if they receive one of the larger talent-based awards. - The 25% scholarship can be combined with additional scholarship opportunities. - IMM and MDC will maintain transfer guides that identify applicable MFI coursework. - Transfer students will receive personalized academic advising and an individualized academic plan. - IMM will provide a specialized orientation covering campus resources, faculty and program expectations. - The schools will also pursue on-campus visits, virtual information sessions and joint educational programming.

Between the lines: - The agreement is the first step in a broader IMM strategy to build similar academic partnerships. - IMM is using local partnerships to strengthen its profile as an internationally connected institution in Miami’s fashion and design sector. - For MDC, the deal extends the Miami Fashion Institute’s role as a launch point for students seeking further study. - The Miami Fashion Institute offers associate degrees in fashion design and fashion merchandising and prepares students for careers across the fashion and creative industries.

What's next: - IMM and MDC will begin steering students through the transfer process with guides, advising and orientation. - The two schools are expected to expand joint programming and student outreach after the agreement. - IMM plans to pursue additional partnerships that follow the same model.

The bottom line: - The partnership gives MDC fashion students a more direct, less costly path to a four-year degree at IMM while deepening Miami’s fashion education ecosystem.