Program Coordinator: Holly Lentz-Schiller, Ph.D.
Description
The fashion merchandising program is designed to provide majors in the program with an understanding of merchandising as it relates to the apparel and retail industries. The focus is on the business and marketing aspects of merchandising, particularly how the production, distribution, and promotion of goods and services in fashion and retail are developed and delivered to the consumers. International emphasis on the industry is provided as there is an increased blending of apparel manufacturing, distribution, and retail from a global framework.
Graduating students can expect to find employment in such positions as fashion and retail planning, buyers, visual merchandising, fashion and retail promotion, product managers, and retail store management. The Bachelor of Science in Fashion Merchandising has received specialized accreditation through the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE).
Outcomes
Upon completion of the Bachelor of Science in Fashion Merchandising, graduates will be able to:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the functional areas of the apparel business.
- Formulate solutions to problems in apparel merchandising.
- Plan effective merchandising strategies for an apparel business.
- Communicate business information to specific audiences in varied formats.
- Demonstrate professional competencies related to contemporary fashion merchandising careers.
Policies
Students must earn a minimum GPA of 2.50 in the major. The lowest acceptable grade is a "C" in all courses listed in the catalog under "Program Requirements" for the major, including both courses in the major and SEE courses required by the major. No student, regardless of major, will be permitted to advance to the next course without earning a grade of "C" or better in the prerequisite course(s). When a grade below "C" is earned in a major course, the student must repeat that course.
A course may be repeated once without special permission. Those who do not successfully complete a major course with a grade of “C” or better after a third attempt will not be allowed to continue in the fashion merchandising program.
Requirements
The courses listed below are required for completion of the bachelor's degree in fashion merchandising. Students must also complete the requirements for the Stevenson Educational Experience (SEE). Specific pre- and co-requisites for each course are listed in the course descriptions.
Major Requirements:
| FYS 100 | First Year Seminar | 1 credit |
| ACC 215 | Survey of Accounting | 3 credits |
| EC 202 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 credits |
| FDES 200 | Textiles | 3 credits |
| FDES 274 | History of Fashion | 3 credits |
| FMER 210 | Fashion and Culture | 3 credits |
| FMER 223 | The Business of Fashion | 3 credits |
| FMER 290 | Internship Preparation | 1 credit |
| FMER 315 | Writing for Fashion | 3 credits |
| FMER 320 | Fashion Retailing | 3 credits |
| FMER 323 | Fashion Product Merchandising | 3 credits |
| FMER 340 | Merchandise Sourcing and Logistics | 3 credits |
| FMER 360 | Visual Merchandising | 3 credits |
| FMER 390 | Internship | 3-6 Credits |
| FMER 430 | Fashion Merchandising Capstone | 3 credits |
| GDES 125 | Fundamentals of Digital Media | 3 credits |
| INBUS 325/MKT 325 | International Marketing | 3 credits |
| IS 135 | Computer Applications for Business | 3 credits |
| MGT 204 | Principles of Management | 3 credits |
| MGT 210 | Business Writing | 3 credits |
| MKT 206 | Principles of Marketing | 3 credits |
| MGT 300/MKT 301 | Applied Business Analytics | 3 credits |
| MKT 311 | Consumer Behavior | 3 credits |
| MKT 336 | Integrated Marketing Communication | 3 credits |
Suggested Course Sequence
2023-24 SCS Fashion Merchandising
Minor in Fashion Merchandising
The minor in fashion merchandising is designed for students interested in the business of fashion. It prepares students to understand the role of apparel in today’s marketplace and the relationship between the fashion and production apparel industries.
The minor in fashion merchandising requires successful completion of a minimum of six courses and 18 credits with a FMER prefix, which focus on fashion and culture, fashion retailing, product merchandising, and fashion communication. General guidelines regarding minors may be found in the Minors section of the catalog.
Course Descriptions
See Fashion Merchandising Course Descriptions