The Fashion Merchandising major provides students with a specialized core of fashion courses supported by business and liberal arts classes giving students the opportunity to choose from a variety of career options upon graduation. The fashion courses provide students with a thorough understanding of textile and apparel industries, including apparel and textile production and evaluation methods, apparel product development, buying, management skills, marketing processes, branding concepts and strategies, forecasting, promotion methods, and business skills relevant to merchandising. Special program opportunities and features include local, domestic, and global industry study tours and a required internship. Specific employment opportunities include wholesale and retail buying, retail management, visual merchandising, fashion marketing, and product development.
The International Textile and Apparel Association, Inc. (ITAA), a professional organization of textile, apparel, and retail scholars in education, business, government, and industry has developed goals for students graduating from textile, apparel, merchandising, and design institutions. The fashion merchandising curriculum integrates these voluntary goals throughout the curriculum.
Baccalaureate Degree and Residency Requirements
All requirements for an undergraduate degree are listed under Academic Policies and Regulations in the undergraduate introductory section in this catalog. These requirements include a graduation requirement of at least one course in religion or theology. All courses required for the minor must be completed with a grade of C- or better.
