Fashion Merchandising & Retail Marketing
Charlotte Campus
(College of Business)
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Degree
The Fashion Merchandising & Retail Marketing degree prepares students for middle-management or executive trainee opportunities within the retail or retail support industries.
Upon completion of the program, graduates are expected to demonstrate:
- the ability to perform the necessary procedures required for retail operations
- knowledge of global fashion markets, designer contributions to the industry and manufacturing categories of fashion goods
- knowledge of marketing principles as applied to fashion goods
- the ability to identify, analyze and forecast future retail trends
Specific skills developed include retail merchandising, management, buying, promotion, advertising and stock control. Students have the opportunity to master these skills while participating in a term-long internship, held at a wide variety of host sites. During this internship, students have the opportunity to apply their learning in multiple phases of retail store operations firsthand, such as sales, merchandise presentation, catalog operations, inventory control, receiving and marking, and buyer’s clerical duties.
Upon graduation, students may be employed by retail organizations in positions that utilize these skills. Students possess the combination of academic theory and practical experience necessary for entry-level positions in retail management, merchandise buying, visual merchandising, distribution, product development and sales.
Students should use their electives to create a meaningful, customized career concentration. The university’s faculty advising system will facilitate these selections.
An important component of the program’s educational experience is the general studies courses taught by the School of Arts & Sciences. Graduates are expected to show competencies in higher order thinking, communications, ethics, global diversity, responsible citizenship, leadership and artistic responsibility. The following literacies should also be demonstrated: sociocultural, quantitative, scientific and informational.
Fashion Merchandising & Retail Marketing
A four-year program leading to the bachelor of science degree
Credits Major Courses | ||
| MGMT1001 | Principles of Management | 4.5 |
| MRKT1001 | Principles of Marketing | 4.5 |
| MRKT1002 | Consumer Behavior | 4.5 |
| RTL1005 | Retailing | 4.5 |
| RTL1010 | Textiles | 4.5 |
| RTL1020 | The Business of Fashion | 4.5 |
| RTL1050 | Visual Merchandising | 4.5 |
| RTL2010 | Apparel Quality Analysis | 4.5 |
| RTL2063 | Retail Industry Seminar | 4.5 |
| RTL2095 | Retail Lab | 4.5 |
| RTL3010 | Merchandise Buying | 4.5 |
| RTL3020 | Merchandise Mathematics | 4.5 |
| RTL3030 | Comparative Retail Strategies | 4.5 |
| RTL3055 | Global Influences on Fashion History | 4.5 |
| RTL3060 | Fashion Forecasting | 4.5 |
| RTL4010 | Retail Executive Decision Making | 4.5 |
| RTL4099 | Retail Internship * | 9 |
| Related Professional Studies | ||
| ACCT2001 | Business Accounting I | 4.5 |
| ACCT2002 | Business Accounting II | 4.5 |
| CAR0010 | Career Capstone | 1 |
| FIT1000 | Information Technology for Business Professionals | 4.5 |
| FIT1040 | Spreadsheet Design for Business Solutions | 4.5 |
| LAW2001 | The Legal Environment of Business I | 4.5 |
| LAW3002 | The Legal Environment of Business II | 4.5 |
| Choose one of the following options: | 13.5 | |
| International Business Experience | ||
| Fashion Merchandising and Retail Management in an International Context - Milan, Italy | ||
| SWAP International Seminar and SWAP Operations Management and Process Improvement | ||
| SWAP International Seminar and SWAP Process Mapping | ||
| Retail Internship | ||
Concentration | Three courses selected from declared College of Business or School of Arts & Sciences concentration offerings | |
| General Studies (from College/Campus Requirements) | ||
| ECON1001 | Macroeconomics | 4.5 |
| ECON2002 | Microeconomics | 4.5 |
| ENG1020 | English Composition | 4.5 |
| ENG1021 | Advanced Composition and Communication | 4.5 |
| ENG1030 | Communication Skills | 4.5 |
| LEAD2001 | Foundations of Leadership Studies | 4.5 |
| MATH2001 | Statistics | 4.5 |
| Math | One math course 1000 level or higher based on student's placement assessment | 4.5 |
| PHIL3040 | Ethics of Business Leadership | 4.5 |
| Science | One SCI-designated course | 4.5 |
| Electives | Two courses with an EASC attribute selected from offerings within the School of Arts & Sciences which may be used to form an arts & sciences concentration | 9.0 |
| Choose one of the following: | 4.5 | |
History | One HIST-designated course (except HIST4030) | |
Literature | ENG1001 or one LIT-designated course | |
| Choose one of the following: | 4.5 | |
| Introductory Psychology | ||
| Sociology I | ||
| Total Credits | 185.5 | |
| * | Students may take career electives or directed work experience to fulfill this requirement. |
NOTES: Students must have MATH0010 Basic Mathematics or equivalent placement scores to enroll in the math requirement.
Students who graduate with a bachelor of science degree must leave Johnson & Wales University with effective writing skills. These writing skills will be assessed at the completion of ENG1021 Advanced Composition and Communication.
Study Abroad programs may satisfy a variety of History, Sociology, English and other elective requirements. Visit Study Abroad for details.
