Fashion Merchandising & Retailing - B.S.
The Fashion Merchandising & Retailing bachelor’s degree program prepares students for fashion and retail careers in areas such as retail sales management, fashion showroom management, executive store management, merchandise buying, visual merchandising, fashion marketing, fashion forecasting, fashion blogging, fashion promotion, and textile development.
Upon completion of the program, graduates are expected to:
- Apply the major concepts, skills and values related to global fashion markets and designer contributions.
- Communicate effectively to diverse audiences, purposes and situations through a variety of professional methods as required in fashion merchandising and retailing.
- Use decision-support tools to resolve contemporary business issues using ethical business practices.
- Apply creative and advanced analytical competencies necessary for careers in fashion merchandising and retail marketing.
- Identify, analyze and forecast future industry trends in the acquisition of products and manufacturing of consumer goods.
Students may increase their skills learned in this degree program by utilizing such opportunities as directed experiential education, internships, or study abroad programs. These programs are tailored based on the student’s learning, interests and professional goals. Students are encouraged to network with industry professionals and explore career opportunities during industry site visits.
The Fashion Merchandising & Retailing degree program at the Providence, Charlotte and North Miami campuses offers two specializations: Merchandise Buying and Fashion Marketing & Visual Merchandising.
The Merchandise Buying specialization (15 credits) is geared towards students interested in the strategic analytical side of the fashion business. It is designed to align with industry standards and complements the student's degree by developing expertise in the areas of merchandise allocation, buying, analysis and/or product development.
Upon completion of the Merchandise Buying specialization, students are expected to:
- Apply merchandising competencies necessary for careers in product allocation and retail buying.
The Fashion Marketing & Visual Merchandising specialization (15 Credits) is designed for students considering a career in the creative side of merchandising. The specialization complements the student’s degree by developing expertise in the areas of public relations, visual merchandising, fashion promotion, social media marketing, and brand communications.
Upon completion of the Fashion Marketing & Visual Merchandising specialization, students are expected to:
- Apply visual design competencies required for creative careers in visual merchandising and fashion marketing.
Fashion Merchandising & Retailing
A four-year program leading to the bachelor of science degree
Credits Business Foundations | ||
| ACCT1210 | Financial Accounting | 3 |
| ACCT1220 | Managerial Accounting | 3 |
| BUS1001 | Introduction to Business and Management | 3 |
| BUS3010 | Business Analytics | 3 |
| BUS4030 | Global Strategy Capstone | 3 |
| CAR0010 | Career Management | 1 |
| FISV2000 | Finance | 3 |
| FIT1040 | Spreadsheet Design for Business Solutions | 3 |
| LAW2001 | The Legal Environment of Business I | 3 |
| MGMT2001 | Human Resource Management | 3 |
| MGMT2020 | Organizational Dynamics | 3 |
| MGMT2030 | Operations and Supply Chain Management I | 3 |
| MRKT1001 | Brand Marketing & Consumer Value | 3 |
| Major Courses | ||
| RTL1015 | Introduction to Retail and Fashion | 3 |
| RTL2008 | The Textiles Industry | 3 |
| RTL2122 | Retail and Fashion Lab | 4 |
| RTL3240 | Retail Math | 3 |
| RTL3065 | Forecasting | 3 |
| RTL4050 | Strategic Planning in the Fashion Industry | 3 |
| Applied/Experiential Learning | ||
| Choose 9 credits from the following: G | 9 | |
| College of Business Internship Ic | ||
| Directed Experiential Education D | ||
Study Abroad | ||
| A&S Core Experience | ||
| Communications Foundation Courses | 9 | |
| English Composition | ||
| Advanced Composition and Communication | ||
| Communication Skills | ||
| Integrative Learning | 6 | |
Two ILS courses, one at the 2000 level, and one at the 4000 level | ||
| Arts and Humanities | 6 | |
| Ethics: A Global Perspective | ||
One course from ART, HIST, HUM‡, LIT, or REL | ||
| Mathematics | 6 | |
| A Survey of College Mathematics (or higher, based on student's placement) | ||
| Statistics I | ||
| Science | 3 | |
One course from BIO^, CHM±, PHY° or SCI | ||
| Social Sciences | 6 | |
| Microeconomics | ||
One course from ANTH°°, LEAD, PSCI, PSYC or SOC | ||
| A&S Electives | 6 | |
| Macroeconomics | ||
| Introduction to Fashion Writing | ||
| Free Electives # | ||
| 15 credits selected from 1000-4999 numbered offerings within the university | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 122.0 | |
Credits Specialization in Merchandise Buying | 15 | |
| Consumer Behavior | ||
| Apparel Quality Analysis | ||
| Merchandise Buying | ||
| Choose two of the following: | ||
| Product Development | ||
| Global Sourcing | ||
| Sustainability in the Fashion Industry | ||
Credits Specialization in Fashion Marketing & Visual Merchandising | 15 | |
| Marketing Communications | ||
| Social Media Marketing | ||
| Visual Merchandising | ||
| Choose two of the following: | ||
| Product Development | ||
| History of Fashion | ||
| Textile Design for Apparel and Home Furnishings | ||
G Students not meeting the requirements for experiential learning opportunities may take other course options with department or college chair and dean approval. Additional experiential opportunities may be available within your department. For more information, contact your faculty adviser.
IcTypically, internships require a minimum of six credits. Students interested in a 9 or 12-credit internship can apply additional experiential learning and free elective credits, if available. Students are strongly encouraged to contact a faculty adviser before scheduling internship and free elective credits.
D Directed Experiential Education (DEE) opportunities are based on project availability with community partners and student eligibility. For more information, visit Experiential Education & Career Services (EE&CS).
# In addition to classes, free elective credits may be applied to a number of options such as internship, study abroad, Directed Experiential Education courses and courses in a specialization or minor as relevant. For Accelerated Master's program students, up to three graduate-level courses may apply. Students are strongly encouraged to contact a faculty adviser before scheduling free elective credits.
Visit Courses by Subject Code for a listing of all campus courses.
‡HUM courses are not offered in North Miami or Online.
^BIO courses are not offered in North Miami.
¶CAD courses are only offered in Providence.
±CHM courses are not offered in North Miami or Online.
°PHY courses are not offered in Charlotte.
°°ANTH courses are not offered in North Miami or Charlotte.
NOTE: Students must pass MATH0010 Basic Mathematics or have equivalent placement scores to enroll in required math course(s).
Students who graduate with a bachelor's degree must leave Johnson & Wales University with effective writing skills to fulfill the graduation writing requirement. These writing skills are assessed in ENG1021 Advanced Composition and Communication. Students who have met the requirement of ENG1021 Advanced Composition and Communication or ENG1027 Honors Advanced Composition and Communications: Civic Discourse outside of Johnson & Wales University must fulfill the graduation writing requirement through successful completion of ENG0001 Writing Workshop.
In collaboration with academic colleges across all four JWU campuses, JWU Global — Study Abroad programs offer a variety of international options for major, minor, arts and sciences, and elective credit at many affordable price points for students during the academic year, break periods, and summer. Faculty-led, exchange, affiliate, and direct-enroll programs range in duration from one week to a full semester. Financial aid is applicable and scholarships are available. Visit the study abroad website for information, program descriptions and online applications. Where will you go?