Program Overview
Fashion and Retail Studies
Overview
The fashion and retail studies major prepares students to manage and merchandise fashion apparel, textiles, beauty, and accessory products manufactured and sold worldwide. The program is part of the College of Education and Human Ecology at Ohio State University.
Admission Requirements
- Complete 15 semester hours at Ohio State
- Earn at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA
- Complete economics and statistics with a grade of C- or higher
Curriculum
The curriculum combines product-focused courses with courses in retailing, marketing, management, and accounting. Required courses include:
- Fashion, the Body and Popular Culture
- Commercial and Consumer Aesthetics
- Business of Fashion
- Beginning Textile Science
- Appearance, Dress and Cultural Diversity
- Fashion Forecasting
- Ready-to-wear Analysis
- Retail Environments
- Statistics
- Third-level writing course
Students also complete an additional six courses in one of the following focus areas:
- Product development
- Merchandising
Typical courses for the product development option:
- Fashion Illustration
- Computer-Aided Product Development
- Twentieth-Century Fashion
Typical courses for the merchandising option:
- International Retailing
- Global Patterns and Issues in Textiles and Apparel Trade
- Merchandise Buying and Management
Study Abroad
The Global Option in Education and Human Ecology is available for students in good academic standing. This program develops students' ability to communicate with and work alongside individuals from other cultures through education abroad programs and globally themed coursework.
Internship
An internship or field work, generally taken as a junior or senior, is a required part of the industry-based curriculum.
Honors and Scholars
The College of Education and Human Ecology Honors Program offers rigorous coursework and opportunities to work closely with faculty to design and complete a research project. The Ohio State Scholars programs feature close-knit, residential communities for students with common interests.
Student Organizations
- The Black Retail Action Group at Ohio State
- The Fashion Student Organization
- The Fashion Production Association
Possible Careers
Graduates typically find employment in firms ranging from specialty stores to mass merchandisers to catalog distributors. Positions include wholesale/retail manager, buyer, entrepreneur, and visual merchandiser. Graduates interested in product development find opportunities as apparel product development specialists, technical designers, and positions in quality control.
Salary Estimates
Beginning salaries for graduates of the fashion and retail studies program range from $30,000 to $40,000, depending on the candidate's skills and previous work experiences.