Program Overview
Apparel, Merchandising, and Design Graduate Program
The Apparel, Merchandising, and Design (AMD) graduate program extends knowledge and research beyond the basics to take a close look at industry-wide issues. This program offers both on-campus and hybrid (distance) Master’s and Ph.D. programs.
Degrees Offered
- Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
- Master of Science (M.S.)
- Online Master of Science (M.S.)
- Online Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Area(s) of Specialization
- Consumer behavior
- Creative, technical, and functional design
- Merchandising, management, and entrepreneurship
- History, social psychology, and cultural studies
Program Duration
- Median time to earn the doctorate: 5.0 years
- Median time to earn the master’s: 1.8 years
Learning Goals
Faculty members in the program expect all students to demonstrate mastery of required coursework by maintaining a grade point average of 3.0 or better. All students will demonstrate the ability to work in teams, design a research or creative project, and communicate in writing and orally. In addition, all students are expected to be aware of societal, professional, and ethical issues related to the discipline.
Upon successful completion of the graduate program, AESHM graduates will be competent in the following four areas:
- Critical Thinking:
- Assimilate, integrate, and evaluate research/creative activity in the discipline of interest and related disciplines.
- Implement appropriate methods for research/creative activity.
- Apply relevant theory in scholarship.
- Demonstrate a multi-disciplinary perspective appropriate to the field.
- Develop a program of research/creative activity that contributes uniquely to the field of study (Ph.D.).
- Self-Reflection/Self-Assessment:
- Develop a program of scholarship, industry experience, and teaching as appropriate to the requirements of the individual’s professional situation.
- Formulate a professional philosophy in teaching, scholarship, and/or service (Ph.D.).
- Social Responsibility/Ethics:
- Explain, analyze, and/or describe how moral and ethical issues apply to individual situations in the relevant field of study.
- Demonstrate an understanding of ethical scholarship and professional practices.
- Communication:
- Interpret and communicate scholarship to diverse audiences (e.g., scholarly, families, consumers, agencies, businesses, nonprofit organizations) in written, oral, visual, and electronic (WOVE) formats.
Admission Requirements
Graduate College Requirements
- 4-year Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent)
- Academic Records/Transcripts
- Minimum 3.0 GPA (Program may alter requirement)
- Proof of English Proficiency
Program Specific Requirements
- Statement of purpose
- Three letters of recommendation
- Copy of transcripts
- Proof of English proficiency (if applicable)
- Electronic link to portfolio (design and product development-focused applicants)
- 16 in section 1 of TOEFL Internet (iBT)
- Program Requires GRE: No
- Program Requires GMAT: No
- Program Will Review Without TOEFL or IELTS: No
International Requirements
- Financial Statement
- English Proficiency Minimum:
- TOEFL Paper (PBT) | 550
- TOEFL Internet (iBT) | 79
- IELTS | 6.5
- PTE | 53
- Duolingo | 115
Application Requirements
Application Deadlines
- On-campus student applications for fall semester admission are due March 1 but by February 1 for the best chance at scholarships and assistantships
- Hybrid student applications for summer cohort admission are due March 15
- On-campus and hybrid student applications for spring semester admission are due October 15
Application Details
This program is open to domestic and international students. Apparel, Merchandising and Design does not pay for application fees for Master of Science students because they are seldom awarded assistantship or scholarship funding.