Program Overview

Major in Apparel and Merchandising, Product Development Concentration

The Product Development concentration offers unique learning opportunities in developing and innovating consumer products. This concentration teaches students necessary skills and knowledge for product development, including market potential analysis, trend forecasting, technology and material research, concept development, product line development, computer-aided design, technical package, packaging/branding strategies, pricing and costing, product line management, quality assurance, sourcing, supply chain management, and new venture start-ups.

Program Requirements

• Freshman:
  • AM 101: Fashion Industries (3 credits)
  • AM 110: Apparel and Merchandising Digital Technology (3 credits)
  • AM 130: Awareness and Appreciation of Design (3 credits, AUCC 3B)
  • AM 143: Introduction to Apparel Design (4 credits)
  • CHEM 103: Chemistry in Context (3 credits, GT-SC2)
  • CHEM 104: Chemistry in Context Laboratory (1 credit, GT-SC1)
  • CO 150: College Composition (3 credits, GT-CO2)
  • DM 192A: First Year Seminar: Apparel and Merchandising (1 credit)
  • MATH 117: College Algebra in Context I (1 credit, GT-MA1)
  • MATH 118: College Algebra in Context II (1 credit, GT-MA1)
  • MATH 124: Logarithmic and Exponential Functions (1 credit, GT-MA1)
  • Select one course from the following: PSY 100: General Psychology (3 credits, GT-SS3) or SOC 100: Introduction to Sociology (3 credits, GT-SS3)
  • Total Credits: 30
• Sophomore:
  • AM 220: Textiles (3 credits)
  • AM 241: Patternmaking I - Flat Pattern (3 credits)
  • AM 250: Dress and Human Behavior (3 credits, GT-SS3)
  • AM 270: Merchandising Processes (3 credits)
  • AM 275: Product Development I (3 credits)
  • DM 272: Consumers in the Marketplace (3 credits)
  • ECON 202: Principles of Microeconomics (3 credits, GT-SS1)
  • Select one course from the following: ACT 205: Fundamentals of Accounting or STAT 201: General Statistics (3 credits, GT-MA1) or STAT 204: Statistics With Business Applications (3 credits, GT-MA1)
  • Biological and Physical Sciences (3 credits, 3A)
  • Historical Perspectives (3 credits, 3D)
  • Total Credits: 30
• Junior:
  • AM 321: Advanced Textiles (3 credits)
  • AM 330: Global Sourcing of Textiles and Apparel (3 credits)
  • AM 335: Textiles and Apparel Supply Chains (3 credits)
  • AM 342: Computer-Aided Textile Design (3 credits)
  • AM 375: Product Development II (3 credits, 4B)
  • AM 376: Prototyping Testing for Product Development (3 credits)
  • AM 421: Textiles Product Quality Assessment (3 credits)
  • DM 492: Professional Practice (2 credits)
  • Select one course from the following: AM 363: Global Fashion History Perspectives (3 credits, 4A) or AM 460: Historic Textiles (3 credits)
  • Advanced Writing (3 credits, 2)
  • Arts and Humanities (3 credits, 3B)
  • Total Credits: 32
• Senior:
  • AM 475: Product Development III (3 credits, 4A,4C)
  • DM 477: Apparel Industry Applications (3 credits)
  • DM 487C: Internship: Product Development (9 credits)
  • Upper-Division AM or DM Electives (9 credits)
  • Elective (4 credits)
  • Total Credits: 28
  • Program Total Credits: 120

Internship Alternative Courses

The following courses can be taken as alternatives to the internship:

• AM 342: Computer-Aided Textile Design (3 credits)
• AM 364: History of Fashion Designers/Manufacturers (3 credits)
• AM 366: Merchandising Promotion (3 credits)
• AM 371: Merchandise Planning and Control (4 credits)
• AM 430: International Retailing (3 credits)
• AM 450: Social-Psychological Aspects of Clothing (3 credits)
• AM 466: Retail Environment Design and Planning (3 credits)
• AM 476: Footwear Design (3 credits)
• ART 350: Fibers II (4 credits)
• ART 351: Fibers III (4 credits)
• ART 450: Fibers IV (4 credits)
• ART 451: Fibers V (4 credits)
• DM 360/MKT 360: Retailing (3 credits)
• DM 400: U.S. Travel-New York City (3 credits)
• DM 470A: International Design and Merchandising: Apparel (2 credits)
• DM 470B: International Design and Merchandising: Interior Design (2 credits)
• DM 474: Fashion Show Production and Event Planning (3 credits)
• DM 482: Travel Abroad (1 credit)
• JTC 301: Corporate and Professional Communication (3 credits, GT-CO3)
• JTC 310: Copy Editing (3 credits)
• JTC 311: History of Media (3 credits)
• JTC 316: Multiculturalism and the Media (3 credits)
• JTC 320A: Reporting: General News (3 credits)
• JTC 320B: Reporting: Sports (3 credits)
• JTC 320C: Reporting: Business (3 credits)
• JTC 320D: Reporting: Government and Political (3 credits)
• JTC 320H: Reporting: Special Topics (3 credits)
• JTC 326: Online Storytelling and Audience Engagement (3 credits)
• JTC 340: Video Editing (3 credits)
• JTC 342: Writing for Visual Media (3 credits)
• JTC 350: Public Relations and Advertising (3 credits)
• JTC 361: Writing for Specialized Magazines (3 credits)
• JTC 372: Web Design and Development (3 credits)
• JTC 411: Media Ethics and Issues (3 credits)
• JTC 412: International Mass Communication (3 credits)
• JTC 413: New Media Trends and Society (3 credits)
• JTC 414: Media Effects (3 credits)
• JTC 415: Communications Law (3 credits)
• JTC 471: Research for Public Communicators (3 credits)
• MGT 320: Contemporary Management Principles/Practices (3 credits)
• MGT 330: Creativity, Innovation, and Value Creation (3 credits)
• MGT 340: Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship (3 credits)
• MGT 410: Leadership and Organizational Behavior (3 credits)
• MGT 420: New Venture Creation (3 credits)
• MGT 440: New Venture Management (3 credits)
• MGT 470: Managerial Decisions-Issues and Analysis (3 credits)
• MGT 475: International Business Management (3 credits)
• MKT 366: Services Marketing (3 credits)
• SOC 301: Development of Sociological Thought (3 credits)
• SOC 302: Contemporary Sociological Theory (3 credits)
• SOC 330: Social Inequality (3 credits)
• SOC 342: Work and Leisure in Society (3 credits)
• SOC 362: Social Change (3 credits)
• SOC 460: Environmental and Natural Resource Sociology (3 credits)
• TH 363: Costume Design II (3 credits)

Distinctive Requirements for Degree Program

Minimum grade requirements for Apparel and Merchandising - Product Development concentration are as follows:

• AM 101: Fashion Industries with a grade of C (2.000) or better
• AM 130: Awareness and Appreciation of Design with a grade of C (2.000) or better
• DM 272: Consumers in the Marketplace with a grade of C (2.000) or better
• MATH 117: College Algebra in Context I with a grade of C (2.000) or better
• MATH 118: College Algebra in Context II with a grade of C (2.000) or better
• MATH 124: Logarithmic and Exponential Functions with a grade of C (2.000) or better

Major Completion Map

The major completion map outlines the required courses for each semester:

• Semester 1:
  • AM 101: Fashion Industries (3 credits)
  • AM 130: Awareness and Appreciation of Design (3 credits, AUCC 3B)
  • CO 150: College Composition (3 credits, GT-CO2)
  • DM 192A: First Year Seminar: Apparel and Merchandising (1 credit)
  • MATH 117: College Algebra in Context I (1 credit, GT-MA1)
  • MATH 118: College Algebra in Context II (1 credit, GT-MA1)
  • Select one course from the following: PSY 100: General Psychology (3 credits, GT-SS3) or SOC 100: Introduction to Sociology (3 credits, GT-SS3)
  • Total Credits: 15
• Semester 2:
  • AM 110: Apparel and Merchandising Digital Technology (3 credits)
  • AM 143: Introduction to Apparel Design (4 credits)
  • CHEM 103: Chemistry in Context (3 credits, GT-SC2)
  • CHEM 104: Chemistry in Context Laboratory (1 credit, GT-SC1)
  • MATH 124: Logarithmic and Exponential Functions (1 credit, GT-MA1)
  • 1C (3 credits)
  • Total Credits: 15
• Semester 3:
  • AM 220: Textiles (3 credits)
  • AM 250: Dress and Human Behavior (3 credits, GT-SS3)
  • AM 275: Product Development I (3 credits)
  • DM 272: Consumers in the Marketplace (3 credits)
  • Biological and Physical Sciences (3 credits, 3A)
  • Total Credits: 15
• Semester 4:
  • AM 241: Patternmaking I - Flat Pattern (3 credits)
  • AM 270: Merchandising Processes (3 credits)
  • ECON 202: Principles of Microeconomics (3 credits, GT-SS1)
  • Select one course from the following: ACT 205: Fundamentals of Accounting or STAT 201: General Statistics (3 credits, GT-MA1) or STAT 204: Statistics With Business Applications (3 credits, GT-MA1)
  • Historical Perspectives (3 credits, 3D)
  • Total Credits: 15
• Semester 5:
  • AM 330: Global Sourcing of Textiles and Apparel (3 credits)
  • AM 342: Computer-Aided Textile Design (3 credits)
  • AM 375: Product Development II (3 credits, 4B)
  • AM 421: Textiles Product Quality Assessment (3 credits)
  • DM 492: Professional Practice (2 credits)
  • Advanced Writing (3 credits, 2)
  • Total Credits: 17
• Semester 6:
  • AM 321: Advanced Textiles (3 credits)
  • AM 335: Textiles and Apparel Supply Chains (3 credits)
  • AM 376: Prototyping Testing for Product Development (3 credits)
  • Select one course from the following: AM 363: Global Fashion History Perspectives (3 credits, 4A) or AM 460: Historic Textiles (3 credits)
  • Arts and Humanities (3 credits, 3B)
  • Total Credits: 15
• Semester 7:
  • AM 475: Product Development III (3 credits, 4A,4C)
  • Upper-Division AM/DM Electives (9 credits)
  • Elective (4 credits)
  • Total Credits: 16
• Semester 8:
  • DM 477: Apparel Industry Applications (3 credits)
  • DM 487C: Internship: Product Development (9 credits)
  • The benchmark courses for the 8th semester are the remaining courses in the entire program of study.
  • Total Credits: 12
  • Program Total Credits: 120

Program Overview

The Apparel and Merchandising - Product Development concentration is designed to provide students with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in the product development field. The program focuses on market-driven, industry-sponsored projects, allowing students to develop networks with the real world and gain competence to be successful industry professionals or entrepreneurs. Students graduating with this concentration often pursue careers in highly technical product development fields such as outdoor products or sportswear industries.