Program Overview

Oregon State University

Academic Catalog

The Merchandising Management program at Oregon State University prepares students for a variety of positions centered on researching, planning, and executing customer-right assortments of products and services. Graduates from this program can be found working for apparel, footwear, and hardline manufacturers as merchants who assist retailers in building product assortments, as product development coordinators who work with merchants and designers, as demand planners who predict what and how much needs to be produced for a given season, and as product creation support. They can also be found working for retailers as buyers and planners who work together to identify the right quantities and the right products to include in assortments, as merchants who work with buyers and design teams, as in-store merchandisers, and as store managers.

Merchandising Management Major

The Merchandising Management major requirements are divided into two partslower-division and upper-division. The lower-division design core program involves completion of courses within the first and second year that build a solid foundation for the upper-division merchandising curricula. The lower-division design core course work may be completed at OSU or any accredited college or university that offers equivalent courses transferable to OSU.

Course List

• Lower Division: 59-62
  • Design Core Courses (31-34)
  • Merchandising Management Course (4)
  • Art, Communications, Economics, Math, Statistics, and Writing (24)
• Upper Division: 66
  • Design Core Courses (39)
  • Merchandising Management Courses (27)
• University General Education Requirements: 24
• Unrestricted Electives: 28-31
• Total credits required for graduation: 180

Merchandising Management Program Requirements (180)

The Merchandising Management core curriculum provides students with a broad overview of design thinking and processes.

Course List

• Mathematics and Statistics
  • MTH 111: College Algebra (4)
  • ST 201: Principles of Statistics (4)
• Economics
  • ECON 201: Introduction to Microeconomics (4)
• Art
  • ART 101: Introduction to the Visual Arts (3)
  • ART 206: Introduction to Western Art: Neoclassicism to Contemporary (3)
  • or ART 204: Introduction to Western Art: Prehistory to the High Middle Ages
  • or ART 205: Introduction to Western Art: Gothic to Baroque
  • ART 367: History of Design (3)
• Written and Oral Communication
  • COMM 111: Public Speaking (3)
  • or COMM 114: Argument and Critical Discourse
  • or COMM 218: Interpersonal Communication
  • WR 222: English Composition (3)
  • or WR 323: English Composition
  • or WR 327: Technical Writing
• University General Requirements: 24
• Unrestricted Electives: 25-28

Plan of Study Grid

First Year

• Fall
  • BA 160: B-Engaged (3)
  • MTH 111: College Algebra (4)
  • WR 121: English Composition (3)
  • or COMM 111: Public Speaking
  • or COMM 114: Argument and Critical Discourse
  • or COMM 218: Interpersonal Communication
  • Bacc Core Science (4)
• Winter
  • ART 101: Introduction to the Visual Arts (3)
  • BA 161: Innovation Nation--Awareness to Action (3)
  • WR 121: English Composition (3)
  • or COMM 111: Public Speaking
  • or COMM 114: Argument and Critical Discourse
  • or COMM 218: Interpersonal Communication
  • Bacc Core: Fitness, CD, DPD (3)
  • Bacc Core Science (4)
• Spring
  • BA 162: Innovation Nation--Ideas to Reality (3)
  • DSGN 121: Computer Aided Design (3)
  • WR 121: English Composition (3)
  • or Bacc Core: Fitness, CD, DPD (3)
  • Bacc Core: Fitness, CD, DPD (3)
  • Bacc Core Science (4)

Second Year

• Fall
  • ART 204: Introduction to Western Art: Prehistory to the High Middle Ages (3)
  • BA 260: Introduction to Entrepreneurship (4)
  • DSGN 255: Textiles (4)
  • DSGN 276: Introduction to Merchandising Management (4)
  • DSGN 282: Personal, Professional, and Leadership Development I (1)
• Winter
  • BA 281: Professional Development (3)
  • DSGN 281: Drawing and Sketching (4)
  • DSGN 283: Personal, Professional, and Leadership Development II (1)
  • ST 201: Principles of Statistics (4)
  • WR 222: English Composition (3)
  • or WR 323: English Composition
  • or WR 327: Technical Writing
• Spring
  • DSGN 244: Color Innovation (4)
  • DSGN 284: Personal, Professional, and Leadership Development III (1)
  • ECON 201: Introduction to Microeconomics (4)
  • Bacc Core/Electives (5)

Third Year

• Fall
  • BA 315: Accounting for Decision Making (4)
  • BA 352: Managing Individual and Team Performance (4)
  • DSGN 330: Fashion Forecasting and Market Analysis (4)
  • DSGN 341: Design Thinking and Process Innovation (4)
• Winter
  • BA 390: Marketing (4)
  • or BA 223: Principles of Marketing
  • DSGN 333: History of Contemporary Fashion (4)
  • DSGN 377: Retail and Merchandising (4)
  • DSGN 475: Global Sourcing of Textiles, Apparel, and Footwear (4)
• Spring
  • ART 367: History of Design (3)
  • BA 354: Managing Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility (4)
  • DSGN 356: Specification and Evaluation of Performance Materials (3)
  • MGMT 364: Project Management (4)

Fourth Year

• Fall
  • DSGN 471: Retail Presentation Strategies (4)
  • DSGN 472: Merchandise Planning and Control (4)
  • Electives (7)
• Winter
  • MRKT 492: Consumer Behavior (4)
  • MRKT 495: Retail Management (4)
  • Electives (6)
• Spring
  • DSGN 473: Retail Strategies Practicum (4)
  • Electives (10)

Total Hours

Total Hours: 180