Program Overview

Product & Merchandising Management Program

The Product & Merchandising Management program prepares students for careers related to the development and presentation of customer-right merchandise. Students develop skills in fashion forecasting, market analysis, design thinking, retail and merchandising analytics, and visual merchandising through coursework and hands-on projects.

Overview

Merchandisers play an instrumental role in ensuring that brands and retailers offer consumers what they want, whether it is in fashion goods such as clothing and footwear or consumer products and packaged goods like food and beverage, cosmetics, and cleaning products. The program is ranked as one of the top-five fashion merchandising programs on the west coast.

Program Details

• Program Type: Major, Minor
• Ways to Attend: In-Person (Corvallis)
• Degree Types: Bachelor of Science
• Credits: Major (32), Minor (28)

Skills Highlights

Students learn to:

• Explain how social, environmental, political, cultural, and economic systems and geography relate to the planning, creation, production, merchandising, distribution, consumption, and resulting company performance of textile, apparel, and footwear products.
• Apply market research skills throughout the line planning and development process.
• Develop assortment plans that are in line with specific target markets, company location, and/or selling format, marketplace trends, and performance goals.
• Develop merchandise budgets and analyze and update budgets to meet company performance goals.
• Use industry-relevant technology to formulate and communicate merchandising decisions.
• Apply visual and promotional strategies across different selling formats.

Options

Once enrolled in the Product & Merchandising Management degree, students can select from the following options:

• Dean's Academy: An academic forum for high-achieving first-year students, transfer students, and current undergraduate students.
• Sports Business: Designed to support students with an understanding of the fundamentals of the business of sport, including sports finance, marketing, analytics, and sponsorship.

Product & Merchandising Management Opportunities

• Study Abroad: Opportunities in Sydney, Australia; Vienna, Austria; and Santiago, Chile.
• Associated Clubs: American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists, National Retail Federation.
• Scholarships: Cecelia T. Shuttleworth, Merchandising Management Scholarship, N. Marie Ledbetter Memorial Scholarship.

Merchandising Management & Business

The merchandising management minor pairs well with business specialty degrees, providing specialization that positions business students for careers in the retail industry.