Program Overview

Introduction to the BS in Fashion Design and Merchandising Program

The BS in Fashion Design and Merchandising (FDM) program is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the fashion and textile industries, including consumer behavior, product development, business principles, and technology applications. Students in this program have the opportunity to select a concentration in one of two areas: Design and Product Development or Merchandising.

Program Overview

The FDM program emphasizes the total design and production process, from inception to finished product and its ultimate sale to the consumer. The program combines an overview of the fashion industry, consumer behavior, product development, planning, buying, business operations, and entrepreneurship. Specialized labs and industry software provide students with extensive hands-on experience in the latest design, product development, and fashion retailing technology applications.

General Education Requirements

• English: EN 1103 English Composition I or EN 1104 Expanded English Composition I, and EN 1113 English Composition II or EN 1173 Accelerated Composition II
• Creative Discovery: Select from General Education courses
• Humanities: 3 hours
• Foreign Language: 3 hours
• General Education course: 3 hours
• Social/Behavioral Sciences: PSY 1013 General Psychology or SO 1003 Introduction to Sociology, and EC 2113 Principles of Macroeconomics
• Quantitative Reasoning: BQA 2113 Business Statistical Methods I or ST 2113 Elementary Statistics
• Natural Sciences: 6 hours, select 2 lab sciences from Gen Ed Science courses
• Extra Science: 3 hours, select from General Education Courses

Degree Requirements

Major Core

• FDM 1523 Visual Design in Dress
• FDM 2524 Textiles for Apparel
• FDM 2553 Introduction to Merchandising
• FDM 2593 Product Development
• FDM 3221 Internship Preparation
• FDM 3553 Merchandise Retail Pricing and Inventory Management
• FDM 3563 Visual Merchandising
• FDM 3573 Historic Costume
• HS 1701 Survey of Human Sciences
• HS 4702 Research and Application in Human Sciences
• FDM 4763 FDM Internship

Oral Communication Requirement

• FDM 4424 Teaching Methods in Agricultural and Human Sciences

Writing Requirement

• FDM 4513 Fashion Consumer Behavior

Computer Literacy

• FDM 2123 Introduction to Computer Applications in Fashion

Free Elective

• 3 hours

Concentrations

Merchandising Concentration

The merchandising concentration explores the business and product development aspects of the apparel industry, from finalized design to the end-use by consumers and beyond. This coursework prepares students to become competent in pursuing careers in merchandising, buying, fashion forecasting, fashion communications, fashion business, and retail operations. Students must complete two internships in a related position.

• FDM 2153 Fashion Apparel Analysis
• FDM 2333 Intro to Buying and Management
• FDM 4533 Merchandise Planning and Buying
• FDM 4583 Fashion Entrepreneurship
• FDM 4603 Global Sourcing in the Textile and Apparel Industry
• FDM 4693 Digital Merchandising

Emphasis Areas

• General Merchandising: Choose 18 hours from any of the courses offered in the emphasis areas or select program-related electives approved by academic advisor
• Business Administration (Pre-MBA): Choose any 6 of the following courses
  • ACC 2013 Principles of Financial Accounting
  • ACC 2023 Principles of Managerial Accounting
  • BIS 3233 Management Information Systems
  • BL 2413 The Legal Environment of Business
  • BQA 2113 Business Statistical Methods I
  • BQA 3123 Business Statistical Methods II
  • EC 2123 Principles of Microeconomics
  • FIN 3123 Financial Management
  • MGT 3113 Principles of Management
  • MKT 3013 Principles of Marketing
• Communication Studies: Choose any 6 of the following courses
  • CO 1223 Introduction to Communication Theory
  • CO 2253 Fundamentals of Interpersonal Communication
  • CO 3833 Interviewing in Communication
  • CO 4203 Nonverbal Communication
  • CO 4223 Advanced Communication Theory
  • CO 4243 Rhetorical Theory
• Entrepreneurship: Choose any 6 of the following courses
  • MGT 3323 Entrepreneurship
  • MGT 3333 Field Studies in Entrepreneurship
  • BL 4243 Legal Aspects of Entrepreneurship
  • FIN 4323 Entrepreneurial Finance
  • MKT 4423 Strategic Brand Management
  • GE 3011 Engineering Entrepreneurship Seminar
• Finance: Choose any 6 of the following courses
  • FIN 3113 Financial Systems
  • FIN 3123 Financial Management
  • FIN 3723 Financial Markets and Institutions
  • FIN 4223 Intermediate Financial Management
  • FIN 4423 Investments
  • FIN 4923 International Financial Management
• Information Technology Services: Choose any 6 of the following courses
  • TKB 3133 Administrative Management and Procedures
  • TKB 4283 Advanced Office Systems
  • TKB 4543 Information Processing
  • TKB 4563 Introduction to Data Networks
  • TKB 4583 Graphics and Web Design
  • TKT 3463 Computer Repair and Maintenance
  • TKT 4343 Information Technology Project Management
  • TKT 4743 Elements of Electronic Desktop Publishing
  • TKT 4753 Media for Presentations, Instruction and Gaming
  • TKT 4813 Management
• Management: Choose any 3 of the following courses
  • MGT 3813 Organizational Behavior
  • MGT 3114 Principles of Management and Production
  • MGT 3513 Introduction to Human Resource Management
  • MGT 3323 Entrepreneurship
  • MGT 3333 Field Studies in Entrepreneurship
  • MGT 3823 Socially Responsible Leadership
  • MGT 4153 Management Seminar
  • MGT 4533 Advanced Human Resource Management
  • MGT 4543 Compensation Management
  • MGT 4563 Staffing in Organizations
  • MGT 4613 Cross-Cultural Management
• Marketing: Choose any 4 of the following courses
  • MKT 3013 Principles of Marketing
  • MKT 4413 Consumer Behavior
  • MKT 3213 Retailing
  • MKT 3323 International Logistics
  • MKT 3933 International Marketing
  • MKT 4033 International Transportation
  • MKT 4113 Personal Selling
  • MKT 4123 Advertising
  • MKT 4143 Sales Management
  • MKT 4213 Internet Marketing
  • MKT 4313 Physical Distribution Management
  • MKT 4333 International Supply Chain Management
  • MKT 4533 Marketing Research
  • MKT 4613 Services Marketing
• Sociology: Choose any 3 SO designated courses at the 2000 level or above and include at least 1 4000 level SO course
  • SO 2203 Introduction to Race and Ethnicity
  • SO 3213 Introduction to Social Research

Design and Product Development Concentration

The Design and Product Development concentration explores the creative and product development aspects of the apparel industry, from trend innovation and concept to an end-use product and beyond. This coursework prepares students to become competent in pursuing careers in creative design, technical design, visual merchandising, styling, fashion communications, fashion forecasting, and related creative industries. Students must complete two internships in a related position.

• FDM 1533 Apparel Construction
• FDM 2573 Fashion Portfolio Development
• FDM 4343 Pattern Making and Design
• FDM 4363 Draping
• FDM 4593 Creative Design
• FDM 4733 Computer-Aided Design for Fashion

Emphasis Areas

• General Design and Product Development: Choose 18 hours from any of the courses offered in the emphasis areas or select program-related electives approved by academic advisor
• Art: Choose 18 credit hours of courses with an ART prefix
• Business Administration (Pre-MBA): Choose any 6 of the following courses
  • ACC 2013 Principles of Financial Accounting
  • ACC 2023 Principles of Managerial Accounting
  • BIS 3233 Management Information Systems
  • BL 2413 The Legal Environment of Business
  • BQA 2113 Business Statistical Methods I
  • BQA 3123 Business Statistical Methods II
  • EC 2123 Principles of Microeconomics
  • FIN 3123 Financial Management
  • MGT 3114 Principles of Management and Production
  • MKT 3013 Principles of Marketing
• Communication Studies: Choose any 6 of the following courses
  • CO 1223 Introduction to Communication Theory
  • CO 2253 Fundamentals of Interpersonal Communication
  • CO 3833 Interviewing in Communication
  • CO 4203 Nonverbal Communication
  • CO 4223 Advanced Communication Theory
  • CO 4243 Rhetorical Theory
• Entrepreneurship: Choose any 6 of the following courses
  • MGT 3323 Entrepreneurship
  • MGT 3333 Field Studies in Entrepreneurship
  • BL 4243 Legal Aspects of Entrepreneurship
  • FIN 4323 Entrepreneurial Finance
  • MKT 4423 Strategic Brand Management
  • GE 3011 Engineering Entrepreneurship Seminar
• Finance: Choose any 6 of the following courses
  • FIN 3113 Financial Systems
  • FIN 3123 Financial Management
  • FIN 3723 Financial Markets and Institutions
  • FIN 4223 Intermediate Financial Management
  • FIN 4423 Investments
  • FIN 4923 International Financial Management
• Information Technology Services: Choose any 6 of the following courses
  • TKB 3133 Administrative Management and Procedures
  • TKB 4283 Advanced Office Systems
  • TKB 4543 Information Processing
  • TKB 4563 Introduction to Data Networks
  • TKB 4583 Graphics and Web Design
  • TKT 3463 Computer Repair and Maintenance
  • TKT 4343 Information Technology Project Management
  • TKT 4743 Elements of Electronic Desktop Publishing
  • TKT 4753 Media for Presentations, Instruction and Gaming
  • TKT 4813 Management
• Management: Choose any 3 of the following courses
  • MGT 3813 Organizational Behavior
  • MGT 3114 Principles of Management and Production
  • MGT 3513 Introduction to Human Resource Management
  • MGT 3323 Entrepreneurship
  • MGT 3333 Field Studies in Entrepreneurship
  • MGT 3823 Socially Responsible Leadership
  • MGT 4153 Management Seminar
  • MGT 4533 Advanced Human Resource Management
  • MGT 4543 Compensation Management
  • MGT 4563 Staffing in Organizations
  • MGT 4613 Cross-Cultural Management
• Marketing: Choose any 4 of the following courses
  • MKT 3013 Principles of Marketing
  • MKT 4413 Consumer Behavior
  • MKT 3213 Retailing
  • MKT 3323 International Logistics
  • MKT 3933 International Marketing
  • MKT 4033 International Transportation
  • MKT 4113 Personal Selling
  • MKT 4123 Advertising
  • MKT 4143 Sales Management
  • MKT 4213 Internet Marketing
  • MKT 4313 Physical Distribution Management
  • MKT 4333 International Supply Chain Management
  • MKT 4533 Marketing Research
  • MKT 4613 Services Marketing
• Sociology: Choose any 3 SO designated courses at the 2000 level or above and include at least 1 4000 level SO course
  • SO 2203 Introduction to Race and Ethnicity
  • SO 3213 Introduction to Social Research

Total Hours and Free Electives

• Total Hours: 124
• Free Electives: 10 hours