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The goal of the Fashion Merchandising major is to prepare students to acquire entry-level positions in the fashion retail sector, including jobs in retail management, merchandising, and buying, en route to a career that could include merchandise allocation and planning, international sourcing, branding, and marketing within the fashion industry.
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Faculty and Staff
Faculty and Staff
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Her research focuses on sustainable community design for the elderly and adaptable cohousing archetypes. She presents her research internationally and serves as a community design consultant.  [post_title] => Jane Nichols [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => jane-nichols [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2023-08-29 14:24:52 [post_modified_gmt] => 2023-08-29 18:24:52 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://www.highpoint.edu/?p=97770 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => faculty-staff [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [1] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 98208 [post_author] => 53 [post_date] => 2021-06-03 16:24:57 [post_date_gmt] => 2021-06-03 20:24:57 [post_content] => Victoria Brown is an Assistant Professor of Fashion Merchandising at High Point University. She has a PhD from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in Consumer, Apparel, and Retail Studies, an MS in Apparel, Housing and Resource Management with a concentration in Fashion Merchandising from Virginia Tech, and a BS in Clothing and Textiles from Virginia Tech. Victoria spent the early part of her career in the retail sector as a visual merchandiser, bridal consultant, and store manager for several national retailers. Eventually her interests in academia and the fashion industry led her to an adjunct position at a public university where she fell in love with teaching. She taught at Virginia Tech, UNCG, and North Carolina A&T before coming to HPU. Victoria has taught at HPU for seven years, and while at HPU, she took her passion for all things fashion and created the Fashion Merchandising program.     Victoria currently teaches History of Fashion, Introduction to the Fashion Industry, Digital Commerce in the Fashion Industry, and the senior level internship course. She is the faculty advisor for the student-led organization, Fashion Forward and serves on multiple committees and is a faculty advisor for students in the Department of Interior Design, Furniture, and Fashion Merchandising. Victoria also conducts research centered around the social psychological facets of clothing, in particular how women use clothing to navigate identity changes during major life transitions. She is also interested in exploring pedagogical practices and how those impact student learning and engagement. Her research has been published in well-received academic journals and presented at national and international conferences in the fashion, retail, and business sectors. 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Chair and Associate Professor Luke Family Endowed Professorship in Interior Design
Assistant Professor of Home Furnishings & Interior Design
Assistant Professor of the Practice of Interior Design
Assistant Professor of Home Furnishings and Interior Design

The goal of the Fashion Merchandising major within HPU’s School of Arts & Design is to prepare students to acquire entry-level positions in the fashion retail sector, including jobs in retail management, merchandising, and buying, en route to a career that could include merchandise allocation and planning, international sourcing, branding, and marketing within the fashion industry.

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Course Requirements 2022/2023
Bachelor of Science in Fashion Merchandising
Bachelor of Science in Fashion Merchandising
Degree Requirements Credits
Major Requirements 62
University Core Requirements 36-44
Electives 22-30
Total 128
Minor in Fashion Merchandising
Minor in Fashion Merchandising
Minor Requirements Credits
Course Requirements 24
Total 24
Requirements for B.S. in Fashion Merchandising
Requirements for B.S. in Fashion Merchandising
Course Course Title Credits
ART 1150 Digital Art and Design 4
FMD 1100 Introduction to Fashion Merchandising 4
FMD 2100 Social Constructs in Fashion 4
FMD 3650 Digital Merchandising in the Fashion Industry 4
FMD/GBS 3800 Global Strategies in the Fashion Industry 4
FMD 4300 Senior Capstone 4
FMD 4811 Internship 4
MKT 2110 Principles of Marketing and Personal Selling 4
MKT 3200 Consumer Behavior 4
MKT 3180 Marketing Communication 4
VMD 2235 History of Fashion and Merchandising 4
VMD 2300 Materials and Textiles 4
VMD 3100 Visual Merchandising Studio I 4
VMD 3200 Special Topics Studio 4
VMD 4100 Merchandise Planning and Control 2
One additional elective course in the major (4)
FPM 2610 Furnishings/Product Fundamentals 2
FPM 3620 Furnishings/Product Marketing 4
FPM 3650 Furnishings/Product Merchandising 4
INT 1100 Design and Society 3
INT 1220 Design Communication I: Visual Ideation 3
INT 1280 Studio I: Interior Form and Space 4
INT 2120 Design Communication II: Visual Abstractions 3
INT 2140 History of Interiors I: Western Foundations 2
INT 2180 Studio II: Plane and Pattern 4
INT 2220 Design Communication III: Visual Presentation 3
INT 2260 Building Technologies I: Construction Systems 2
INT 2280 Studio III: The Human Interface 5
INT/VMD/FPM 3000 NIP Practicum 1-2
INT 3040 History of Interiors II: Classical Interpretations and Modern Experimentation 4
INT 3160 Building Technologies II: Materials, Finishes & Furnishings 2
INT 3180 Studio IV: Programming 5
INT/GBS 3240 Global Issues and the Built Environment 4
INT 3285 Studio V: Special Topics 4
INT/VMD 3500 A Tale of 3 Cities: Retail Design & Merchandising in NY, London, & Paris 4
INT 4120 Design Communication V: Building Information Modeling 3
INT 4160 Building techniques III: Building Systems 2
INT 4180 Studio VI: Health, Safety and Welfare 5
INT 4200 Professionalism and Business Practices 2
INT 4220 Design Communication V: Construction Documents 3
INT 4285 Studio VII: Capstone 5
INT 4444 Independent Study 1-4
INT 4810-4815 Student Internship Variable Credit.
Course Descriptions
Requirements for Minor in Fashion Merchandising
Requirements for Minor in Fashion Merchandising
Course Course Title Credits
FMD 1100 Introduction to Fashion Merchandising 4
FMD 2100 Social Constructs in Fashion 4
FPM 3650, MKT 3180 Product Merchandising or Marketing Communication 4
VMD 2235 History of Fashion & Visual Merchandising 4
VMD 2300 Materials & Textiles 4
VMD 4100 Merchandising, Planning & Control 2
Course Descriptions
Career Opportunities
Alumni from High Point University with degrees in visual merchandising design have a wide range of career opportunities that include:
Student Outcomes

Here’s a quick glimpse at one of many impressive outcomes HPU graduates achieve. Name: Mia Ciccarelli, Class of 2024 Hometown: Dracut, Massachusetts Major: Fashion merchandising with minors in marketing and business administration Post-graduation…

Name: Gracie Buckles Hometown: Bristol, Tennessee Year: Class of 2024 Major: Fashion merchandising with a minor in marketing Internship: Buckles worked as a fashion merchandising and wholesale intern at Mashburn, where she assisted in competitive…

HPU graduates are leading prestigious career paths around the world at Fortune 500 companies, international service programs, public school systems, top-tier law, medical and graduate school programs, and many other…

HPU graduates are leading prestigious career paths around the world at Fortune 500 companies, international service programs, public school systems, top-tier law, medical and graduate school programs, and many other…

HPU graduates are leading prestigious career paths around the world at Fortune 500 companies, international service programs, public school systems, top-tier law, medical and graduate school programs, and many other…

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HPU graduates are leading prestigious career paths around the world at Fortune 500 companies, international service programs, public school systems, top-tier law, medical and graduate school programs, and many other…

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With another successful Commencement behind us, High Point University graduates are commencing prestigious career paths around the world at Fortune 500 companies, international service programs, public school systems, top-tier law,…

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With another successful Commencement behind us, recent High Point University graduates have kicked-off prestigious career paths around the world at Fortune 500 companies, international service programs, public school systems, top-tier…

Study Abroad
At High Point University, our emphasis on global perspectives is designed to provide students with opportunities to enhance their international awareness and to develop their cross-cultural communication skills. Study abroad is strongly encouraged as a part of this emphasis on global studies. With a variety of extraordinary options at some of the most prestigious universities in the world, students at High Point University are encouraged to study abroad as early as the summer after their freshman year. Employers are looking for more than just a degree; they want well-rounded individuals who have familiarity with diverse cultures, special skills, and knowledge of the world around them.
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School of Arts and Design Gallery

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