Fashion Merchandising

Students in the Fashion Merchandising major have the opportunity to engage in several out-of-classroom experiences that supplement knowledge gained in major courses. Some of these experiential opportunities including working at High Point Furniture Market in sales or merchandising, and visiting or working at Showtime Market, the internationally acclaimed textiles event. Students may also participate in trips to New York City to visit industry professionals and gain valuable real-world information about the fashion and retailing industries, and students are required to complete an internship at a fashion company as part of the major, which will ensure that they have gained the skills necessary to succeed in this highly competitive and lucrative field.

A local internship is required for the major in the fall of the senior year. Students who have pursued additional internships during the summer have been hired at places such as:

• Calvin Klein
• Nordstrom
• Oscar de la Renta
• Restoration Hardware
• Shinola Detroit
• Tory Burch
• Victoria’s Secret

Upon graduating from the Fashion Merchandising program, students will demonstrate the ability to:

1. Define problems as they relate to the discipline
2. Gather and analyze relevant information and use critical thinking to evaluate issues
3. Explore and generate creative and strategic solutions via a systematic and coordinated process
4. Convey intent in a professional manner as appropriate to the audience
5. Justify and defend solutions as they relate to relevant criteria derived from the problem or larger concepts that recognize best practices or innovation
6. Discuss the many facets of fashion as it relates to the global environment as a broader entity of society in terms of providing symbolic meaning, a form of communication, jobs, physical protection, and sustainability.
7. Utilize life-skills to enhance productivity, flexibility, and collegiality (presentation, leadership, time management, commitment, curious mind)

The Fashion Merchandising major provides a blend of cross-disciplinary courses in order to provide students with both creative and analytical skill sets to prepare them for entry-level positions in 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. The major offers experiential opportunities, lucrative internships, and hands-on learning experiences that will engage students, facilitate learning, and deliver a comprehensive foundation of knowledge about the fashion industry.