Fashion Merchandising Accreditation & Awards

College Factual ranks High Point University #3 in its 2027 Best Specialized Sales, Merchandising & Marketing Schools in the Southeast Region list, the category that includes fashion merchandising. The list weighs graduation rates, earnings after graduation, affordability and program focus.

The major prepares students for roles in the fashion retail sector, including retail management and analytics, merchandising and buying. Careers often include merchandise allocation and planning, international sourcing, and branding and marketing within the fashion industry. Alumni work at Cartier, H&M, Bulgari, Kontoor Brands, Kendra Scott and more.

Yes. Every student completes a required internship at a fashion, wholesale or retail company. HPU students have interned at Calvin Klein, Kate Spade, Neiman Marcus, CHANEL, Tory Burch, Restoration Hardware, Victoria’s Secret and more.

Yes. In the spring of junior year, students can study at the Lorenzo de’ Medici Institute in Florence, Italy, and earn its Fashion Design Certificate or its Visual Communication for Fashion Certificate. Students pay standard HPU tuition for the semester. Maymester trips to Japan or Spain explore cultural influences on fashion and design.

Yes. Fashion Merchandising majors can spend the spring of junior year in Florence earning the Lorenzo de’ Medici Fashion Design Certificate, with courses in construction techniques, fashion illustration, CAD for fashion design and trend forecasting. The certificate teaches draping, pattern making, construction and illustration, and each student executes a collection that is displayed at a fashion show or exhibit. On campus, VMD 2300 Materials and Textiles builds technical knowledge of materials and textiles, and Fashion Forward runs pop-up fashion shows.

Students take trips to New York City to meet industry professionals, work merchandising or sales roles at the biannual International Home Furnishings Market in High Point and help with visual merchandising and showroom setup at High Point Market. They can also join the student group behind the Fashion Forward publication and its pop-up fashion shows.

Yes. Students can complete a Visual Merchandising Design minor, and the major’s courses align closely with HPU’s marketing minor, so students can earn it with minimal additional coursework. In Florence, students can also earn the Lorenzo de’ Medici Fashion Design Certificate or Visual Communication for Fashion Certificate.

Fashion Hall of Fame designer Alexander Julian mentors HPU students as the university’s Fashion, Furniture, Textile Designer and Entrepreneur in Residence, and he has taught an introduction to fashion class for freshmen.

High Point University’s SACSCOC accreditation includes the B.S. in Fashion Merchandising, and HPU has been continuously accredited since 1951. HPU is also an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).

Email Dr. Jane Nichols at [email protected].