Online Fashion Merchandising Courses at Accredited Schools
International Academy of Design and Technology,
the school below with the highest overall ranking, is effective at equipping students
via its fashion merchandising courses
to be successful
fashion merchandisers,
fashion designers,
fashion models,
fashion marketers, etc.
and connect them to future employers.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, at present there are 61,280 people employed as
merchandise displayers and window trimmers alone in the US, and their average annual salary is
$28,480.
Commercial and industrial designers make on average $61,400
per year and there are about 29,170
of them employed today.
Fashion Merchandising Organizations
Fashion Merchandising Common Job Tasks
- creating product advertising
- attending fashion shows and events around the world
- selling merchandise to retailers
Popular Journals & Magazines
Ranked by Excellence
Fashion Merchandising Courses at International Academy of Design and Technology
Program Name:
Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Merchandising
| Introduction to Business |
| Course Number |
BUSN101 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course provides an introduction to the practice of
business through analysis of the role and function of
accounting, management, marketing, finance, and economics
within business organizations. Common business
terms and principles will be discussed and the various
activities of businesses in daily operations will be examined. |
| Marketing Communication |
| Course Number |
BUSN110 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course will explore various modes of communication
to harvest the information necessary to make effective
decisions regarding the organization of strategic planning. |
| Merchandising Principles and Practices |
| Course Number |
BUSN150 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course introduces merchandising principles and
practices employed within retail environments. Topics
include store organization, inventory control, financial
considerations, operational management, and customer
services. Merchandising concepts, retailing techniques, and
consumer behavior are discussed. |
| Visual Merchandising |
| Course Number |
BUSN201 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course involves the study of visual merchandising and
merchandise presentation techniques with an emphasis on
psychological motivation, retail design, and display
teamwork. Topics include the creation of specialty and
department store displays, the design of visuals for walls
and windows, the effects of color and lighting on consumer
behavior, and professional presentation techniques for
apparel and accessories. |
| Retail Management |
| Course Number |
BUSN205 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course examines contemporary management issues in
the retail environment with a focus on theoretical principles,
problem solving techniques, and decision-making
processes. Students will discuss a range of retail management
topics, including inventory planning and control,
location assessment and store design, merchandising and
retail promotion, product and brand management, human
resources administration, legal and ethical concerns,
information technology resources, financial and accounting
needs, and sales and trend forecasting. |
| Principles of Accounting |
| Course Number |
BUSN210 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course provides an introduction to financial
recordkeeping for small business proprietors. Accounting
theory is stressed. Topics include business transaction
analysis, general journals and ledgers utilization, financial
statement preparation, accounting cycle completion and
payroll accounting. |
| Electronic Marketing |
| Course Number |
BUSN225 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course addresses the development and implementation
of an effective Internet marketing program. The
use of marketing levers will be considered with a focus on
the individual and interactivity to develop consumer and
customer relationships. |
| Principles of Finance |
| Course Number |
BUSN250 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course is designed as an introduction to financial
management principles for business. Topics include
financial statements, the time value of money, bonds, stocks,
working capital management, and capital budgeting. |
| Business Law |
| Course Number |
BUSN301 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course examines business law. Topics include legal,
business and e-commerce environments, business regulations,
dispute resolutions, liabilities, and the ethical and
social responsibilities of business. |
| Pricing Strategies |
| Course Number |
BUSN325 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course covers the principles and terminology
important to profitable merchandising. Concepts of
financial management for merchandising fashion goods
will be taught. Basic financial skills needed to succeed when
planning, procuring, and selling fashion goods will be
included. Merchandising principles, mathematical formulas,
and real world applications will be discussed. |
| Merchandise Planning and Inventory Control |
| Course Number |
BUSN355 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
Merchandise sourcing, buying, and management are
analyzed within the retail industry. Product development
and distribution processes are examined. Emphasis will be
placed on financial and organizational needs including
planning, purchasing, pricing, and presenting inventory to
meet customer demand. |
| Buying |
| Course Number |
BUSN360 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course focuses on merchandise buying and retail
management. The structure of the retail industry will be
analyzed and the development and distribution of
consumer products will be examined. Emphasis is on the
financial aspects of merchandising, pricing, planning, and
purchasing retail inventories as it relates to buying.
Merchandise control and presentation will also be covered. |
| Salesmanship |
| Course Number |
BUSN375 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course investigates sales presentations, communication
styles, prospecting, closing, and the evaluation of selling
techniques and practices. Various methods to improve sales
effectiveness will be explored and selling from the various
viewpoints of the consumer, the business, and society will
be contemplated. |
| Fashion Marketing and Consumer Behavior |
| Course Number |
BUSN400 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course examines the planning, pricing, promotion, and
distribution of products and services within the fashion
industry and discusses how consumer motives and
attitudes contribute to marketing decisions. Psychological,
social, ethical, and financial factors that affect the
marketplace are examined through case analyses. |
| International Business |
| Course Number |
BUSN401 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course focuses on the nature of international business
operations. Intercultural relations and communication
standards, international financial and trade frameworks,
political and economic constraints, legal contracts and
regulatory requirements, and international business and
marketing plans will be examined. |
| Business Professionalism |
| Course Number |
BUSN420 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This comprehensive course in career exploration and
professional development provides the opportunity for
students to develop career objectives, assess skills, identify
accomplishments and describe professional experiences.
Professional resumes are prepared, business correspondence
is produced and interview techniques are
practiced. Job search strategies are explored, including
Internet resources and electronic resumes. Resources to
continue professional development and to increase
marketability are examined. |
| Project Management in Merchandising |
| Course Number |
BUSN460 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course focuses on the development and management
of merchandising projects. The course will provide the
opportunity for students to work as part of a team to
create business plans and cost analyses for a variety of
merchandising ventures and will design sales strategies
based on forecasted trends and market research data.
Regulatory compliance, inventory management, financial
recordkeeping, and customer service needs within retail
environments will be addressed. |
| Global Sourcing and Product Development |
| Course Number |
BUSN475 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course focuses on the globalization of textile apparel
production, the issues of importing, exporting, tariff, quality
control, quotas, regulatory requirements, and the effects of
offshore manufacturing on delivery and quality of goods
and services. |
| Entrepreneurship |
| Course Number |
BUSN499 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course addresses the essentials of entrepreneurship.
Business organization, business plans and proposals, as well
as ethical and legal issues will be discussed. Additionally, this
course focuses on the fundamentals of profitability. |
| Introduction to Fashion |
| Course Number |
FASH101 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course presents an overview of fashion as a profession
with an emphasis on its industry and careers. The processes
of creating, producing and selling a fashion product,
including terminology, professional organizations, and
important designers in the field will be covered. |
| Fashion Sketching I |
| Course Number |
FASH105 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course demonstrates the relationship of clothing to the
human figure, its proportion and how that translates into a
line drawing or a ‘flat’, used by designers, manufacturers,
retailers and merchandisers. Nomenclature of clothing
items and parts and fashion vocabulary will be emphasized.
Various drawing media will also be introduced. |
| Evolution of Fashion |
| Course Number |
FASH115 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course introduces students to the ideologies and
elements of fashion design throughout history. Students
will study sociological, political, religious aesthetic, and
cultural issues related to the evolution of fashion, and will
examine contemporary theories, designers, strategies, and
techniques related to fashion design. |
| Textiles for Fashion |
| Course Number |
FASH120 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course provides an introduction to textiles and the
textile industry with a focus on terminology, fiber properties,
yarns, and fabric characteristics. Emphasis is on the selection,
performance, use, and care of textiles. The construction,
dyeing, printing, and finishing of textiles will be explored. |
| Computer Graphics for Fashion Design |
| Course Number |
FASH202 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course covers the basics of computer illustration as
applied to fashion design. Focus will be on computer needs
for the fashion industry and will include scanning and
manipulation of line drawings, fabric and other images. |
| Trend Forecasting |
| Course Number |
FASH315 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course researches and analyzes social, cultural, religious,
aesthetic, economic, political, and world events from the
past as well as today. Events that impacted changes in
fashion in the past will be explored as a means to predict
changes in future fashion. Various fashion theories, cycles,
and styles will be discussed. |
| Fashion Product Development |
| Course Number |
FASHM175 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course will examine the processes of apparel
production, from concept to consumer design, development
of patterns, manufacturing, quality control, use of
fabrics and the categories of apparel and consumer
markets. The many interrelated aspects of design and
merchandising careers will be addressed. |
| Fashion Merchandising Capstone |
| Course Number |
FASHM485 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
The capstone is a research-based course that integrates
skills, knowledge, and creativity to produce a project that
will showcase professional expertise in a chosen career field. |
| Senior Fashion Merchandising Portfolio |
| Course Number |
FASHM490 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course will facilitate analysis of the needs of the fashion
industry and creation of a portfolio that will showcase
student work. |
| Global Economics |
| Course Number |
ECON315 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course focuses on the economic aspects of
globalization and examines why the interdependent
economies of various nations are regarded as a single
economic system or entity. It examines barriers and bridges
to the world’s markets, including trade agreements and
obstacles to international trading. |
| History of Art I |
| Course Number |
HUMN301 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
Students will have the opportunity to explore the nature of
human thought, culture, and creativity dating from the early
Renaissance through the 20th century through an
examination of selected achievements in the humanities
and the arts. This course will help students foster an understanding
of human heritage as it recognizes individuals,
societies, and cultures that have shaped our modern
existence. |
| History of Art II |
| Course Number |
HUMN302 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
Students will have the opportunity to explore the nature of
human thought, culture, and creativity dating from
Prehistoric time through the 14th century through an
examination of selected achievements in the humanities
and the arts. This course will help students foster an
understanding of human heritage as it recognizes
individuals, societies, and cultures that have shaped
our modern existence. |
| Literature and Film |
| Course Number |
HUMN401 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course examines literature and film and provides the
opportunity for the student to compare and contrast the
presentation of a story through different media. Analysis of
literary works and critique of their film adaptations will allow
the student to determine the characteristics of “successful”
adaptation. |
| Ethics |
| Course Number |
PHIL405 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
Ethics is the study of moral philosophy in relation to society
and human behavior. Students will study theoretical and
applied ethical constructs, from both a Western and non-
Western approach, that shape beliefs and relate to
decision-making processes. |
| Environmental Science |
| Course Number |
SCIE201 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course investigates biological science and the effects of
humans on the earth’s ecosystem. Topics discussed may
include basic ecology, human populations, water, air, and land
pollution, energy consumption, allocation of natural
resources, alternative forms of energy, legislation, and citizen
action. |
| Physical Anthropology |
| Course Number |
SCIE310 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course is an exploration of the principles of Physical
Anthropology, covering genetic processes underlying the
expression of population, the appearance of the hominids
approximately 4 million years ago, and their subsequent
development to the present. Students will be introduced to
primate evolution, theoretical perspectives, and the
technologies associated with human development. Medical
anthropology and basic genetics will be examined. |
| Political Science |
| Course Number |
SOCS401 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course examines the scope and method of political
science. This course explores the social nature of politics,
with a focus on how power and opinions are distributed
throughout a variety of populations, colleges, and political
entities. Students will have the opportunity to analyze the
effects of American culture and media on political structures
and decision-making processes, and will contemplate the
effects of international relations and political changes on
contemporary society. |
| Introduction to Business |
| Course Number |
BUSN101 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course provides an introduction to the practice of
business through analysis of the role and function of
accounting, management, marketing, finance, and economics
within business organizations. Common business
terms and principles will be discussed and the various
activities of businesses in daily operations will be examined. |
| Marketing Communication |
| Course Number |
BUSN110 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course will explore various modes of communication
to harvest the information necessary to make effective
decisions regarding the organization of strategic planning. |
| Merchandising Principles and Practices |
| Course Number |
BUSN150 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course introduces merchandising principles and
practices employed within retail environments. Topics
include store organization, inventory control, financial
considerations, operational management, and customer
services. Merchandising concepts, retailing techniques, and
consumer behavior are discussed. |
| Visual Merchandising |
| Course Number |
BUSN201 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course involves the study of visual merchandising and
merchandise presentation techniques with an emphasis on
psychological motivation, retail design, and display
teamwork. Topics include the creation of specialty and
department store displays, the design of visuals for walls
and windows, the effects of color and lighting on consumer
behavior, and professional presentation techniques for
apparel and accessories. |
| Retail Management |
| Course Number |
BUSN205 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course examines contemporary management issues in
the retail environment with a focus on theoretical principles,
problem solving techniques, and decision-making
processes. Students will discuss a range of retail management
topics, including inventory planning and control,
location assessment and store design, merchandising and
retail promotion, product and brand management, human
resources administration, legal and ethical concerns,
information technology resources, financial and accounting
needs, and sales and trend forecasting. |
| Principles of Accounting |
| Course Number |
BUSN210 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course provides an introduction to financial
recordkeeping for small business proprietors. Accounting
theory is stressed. Topics include business transaction
analysis, general journals and ledgers utilization, financial
statement preparation, accounting cycle completion and
payroll accounting. |
| Electronic Marketing |
| Course Number |
BUSN225 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course addresses the development and implementation
of an effective Internet marketing program. The
use of marketing levers will be considered with a focus on
the individual and interactivity to develop consumer and
customer relationships. |
| Principles of Finance |
| Course Number |
BUSN250 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course is designed as an introduction to financial
management principles for business. Topics include
financial statements, the time value of money, bonds, stocks,
working capital management, and capital budgeting. |
| Business Law |
| Course Number |
BUSN301 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course examines business law. Topics include legal,
business and e-commerce environments, business regulations,
dispute resolutions, liabilities, and the ethical and
social responsibilities of business. |
| Pricing Strategies |
| Course Number |
BUSN325 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course covers the principles and terminology
important to profitable merchandising. Concepts of
financial management for merchandising fashion goods
will be taught. Basic financial skills needed to succeed when
planning, procuring, and selling fashion goods will be
included. Merchandising principles, mathematical formulas,
and real world applications will be discussed. |
| Merchandise Planning |
| Course Number |
BUSN355 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
Merchandise sourcing, buying, and management are
analyzed within the retail industry. Product development
and distribution processes are examined. Emphasis will be
placed on financial and organizational needs including
planning, purchasing, pricing, and presenting inventory to
meet customer demand. |
| Buying |
| Course Number |
BUSN360 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course focuses on merchandise buying and retail
management. The structure of the retail industry will be
analyzed and the development and distribution of
consumer products will be examined. Emphasis is on the
financial aspects of merchandising, pricing, planning, and
purchasing retail inventories as it relates to buying.
Merchandise control and presentation will also be covered. |
| Salesmanship |
| Course Number |
BUSN375 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course investigates sales presentations, communication
styles, prospecting, closing, and the evaluation of selling
techniques and practices. Various methods to improve sales
effectiveness will be explored and selling from the various
viewpoints of the consumer, the business, and society will
be contemplated. |
| Fashion Marketing and Consumer Behavior |
| Course Number |
BUSN400 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course examines the planning, pricing, promotion, and
distribution of products and services within the fashion
industry and discusses how consumer motives and
attitudes contribute to marketing decisions. Psychological,
social, ethical, and financial factors that affect the
marketplace are examined through case analyses. |
| International Business |
| Course Number |
BUSN401 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course focuses on the nature of international business
operations. Intercultural relations and communication
standards, international financial and trade frameworks,
political and economic constraints, legal contracts and
regulatory requirements, and international business and
marketing plans will be examined. |
| Business Professionalism |
| Course Number |
BUSN420 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This comprehensive course in career exploration and
professional development provides the opportunity for
students to develop career objectives, assess skills, identify
accomplishments and describe professional experiences.
Professional resumes are prepared, business correspondence
is produced and interview techniques are
practiced. Job search strategies are explored, including
Internet resources and electronic resumes. Resources to
continue professional development and to increase
marketability are examined. |
| Project Management in Merchandising |
| Course Number |
BUSN460 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course focuses on the development and management
of merchandising projects. The course will provide the
opportunity for students to work as part of a team to
create business plans and cost analyses for a variety of
merchandising ventures and will design sales strategies
based on forecasted trends and market research data.
Regulatory compliance, inventory management, financial
recordkeeping, and customer service needs within retail
environments will be addressed. |
| Global Sourcing and Product Development |
| Course Number |
BUSN475 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course focuses on the globalization of textile apparel
production, the issues of importing, exporting, tariff, quality
control, quotas, regulatory requirements, and the effects of
offshore manufacturing on delivery and quality of goods
and services. |
| Entrepreneurship |
| Course Number |
BUSN499 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course addresses the essentials of entrepreneurship.
Business organization, business plans and proposals, as well
as ethical and legal issues will be discussed. Additionally, this
course focuses on the fundamentals of profitability. |
| Introduction to Fashion |
| Course Number |
FASH101 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course presents an overview of fashion as a profession
with an emphasis on its industry and careers. The processes
of creating, producing and selling a fashion product,
including terminology, professional organizations, and
important designers in the field will be covered. |
| Fashion Sketching I |
| Course Number |
FASH105 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course demonstrates the relationship of clothing to the
human figure, its proportion and how that translates into a
line drawing or a ‘flat’, used by designers, manufacturers,
retailers and merchandisers. Nomenclature of clothing
items and parts and fashion vocabulary will be emphasized.
Various drawing media will also be introduced. |
| Evolution of Fashion |
| Course Number |
FASH115 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course introduces students to the ideologies and
elements of fashion design throughout history. Students
will study sociological, political, religious aesthetic, and
cultural issues related to the evolution of fashion, and will
examine contemporary theories, designers, strategies, and
techniques related to fashion design. |
| Textiles for Fashion |
| Course Number |
FASH120 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course provides an introduction to textiles and the
textile industry with a focus on terminology, fiber properties,
yarns, and fabric characteristics. Emphasis is on the selection,
performance, use, and care of textiles. The construction,
dyeing, printing, and finishing of textiles will be explored. |
| Computer Graphics for Fashion Design |
| Course Number |
FASH202 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course covers the basics of computer illustration as
applied to fashion design. Focus will be on computer needs
for the fashion industry and will include scanning and
manipulation of line drawings, fabric and other images. |
| Trend Forecasting |
| Course Number |
FASH315 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course researches and analyzes social, cultural, religious,
aesthetic, economic, political, and world events from the
past as well as today. Events that impacted changes in
fashion in the past will be explored as a means to predict
changes in future fashion. Various fashion theories, cycles,
and styles will be discussed. |
| Fashion Product Development |
| Course Number |
FASHM175 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course will examine the processes of apparel
production, from concept to consumer design, development
of patterns, manufacturing, quality control, use of
fabrics and the categories of apparel and consumer
markets. The many interrelated aspects of design and
merchandising careers will be addressed. |
| Fashion Merchandising Capstone |
| Course Number |
FASHM485 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
The capstone is a research-based course that integrates
skills, knowledge, and creativity to produce a project that
will showcase professional expertise in a chosen career field. |
| Senior Fashion Merchandising Portfolio |
| Course Number |
FASHM490 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course will facilitate analysis of the needs of the fashion
industry and creation of a portfolio that will showcase
student work. |
| College Success |
| Course Number |
COLL101 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course focuses on the development of professional
and personal skills that will assist students in their collegiate
and career performance. Topics covered include time
management, interpersonal relations, personal expression,
test-taking strategies, goal setting, study habits and
techniques, self-esteem, image, and motivation. |
| Interpersonal Communications |
| Course Number |
COMM101 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
Communication theory and the principles of effective
speech communication are presented. Students are given
the opportunity to learn communication techniques, how
to adapt to variations in audience and context, elements of
effective audience research, speechwriting and delivery.
Organizational and expressive strategies for informative and
persuasive arguments are reviewed. |
| Global Economics |
| Course Number |
ECON315 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course focuses on the economic aspects of
globalization and examines why the interdependent
economies of various nations are regarded as a single
economic system or entity. It examines barriers and bridges
to the world’s markets, including trade agreements and
obstacles to international trading. |
| English Composition I |
| Course Number |
ENGL101 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
In this course, students are given the opportunity to study
and apply composition principles to a variety of writing
modes, focusing on the writing process, intended audience,
consistent point of view, correct grammar, concise language,
appropriate style, and effective organizational strategies |
| English Composition II |
| Course Number |
ENGL102 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course is designed to allow students to expand their
English skills by exploring advanced essay modes that
include persuasive writing, literary analysis, and term paper
research. Students will have the opportunity to analyze
basic literary texts for style and content, and to present a
researched, documented term paper. |
| History of Art I |
| Course Number |
HUMN301 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
Students will have the opportunity to explore the nature of
human thought, culture, and creativity dating from the early
Renaissance through the 20th century through an
examination of selected achievements in the humanities
and the arts. This course will help students foster an understanding
of human heritage as it recognizes individuals,
societies, and cultures that have shaped our modern
existence. |
| History of Art II |
| Course Number |
HUMN302 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
Students will have the opportunity to explore the nature of
human thought, culture, and creativity dating from
Prehistoric time through the 14th century through an
examination of selected achievements in the humanities
and the arts. This course will help students foster an
understanding of human heritage as it recognizes
individuals, societies, and cultures that have shaped
our modern existence. |
| Literature and Film |
| Course Number |
HUMN401 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course examines literature and film and provides the
opportunity for the student to compare and contrast the
presentation of a story through different media. Analysis of
literary works and critique of their film adaptations will allow
the student to determine the characteristics of “successful”
adaptation. |
| College Algebra |
| Course Number |
MATH130 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course is designed to enable students to reason
quantitatively from a variety of mathematical perspectives.
Topics include statistics, logic, geometry, estimation, and the
process of problem solving. |
| Ethics |
| Course Number |
PHIL405 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
Ethics is the study of moral philosophy in relation to society
and human behavior. Students will study theoretical and
applied ethical constructs, from both a Western and non-
Western approach, that shape beliefs and relate to
decision-making processes. |
| Environmental Science |
| Course Number |
SCIE201 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course investigates biological science and the effects of
humans on the earth’s ecosystem. Topics discussed may
include basic ecology, human populations, water, air, and land
pollution, energy consumption, allocation of natural
resources, alternative forms of energy, legislation, and citizen
action. |
| Cultural Diversity |
| Course Number |
SOCS201 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course is designed to enhance understanding of and
appreciation for human diversity through the critical analysis
of sociological, socioeconomic and cultural issues. The
class will explore topics from a variety of perspectives and
viewpoints as a means of developing deeper insight into how
race, ethnicity, social class, gender, sexuality, and religion
affect human relations. |
| Physical Anthropology |
| Course Number |
SCIE310 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course is an exploration of the principles of Physical
Anthropology, covering genetic processes underlying the
expression of population, the appearance of the hominids
approximately 4 million years ago, and their subsequent
development to the present. Students will be introduced to
primate evolution, theoretical perspectives, and the
technologies associated with human development. Medical
anthropology and basic genetics will be examined. |
| Political Science |
| Course Number |
SOCS401 |
| Credits |
4.0 |
This course examines the scope and method of political
science. This course explores the social nature of politics,
with a focus on how power and opinions are distributed
throughout a variety of populations, colleges, and political
entities. Students will have the opportunity to analyze the
effects of American culture and media on political structures
and decision-making processes, and will contemplate the
effects of international relations and political changes on
contemporary society. |
Program description: The Bachelor of Arts degree program in Fashion Merchandising at the Academy helps to prepare students for exciting career opportunities and is designed to provide the skills needed to be successful in merchandising, marketing, buying, sales, management, negotiation, customer relations and creative technologies. The program allows students to partner their interest in the world of fashion with the development of key business competencies critical to employment in today's global marketplace. Students also have the opportunity to explore the evolution of fashion, fashion trend forecasting, fashion media, and fashion promotion. The program requires integration of conceptual and creative abilities with business practices.
If you are ready to take the first step to a rewarding career full of challenges and opportunities, pursue your Fashion Merchandising Degree here. In addition to comprehensive coursework and professional instruction, students will have the opportunity to participate in a real world internship to help prepare them for the competitive fashion world.
Fashion Merchandising Courses at Penn Foster College
Program Name:
Associate's Degree in Fashion Merchandising
| Music Appreciation |
| Course Number |
HUM 104 |
| Credits |
3.0 |
135 Lecture hours
Appreciating music; roles of composer and
listener; principles of music theory and
instrumentation; historical periods; varying
styles of music. PREREQ: None |
| Introduction to the Fashion Industry |
| Course Number |
FSH 101 |
| Credits |
3.0 |
Traces the development of fashion and the
fashion industry; shows how consumer
demand affects fashion marketing; explains
fashion change and consumer acceptance;
covers market research and analysis; traces
the development, production, and
marketing of raw materials; covers
international fashion centers as well as
retailing, merchandising, and marketing.
PREREQ: None |
| Color Theory |
| Course Number |
GRD 105 |
| Credits |
3.0 |
Color Theory covers the analysis of the
dynamic interaction of color and its
implications for designers and artists.
This course also covers the physics of color,
colored light, colored pigments, and the color
wheel. Students are introduced to basic color
principles, industry terminology, Johannes
Itten’s color theory and applications, with an
emphasis on manipulating color. PREREQ:
Graphic Design Orientation |
| History of Fashion |
| Course Number |
FSH 110 |
| Credits |
3.0 |
With this course, you’ll gain an
understanding of the history of costume in
the West. Beginning with ancient times,
you’ll study the dress of each era in the
context of the historical events, societal
values, and technology that influenced
clothing and its production. You’ll also
learn how the organization and function of
the fashion industry changed as it became
more complex. PREREQ: None |
| Basic Accounting |
| Course Number |
ACC 113 |
| Credits |
3.0 |
Description: N/A |
| Introduction to Textiles |
| Course Number |
FSH 120 |
| Credits |
3.0 |
Introduces students to textiles in a nontechnical way; covers laws and regulations
of the textile industry; identifies yarns,
fabric formation, coloration, and finishes;
examines the properties of fibers.PREREQ:
Introduction to the Fashion Industry; Color
Theory |
| Marketing |
| Course Number |
MKT 301 |
| Credits |
3.0 |
The marketing environment; planning,
information, and segmentation; consumer
and business buyer behavior; product and
distribution strategy; promotion and
pricing strategy. PREREQ: None |
| Merchandising Math |
| Course Number |
MAT 215 |
| Credits |
3.0 |
Students will learn the concepts of profit
and the calculation, interpretation, and
analysis of the profit-loss statement; pricing
factors used in buying decisions and the
calculations used when pricing and/or
repricing retail merchandise; the
calculations of the various types of markup;
procedure of determining the total value of
the stock-on-hand and shortages; the
planning and control of stocks and
purchases, as well as invoice mathematics |
| Merchandising Planning and Buying |
| Course Number |
BUS 310 |
| Credits |
3.0 |
Methods, practices, and operations
conducted to promote and sustain certain
categories of commercial activity;
principles and procedures used in
planning, selecting, pricing, and selling
goods in retail stores; domestic and foreign
market purchasing; assessing product
needs. Students will learn merchandising
systems, assortment plans, and inventory
control methods. PREREQ: Introduction to
Business; M |
| Product Development |
| Course Number |
FSH 220 |
| Credits |
3.0 |
This course takes the students through the
preproduction processes of apparel product
development. Students will learn how to
coordinate planning, forecasting,
fabricating, developing silhouettes and
specifications, pricing, and sourcing. Also
covers the evolving partnerships among
textile suppliers, product developers,
manufacturers, and retailers. PREREQ:
Introduction to the Fashion Industry |
| Computer Applications |
| Course Number |
CSC 104 |
| Credits |
3.0 |
Computer and Internet Basics; computer
hardware and software; digital electronics
and file management; introduction to
Windows®
; PC applications in word
processing, spreadsheets, and presentation
software. PREREQ: None |
| Earth Science |
| Course Number |
SCI 110 |
| Credits |
3.0 |
Surveys a broad range of topics within
the fields of geology, meteorology,
oceanography, and astronomy. PREREQ: None |
| Introduction to Biology |
| Course Number |
SCI 120 |
| Credits |
3.0 |
An introductory course that explains the
origin of life and the relationships between
all living things. It describes how a
significant number of organisms are
structured and how they work, in order to
enable students to discuss intelligently the
various forms of life and their processes.
PREREQ: None |
| Nutrition |
| Course Number |
SCI 140 |
| Credits |
3.0 |
Personal decision making about nutrition;
nutrition science; water; exercise; human
growth and aging; safety of the food
supply; the global view. PREREQ: None |
| Essentials of Psychology |
| Course Number |
SSC 130 |
| Credits |
3.0 |
Biology and behavior; consciousness;
memory; thought and language;
intelligence; personality and gender; stress;
community influences. PREREQ: None |
| Art Appreciation |
| Course Number |
HUM 102 |
| Credits |
3.0 |
Artistic media; historical periods and
artistic movements; roles of the artist and
the viewer; art criticism. PREREQ: None |
| English Composition |
| Course Number |
ENG 100 |
| Credits |
3.0 |
This course teaches the skills and
techniques of effectively developing,
drafting, and revising college-level essays
toward a specific purpose and audience:
active reading, prewriting strategies,
sentence and paragraph structure, thesis
statements, varied patterns of development
(e.g., illustration, comparison/contrast,
classification), critical reading toward
revision of structure and organization,
editing for the standard written
conventions, use and documentation of
outside sources. Students submit three
essays (process analysis, causal analysis,
argumentation) and a course journal.
PREREQ: None |
| Economics 1 |
| Course Number |
BUS 121 |
| Credits |
3.0 |
This course will provide an overview of
macroeconomics and the modern market
economy. Law of supply and demand, cost
of living, monetary systems, international
factors, and short run economic
fluctuations will be examined and
discussed. PREREQ: None |
| College Algebra |
| Course Number |
MAT 120 |
| Credits |
3.0 |
This course introduces students to basic
algebraic concepts. Topics covered include
the real number system, exponents,
scientific notation, equations of lines,
graphing, inequalities, absolute values,
polynomials, factoring polynomials, and
rational expressions. PREREQ: None |
| Business and Technical Writing |
| Course Number |
ENG 121 |
| Credits |
3.0 |
Writing Styles; Abc Method Of Organizing Material; Grammar (parts Of Speech, Active And Passive Voice, Complete Sentences Vs. Sentence Fragments; Parallel Construction); Using Action Verbs; Constructing Paragraphs; Writing Memos, Business Letters, And Emails; Organizing Material; Conducting Research; Documenting Sources; Outlining; Providing Illustrations; Writing Reports, Proposals, Descriptions, Instructions, Articles, And Manuals. Prereq: None |
| Consumer Behavior |
| Course Number |
MKT 320 |
Influencing consumer behavior; consumer decision-making; effects on research and marketing; environmental influences; ethical responsibility |
| Internet Marketing and E-Commerce |
| Course Number |
INT 114 |
| Credits |
3.0 |
Provides a concise introduction to electronic
commerce with balanced coverage of both
technology and business topics; contains a
comprehensive online companion that links
the concepts in the book to real online
examples; security, implementation, ethics,
and legal issues in electronic commerce;
case studies of real businesses. PREREQ:
Computer Literacy |
| Retail Management |
| Course Number |
MKT 340 |
| Credits |
3.0 |
Organization of retail stores; basics of retailing; management of a successful retail business; merchandising principles. |
Program description: The Fashion Merchandising
associate degree program provides
a thorough background in the
functional areas of retail management,
marketing, buying, fashion promotion,
product development, textiles, and
merchandising at the associate degree
level. The program prepares men and
women for a fashion merchandising
career. Typical areas in which a
graduate will have the necessary
academic background to enter the
field are merchandising, sales
management, marketing, e-commerce,
and retailing.
Students in this program must pass
the general education prerequisite credits
with a cumulative QPA of 1.6 in order
to be admitted to the full program.
Fashion Merchandising Courses at Ashworth College
Program Name:
Fashion Retailing
| Lesson 1: Fashion Merchandising: An Introduction |
A history of fashion retailing; types of retailers; direct marketing; trends in the retail industry; qualifying for employment; options for self-employment in fashion. |
| Lesson 2: What is Fashion |
The fundamentals of fashion; fads and trends; how fashions develop and spread; the role of style and fashion in contemporary society. |
| Lesson 3: Consumer Behavior |
The psychology of consumer behavior; the sociology of consumer buying patterns; how consumers make fashion purchasing decisions; spending characteristics at different stages of life. |
| Lesson 4: Store Organization and Management |
Creating an organization chart; departmentalizing and decentralizing; recruiting, training, evaluating, and compensating employees. |
| Lesson 5: The Buyer's Job |
The global marketplace; deciding what and when to buy; buyer and assistant buyer duties; negotiating purchases; fashion forecasting; using reporting services. |
| Supplement: Time Management Guide |
How to be more productive and efficient as a student now—and in your career later. |
| Lesson 6: Merchandising Pricing |
Markup; factors affecting pricing: competition, quality, inventory turnover, promotional activities, store image, alterations, pilferage, and markdowns. |
| Lesson 8: Store Layout and Visual Merchandising |
Selecting the right site; exterior and interior layout and design; changing window displays; interior graphics, signage, and display fixtures; using color; props; selecting a theme. |
| Lesson 9: Fashion Direction and Research |
The responsibilities of fashion directors, coordinators, and stylists; fashion trend forecasting; sources of data. |
| Lesson 10: Preparing a Fashion Show |
The three types of fashion shows; working with the promotion calendar; how to develop a theme and budget; publicity; staging, lighting, and music. |
| Lesson 11: Executing and Evaluating a Fashion Show |
Choosing clothes and accessories; selecting and notifying models; the fitting; packing and shipping merchandise; rehearsing; commentating; the closing; critiquing the show. |
| Lesson 12: The Marketplace |
The market calendar; working with store buyers, designers, and wholesale reps; the fashion director's roles in a buying office, the textile industry, and manufacturing. |
| Lesson 13: Direct Retailing |
Why direct retailing is growing; from retailer to cataloger; competition; kiosks; direct mail; targeted mailing lists; opportunities in cable television. |
| Supplement: Franchising |
Kinds of franchises and franchise arrangements; the mobile franchise; finding a franchiser; franchising costs; understanding the contract; franchise trends. |
| Lesson 15: Merchandise Handling and Loss Prevention |
Centralized receiving; branch and chain store receiving; inventory shortages; detecting and preventing shoplifting. |
| Lesson 16: Inventory Control |
Accounting procedures; inventory, dollar, unit, and expense control; stock turnover; the expense budget; classifying the various expenses. |
| Lesson 17: Customer Service and Credit |
Why retailers give credit; kinds of retail credit; personal shopping; gift wrapping; the gift registry; alterations; approaches to improve customer service. |
| Supplement: Career Search Guide |
Helpful techniques for pursuing careers in the carpentry field. |
Program description: Ashworth College's Career Diploma in Fashion Retailing program is intended to teach students about fashion trends and planning successful fashion shows. Students have the opportunity to learn about fashion merchandising, pricing, advertising, promotion, store layout, and visual merchandising. They also have a chance to learn about consumer behavior, store organization and management, the marketplace, personal shopping, loss prevention, inventory control, and customer service and credit. Ashworth College provides students in the Career Diploma in Fashion Retailing program with a customized lesson book, study guides, illustrated personal fashion manual, career search and time management guide, and a supplement about franchising.
|
| Marist College |
| Total Programs |
81 |
| Number of Subjects |
95 |
| Rank in USA |
120th |
|
| The New School |
| Total Programs |
61 |
| Number of Subjects |
60 |
| Rank in USA |
234th |