Coordinator
Dr. Priscilla Gitimu, Ph.D.
Room: 3524 Cushwa Hall
Phone: 330-941--1822
Email: pngitimu@ysu.edu
Mission Statement of the Merchandising: Fashion & Interiors program
The Merchandising: Fashion and Interiors major prepares students for a broad range of careers related to the fashion and interiors industries. The program exposes students to an interdisciplinary and a global perspective to the business side of fashion apparel and home fashion industries. The students acquire a Bachelors of Applied Science degree which is designed to provide the skills and knowledge for apparel and home goods industries, these skills include; merchandising, retailing, distribution, computer applications in textiles and apparel, product development and appraisal skills. Students choose to do more of fashion or more of interior courses depending on their career aspirations. The program exposes students to rigorous course work in fashion and interiors courses. Students also complete courses in marketing, management, human ecology, and other support courses. The program serves undergraduates who aspire to be professionals in the fashion apparel industry and interior industry. Graduates find employment mostly in retailing of apparel, furnishings, accessories and personal care products.
What is Merchandising?
Merchandising is a specialized management function within the fashion, textiles and home interiors industries. Merchandisers are responsible for selection of materials, collaborating with the production team and meeting market requirements. The job demands knowledge of fashion trends, textures, materials and colors on one hand and understanding of market demand and the production processes on the other. Individuals who are assertive, flexible, and resourceful, who like to work with people, and who can assume responsibility, make quick decisions, and think clearly have the traits necessary for successful careers in fashion merchandising.
Learning outcomes for the merchandising program
At the completion of the Merchandising: Fashion and Interiors program, graduates will be able to:
- Generate effective solutions to problems in manufacturing and marketing.
- Interpret the needs and wants of target customers.
- Develop a financially sound product line.
- Integrate and apply merchandising principles in workplace settings.
- Evaluate product quality and serviceability.
Internship requirements
Merchandising students must complete at least 3 semester hours of Internship credit.
Minor
- Merchandising majors often select minors in Marketing, Management, Journalism, Communications, Art, or Photography. A minor should be selected from an area of personal or career interest.
- There is a minor in fashion for students who have some interest in fashion. A fashion minor is a great complement to numerous career fields because fashion clothing serves a basic human need.
FIT- Fashion Institute of Technology - Visiting Student program
The YSU Merchandising program has an articulation agreement with the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York. Interested students can attend FIT for one academic year after completing 30 hours of GER credits at YSU and have 3.00 GPA. Participating students then come back to YSU to complete YSU residency requirement in the MRCH program and will end up with a BSAS MRCH degree from YSU and an Associate from FIT. If you are interested in this program route, please consult very early with Dr. Priscilla Gitimu, the FIT liaison at YSU.
Career Opportunities
Graduates can pursue careers as:
- Buyers
- Department managers
- Merchandise managers
- Store managers
- Store owners
- Sales representatives
- Sales managers
- Merchandisers
- Merchandise allocators
- Merchandise planners
- Merchandise analysts
- Marketing directors
- Fashion directors
- Wardrobe consultants
- Personal Shoppers
Check the Dictionary of Occupational Titles under section 141 for additional related careers.
Potential Employment Settings
- Retail Department and Specialty Stores
- Apparel manufacturers
- Advertising agencies
- Apparel design studios and workrooms
- Textile and Findings manufacturers
- Fashion forecasting firms
- Retail business and apparel
- Industry publications
| COURSE | TITLE | S.H. |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements | ||
| Core Competencies | 12 | |
| Writing 1 | ||
| Writing 2 | ||
| Communication Foundations | ||
| Mathematics Requirement | 3 | |
| Quantitative Reasoning | ||
| Arts and Humanites | 6 | |
| Masterpieces of World Art | ||
or ART 1541 | Survey of Art History 1 | |
or ART 1542 | Survey of Art History 2 | |
| Introduction to Professional Ethics | ||
or PHIL 2628 | Business Ethics | |
| Natural Science Elective (Choose one CHEM with a lab and a NS Elective) | 3 | |
| Chemistry in Modern Living and Chemistry in Modern Living Laboratory | ||
| Allied Health Chemistry 1 | ||
| General Chemistry 1 | ||
Natural Science Elective | ||
| Social Science | 9 | |
| Introduction to Sociology | ||
| General Psychology | ||
| Principles 1: Microeconomics | ||
| Social and Personal Awareness | 6 | |
| Normal Nutrition | ||
SPA Elective | ||
| General Education Elective / First-Year Experience | 3 | |
| Required Courses (34 s.h.): | ||
| HMEC 1550 | Human Ecology Professions | 1 |
| MRCH 1506 | Clothing and Image Development | 3 |
| MRCH 2625 | The World of Fashion | 3 |
| MRCH 3705 | Fashion Textiles | 3 |
| MRCH 3713 | Merchandise Buying | 3 |
| MRCH 3740L | Computer Applications for Textiles & Apparel Lab | 3 |
| MRCH 4870 | Global Fashion Economy | 3 |
| MRCH 4877 | History of Fashion | 3 |
| MRCH 4880 | Merchandising Management | 3 |
| CHFM 3731 | Individual and Family Development | 3 |
| HMEC 4836 | Internship | 3 |
| HMEC 4890 | Communication of Contemporary Issues | 3 |
| Select one of the two courses (3 s.h.): | 3 | |
| Social Psychology of Clothing and Appearance | ||
| Family Housing and Technology | ||
| Select two of the following lower-division courses (6 s.h.): | 6 | |
| Apparel Production | ||
| Apparel Evaluation | ||
| Fundamentals of Interior Design | ||
| Materials and Methods | ||
| Select two courses of the following upper-division courses (6 s.h.): | 6 | |
| Fashion Promotion and Fashion Show Production | ||
| Product Line Development | ||
| Visual Merchandising | ||
| Fashion Industry Tour | ||
| History of Furnishings and Interiors | ||
| Required Support Courses (18 s.h.): 1 | 18 | |
| Business Computer Systems | ||
| Legal Environment of Business 1 | ||
| Fundamentals of Management | ||
| Marketing Concepts and Practice | ||
| Retail Marketing | ||
| Elementary Accounting | ||
or ACCT 2602 | Financial Accounting | |
| Total Credits to degree = 118 | ||
| 1 | Electives must include 6 s.h. of upper division (3700 or above) level courses. |
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | S.H. | |
| ENGL 1550 | Writing 1 | 3 |
| PSYC 1560 | General Psychology | 3 |
| CSIS 1514 | Business Computer Systems | 3 |
| ART 1540 | Masterpieces of World Art | 3 |
| MRCH 1506 | Clothing and Image Development | 3 |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGL 1551 | Writing 2 | 3 |
| CMST 1545 | Communication Foundations | 3 |
| MATH 2623 | Quantitative Reasoning | 3 |
| SOC 1500 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| HMEC 1550 | Human Ecology Professions | 1 |
| Semester Hours | 13 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| FNUT 1551 | Normal Nutrition | 3 |
| MRCH 1508 | Apparel Production | 3 |
| ECON 2610 | Principles 1: Microeconomics | 3 |
| PHIL 2625 | Introduction to Professional Ethics | 3 |
| A & H elective | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| MRCH 2625 | The World of Fashion | 3 |
| MGT 2604 | Legal Environment of Business 1 | 3 |
| ACCT 1503 or ACCT 2602 |
Elementary Accounting or Financial Accounting |
3 |
| SPA Elective | 3 | |
| MRCH lower level course | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Fall | ||
| MRCH 3705 | Fashion Textiles | 3 |
| MRCH 3730 or MRCH 3764 |
Social Psychology of Clothing and Appearance or Family Housing and Technology |
3 |
| MKTG 3703 | Marketing Concepts and Practice | 3 |
| MRCH 3713 | Merchandise Buying | 3 |
| MRCH Upper division elective | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| MRCH 3740L | Computer Applications for Textiles & Apparel Lab | 3 |
| MKTG 3709 | Retail Marketing | 3 |
| MGT 3725 | Fundamentals of Management | 3 |
| CHFM 3731 | Individual and Family Development | 3 |
| MRCH Upper division elective | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Fall | ||
| MRCH 4877 | History of Fashion | 3 |
| HMEC 4836 | Internship | 3 |
| HMEC 4890 | Communication of Contemporary Issues | 3 |
| MRCH 1510 | Apparel Evaluation | 3 |
| MRCH 3745 | Product Line Development | 3 |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| MRCH 4870 | Global Fashion Economy | 3 |
| MRCH 4880 | Merchandising Management | 3 |
| MRCH 3715 | Fashion Promotion and Fashion Show Production | 3 |
| MRCH 3760 or MRCH 3795 |
Visual Merchandising or Fashion Industry Tour |
3 |
| MRCH lower division elective | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Total Semester Hours | 118 | |
| 1 | Students who elect FNUT 1551 Normal Nutrition to meet SPA requirement are not required to take FNUT 1543 Personal Nutrition in the major and will need one more elective hour to reach 120 credits. |