Curriculum

Core Courses

Consumer Behavior

This course offers an evaluation of psychological, sociological, and cultural theories of consumer behavior through the examination of factors influencing consumers' decision-making process.

Professional Advancement

In this course, students analyze leadership and how it affects organizational culture and change through a prism of past and current experiences. Students examine various leadership styles and develop a personal leadership philosophy for professional advancement in merchandising.

Retail Theory & Current Practices

In this course, students learn to evaluate effectiveness and/or appropriateness of retail theories and current practices. Students learn to assess internal and external environmental forces impacting strategic decisions by retail firms and to synthesize past and present trends in order to forecast probable future patterns. Prerequisite: Retail Management course.

Elective Courses

Product Design, Development and Evaluation

This course is an advanced study of issues and management strategies necessary to design and produce a competitively priced product while offering visibility over material procurement and apparel production practices including the treatment of workers. Students examine the role of globalization, sustainability, and rapidly changing technology in the development of a successful product.

Promotional Strategies in Merchandising

Students in this course will develop strategic integrated marketing campaigns to effectively communicate corporate social responsibility while balancing the triple bottom line for maximizing outcomes for people, profit, and the planet.