Program Overview

The Apparel Design and Merchandising program creates an educational and experiential foundation for diverse professional careers in the globally interdependent apparel industry. Students explore human behavior, social problems, and environmental concerns, interpreting influences and outcomes through apparel design and merchandising. Two concentrations are offered:

• Design
• Merchandising

Students will understand and apply knowledge about the roles and functions of various industry sectors in which textiles and sewn products are developed, produced, marketed, sold, and consumed, including design, construction, sourcing, manufacturing, marketing, and merchandising processes. A common core of classes enables students to develop a socially conscious approach to work in the textile and apparel industry and basic knowledge of the field, including career opportunities, terminology, and professional practices as applied to the industry.

Program Learning Outcomes

• Industry: Students will understand and apply knowledge about the roles and functions of various industry sectors in which sewn products are developed, produced, marketed, sold, and consumed, including design, construction, sourcing, manufacturing, marketing, and merchandising processes.
• Human Behavior: Students will apply theories and research on appearance and behavior, across the lifespan and in diverse communities.
• Aesthetics: Students will analyze aesthetic expression of dress in relation to historical, socio-cultural, and ecological factors and their relationship to quality of life.
• Historical, Local & Global Issues: Students will identify, analyze, and evaluate issues of social responsibility and ethical behavior with local and global apparel and textile industries as they relate to historical and current issues.
• Industry-Consumer: Students will research, identify, and interpret the needs and wants of consumers and how industry processes are applied to plan, develop, produce, communicate, and sell product.
• Professional Skill: Students will use appropriate technology to facilitate critical, creative, quantitative, and qualitative thinking in oral, written, and visual formats to varied audiences.
• Creative Thinking: Students will demonstrate the ability to design, merchandise, and communicate to and for diverse populations.