Apparel, Retail Merchandising, and Design (ARMD)

ARMD 101. Beginning Apparel Construction. 3 Credits.

Introduction to basic apparel assembly methods and use of a sewing machine.

ARMD 155. Apparel Construction and Fit. 3 Credits.

Principles of apparel construction and analysis. Construction of a fitting sloper and two fashion garments. Prereq: ARMD 101.

ARMD 171. Fashion Dynamics. 3 Credits.

Introductory course tracing the development of fashion and its industry that includes consumer demand and fashion change, the development, production, and marketing of goods from concept to consumer, and their interrelationships.

ARMD 181. Aesthetics and Visual Analysis of Apparel Products. 3 Credits.

Analysis of aesthetics and design principles and their application to apparel and textiles products, environment and oneself.

ARMD 203. Sustainability and Social Change in Fashion. 3 Credits.

This course explores the interrelationship between environment, society, economy and culture as they pertain to the global fashion industry. Practical and conceptual issues will be discussed to develop sustainable practices in our daily and professional lives.

ARMD 210. Dress in World Cultures. 3 Credits.

Analysis of world dress as related to cultural, technological aesthetic, and social patterns. Concepts illustrated through comparative studies of selected world cultures.

ARMD 280. Technology Applications for the Apparel Industry. 3 Credits.

Introduction to the basic digital techniques of Adobe Creative Suite to develop presentation skills necessary in textile and apparel industries. Prereq: ARMD 181.

ARMD 310. History of Fashion. 3 Credits.

Historic view of the evolution of fashion in the Western world through time as it relates to political/sociological/economic change. F.

ARMD 366. Textiles. 3 Credits.

Fibers, yarns, fabric construction, finishes, and dyestuffs related to selection, use, and maintenance of textile products. Coreq: ARMD 367.

ARMD 367. Textiles Laboratory. 1 Credit.

Textile product characterization through the analysis of yarn type, fabric, construction, finishes, and dyestuffs; care procedures; simple identification of fibers, yarns, and fabrics. Coreq: ARMD 366.

ARMD 370. Sewn-Product Manufacturing and Analysis. 3 Credits.

Analysis of the sewn-product manufacturing processes, governmental regulations, sourcing, and technology applications. Focus on evaluating products, quality, performance, and cost. Prereq: ARMD 366, ARMD 367 or departmental approval.

ARMD 371. Fashion Trend Analysis and Forecasting. 3 Credits.

Study of techniques and processes of identifying past and present trends and methods for forecasting future trends, with applications in the apparel and home fashion, textiles and retail industries. Prereq: ARMD 181 and ARMD 280.

ARMD 372. Global Retailing. 3 Credits.

Theoretical approach to management practices and marketing policies for retail soft goods in a complex and changing world market. ARMD 372 is restricted to Apparel, Retail Merchandising and Design or Hospitality and Event Management major or minor. MRKT 372 is restricted to College of Business major or minor and a 2.50 minimum NDSU grade point average. Prereq: MRKT 320 or ARMD 171. Cross-listed with MRKT 372.

ARMD 373. Visual Merchandising and Promotion. 3 Credits.

Principles, procedures and sources of information essential for marketing and promoting retail merchandise sales. Experience in planning, executing and evaluating promotion plans. Prereq: ARMD 280.

ARMD 375. Professional Development. 1 Credit.

Internship and career planning including professional expectations and responsibilities. Skills gained in resume and portfolio development, writing cover letters, interviewing techniques, and business etiquette. Prereq or Coreq: At least junior standing.

ARMD 385. Global Fashion Economics. 3 Credits.

Study of factors affecting production, distribution, and consumption of products in domestic and foreign textile and apparel industries. Prereq: ARMD 171 and ECON 105, ECON 201, or ECON 202. Prereq or Coreq: Junior standing.

ARMD 386. Merchandise Planning and Buying. 3 Credits.

This course intends to provide an overview of merchandise planning and buying. This course will introduce students to the principles, mathematical formulas and concepts of retail buying and assortment planning. Prereq: ARMD 171.

ARMD 425. Experiential Retailing. 3 Credits.

Explore experiential retailing of products, services and experiences that encompass utilitarian and hedonic consumption. Apply strategies for planning, developing, and presenting products or services to create a total consumer experience. Prereq: ARMD 140 or ARMD 171 or MGMT 320 or MRKT 320. Dual-listing: ARMD 625.

ARMD 455. Apparel Design and Assembly. 3 Credits.

Application of the principles and concepts of pattern design and apparel assembly to the creation of garments in a particular category of apparel: tailored jackets, dresses, formalwear and casual sportswear. May be repeated. Prereq: ADHM 155.

ARMD 470. Retail Financial Management and Control. 3 Credits.

Advanced applications of the principles and mathematics in merchandise planning, buying, and control process. Prereq: ARMD 386, CSCI 114 or TL 116, MRKT 320, MGMT 320 and ACCT 102.

ARMD 472. Product Development. 3 Credits.

Examination of issues and strategies necessary to produce soft goods in relation to product development, sourcing and manufacturing. Focus on developing technical specifications relative to quality, performance and cost of apparel products. Prereq: ADHM 280, ADHM 366, ADHM 367, ADHM 371 and ADHM 385.

ARMD 481. Capstone in Apparel, Retail Merchandising and Design. 3 Credits.

Critically analyze and propose research-based solutions to problems related to apparel and textiles including production, distribution, and retailing of goods and services. Prereq: ARMD 385 and ENGL 320 or ENGL 322 or ENGL 326 or ENGL 357. Prereq or Coreq: Junior standing.

ARMD 486. Dress and Human Behavior. 3 Credits.

Influence of dress and appearance on human behavior throughout the life cycle. F.

ARMD 489. Study Tour. 1-3 Credits.

Faculty-directed tour to key fashion, design, tourism destinations, or business centers in the U.S. and abroad. Visits to off-campus destinations provide students contact with practicing professionals as they are exposed to the fast pace of a changing global industry. May be repeated. Prereq: ARMD 140 or ARMD 160, ARMD 171.

ARMD 491. Seminar. 1-5 Credits.

ARMD 496. Field Experience. 1-15 Credits.

ARMD 625. Experiential Retailing. 3 Credits.

Explore experiential retailing of products, services and experiences that encompass utilitarian and hedonic consumption. Apply strategies for planning, developing, and presenting products or services to create a total consumer experience. Dual-listing: ARMD 425.

ARMD 710. Consumer Behavior in Merchandising. 3 Credits.

Evaluation of psychological, sociological, and cultural theories of consumer behavior through the examination of factors influencing the consumer decision-making process.

ARMD 720. Professional Advancement. 3 Credits.

Analysis of leadership and how it affects organizational culture and change through past and current experiences. Various leadership styles examined and a personal leadership philosophy developed for professional advancement in merchandising.

ARMD 730. Product Design, Development and Evaluation. 3 Credits.

Advanced study of issues and management strategies necessary to design and produce a competitively priced product. Examination of the role of globalization and rapidly changing technology on the development of a successful product.

ARMD 740. Promotional Strategies in Merchandising. 3 Credits.

Examination of integrated marketing communications (i.e., promotional strategies and techniques) while fostering cultural and global awareness, social responsibility and ethical decision-making in the field of promotion.

ARMD 750. Retail Theory and Current Practice. 3 Credits.

Theoretical and applied analysis of merchandising strategies; assessment of internal and external environmental forces impacting strategic decisions by retail firms; synthesis of past and present trends in order to forecast probable future patterns.

ARMD 765. Merchandising Analytics. 3 Credits.

Merchandising Analytics addresses the use of quantitative data from the merchandising industry to support managerial decision making: specifically, how to format and analyze typical consumer data. Students will apply analytical approaches to problem solving using Microsoft Excel including: Formulas, Functions, Solver, and Pivot Tables.

ARMD 770. International Retail Expansion. 3 Credits.

Comprehensive understanding of theory, practices, and trends on international merchandise management. An analysis of global retail system and the way goods are distributed to consumers in various countries. Prereq: ARMD 710, ARMD 720, ARMD 730, ARMD 740, ARMD 750.

ARMD 775. Research Methods in Merchandising. 3 Credits.

An overview of the research process used in social science, including an overview and analysis of research methodologies. Also includes a review of current merchandising literature with implications for future research. Prereq: ARMD 710, ARMD 720, ARMD 730, ARMD 740, ARMD 750. Prereq or Coreq: Graduate level statistics course.

ARMD 780. Financial Merchandising Implications. 3 Credits.

The advanced study of financial trends in the merchandising industries; implications related to varied organizational structures. Foci will be on the financial implications of recent advances in the field. Prereq: ARMD 710, ARMD 720, ARMD 730, ARMD 740, ARMD 750.

ARMD 785. Strategic Merchandise Planning. 3 Credits.

Examination of the executive planning process utilized to develop successful corporate strategies; emphasis on the importance of a market orientation for building customer value and sustaining a competitive advantage. Prereq: ARMD 710, ARMD 720, ARMD 730, ARMD 740, ARMD 750.