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Apparel, Retail Merchandising and Design

Apparel, Retail Merchandising and Design

If you are looking for a career in a fast-paced environment that provides new opportunities each day, then a degree in Apparel, Retail Merchandising and Design (ARMD) is just for you. The global textile and apparel industry is made up of companies that produce fibers, yarns, and textile and apparel products for consumers around the world. National and global retailers provide goods and services to consumers everywhere, via multi-channel retailing involving traditional stores, catalogs, online venues, including social networking sites.

The undergraduate program in ARMD offers students opportunities to develop new approaches for dealing with challenges facing all areas of the global textile, apparel, and retail industry. Students are involved in designing new solutions for an ever-evolving global industry.  Because of the size and scope of the industry, there are a variety of career opportunities available worldwide.

Students gain aesthetic, technical, practical, and professional skills in two option areas. The first option is retail merchandising that provides students with a firm grasp of business strategy. Graduates hold positions as buyers, store managers, visual merchandisers, marketing managers, sales and account executives, and trend forecasters with many retail companies. An option in apparel studies focuses on developing, designing, and marketing materials and products within this global industry. Students develop a trained eye and skills to showcase and sell products to a fashion-conscious consumer. Graduates have accepted positions in product development, technical design, fashion journalism, quality control, museum collection management, and theatrical costuming. Others have used their skills to successfully run their own businesses.

Major Requirements

Major: Apparel, Retail Merchandising & Design
Option: Apparel Studies

Degree Type: B.A. or B.S.
Required Degree Credits to Graduate: 122

General Education Requirements for Baccalaureate Degree

  • A list of approved general education courses is available here .
  • General education courses may be used to satisfy requirements for both general education and the major, minor, and program emphases, where applicable. Students should carefully review the major, minor, and program emphases requirements for minimum grade restrictions, should they apply.
Communication (C)12
College Composition I
College Composition II
Fundamentals of Public Speaking
Upper Division Writing
Quantitative Reasoning (R) 3
Science and Technology (S) 10
Humanities and Fine Arts (A) 6
Social and Behavioral Sciences (B) 6
Wellness (W) 2
Cultural Diversity (D) *†
Global Perspectives (G) *†
Total Credits39
*

 May be satisfied by completing courses in another General Education category.

 May be satisfied with courses required in the major. Review major requirements to determine if a specific upper division writing course is required.

 

Apparel Studies Option Major Requirements

Core Requirements - Apparel Studies Option
ADHM 155Apparel Construction and Fit3
or ADHM 370 Sewn-Product Manufacturing and Analysis
ADHM 171Fashion Dynamics3
ADHM 181Aesthetics and Visual Analysis of Apparel Products3
ADHM 271Visual Merchandising and Promotion3
ADHM 272Product Development3
ADHM 310History of Fashion3
ADHM 366Textiles3
ADHM 367Textiles Laboratory1
ADHM 375Professional Development1
ADHM 385Global Fashion Economics3
ADHM 481Capstone in Apparel, Retail Merchandising and Design3
ADHM 486Dress and Human Behavior3
ADHM 489Study Tour1-3
CSCI 114Microcomputer Packages (May satisfy general education category S)3-4
or CSCI 116 Business Use of Computers
ECON 105Elements of Economics (May satisfy general education category G)3
ENGL 320Business and Professional Writing (May satisfy general education category C)3
STAT 330Introductory Statistics (May satisfy general education category R)3
Professional Electives: Select 21 credits from the following:21
With adviser approval, six of these 21 professional elective credits may be taken from BUSN, MRKT, MGMT, THEA, COMM, or ART to meet the student’s professional/personal objectives.
Beginning Apparel Construction
Introduction to the Hospitality Industry
Tourism and Travel Management
Apparel Construction and Fit
Flat Pattern Design & Draping
Pattern Drafting and Grading
Product Development: Designing Pants
Sewn-Product Manufacturing and Analysis
Fashion Trend Analysis and Forecasting
Global Retailing
Merchandise Planning and Buying
Convention and Meeting Planning
Dress in World Cultures
Experiential Retailing
Advanced Apparel Assembly
Retail Financial Management and Control
Field Experience
Intercultural Communication
Listening and Nonverbal Communication
Organizational Communication I
Minor Program of Study Required: 16 credit minimum required16
Total Credits82-85

Degree Requirements and Notes

  • Transfer courses from other institutions must have grades of ‘C’ or better to be accepted for the program.
 

Major Requirements

Major: Apparel, Retail Merchandising & Design
Option: Retail Merchandising

Degree Type: B.A. or B.S.
Required Degree Credits to Graduate: 122

General Education Requirements for Baccalaureate Degree

  • A list of approved general education courses is available here .
  • General education courses may be used to satisfy requirements for both general education and the major, minor, and program emphases, where applicable. Students should carefully review the major, minor, and program emphases requirements for minimum grade restrictions, should they apply.
Communication (C)12
College Composition I
College Composition II
Fundamentals of Public Speaking
Upper Division Writing
Quantitative Reasoning (R) 3
Science and Technology (S) 10
Humanities and Fine Arts (A) 6
Social and Behavioral Sciences (B) 6
Wellness (W) 2
Cultural Diversity (D) *†
Global Perspectives (G) *†
Total Credits39
*

 May be satisfied by completing courses in another General Education category.

 May be satisfied with courses required in the major. Review major requirements to determine if a specific upper division writing course is required.

Retail Merchandising Option Major Requirements

Core Requirements Retail Merchandising Option
ADHM 171Fashion Dynamics3
ADHM 271Visual Merchandising and Promotion3
ADHM 272Product Development3
ADHM 366Textiles3
ADHM 367Textiles Laboratory1
ADHM 372Global Retailing3
ADHM 375Professional Development1
ADHM 386Merchandise Planning and Buying3
ADHM 470Retail Financial Management and Control3
ADHM 481Capstone in Apparel, Retail Merchandising and Design3
ADHM 489Study Tour1-3
ADHM 496Field Experience3-6
CSCI 114Microcomputer Packages (May satisfy general education category S)3-4
or CSCI 116 Business Use of Computers
ENGL 320Business and Professional Writing (May satisfy general education category C)3
PSYC 111Introduction to Psychology (May satisfy general education category B and G)3
STAT 330Introductory Statistics (May satisfy general education category R)3
Select one of the following:3
Intercultural Communication
Listening and Nonverbal Communication
Organizational Communication I
Business Minor requires an application to the College of Business and a minimum 2.5 GPA in courses used for the minor.24
Fundamentals of Accounting
Elements of Economics (May satisfy general education category B and G)
Foundations of Management
Foundations of Marketing
Foundations of Retailing
Consumer Behavior
College of Business 300-400 level courses as approved by ADHM Department to total 24 credits.
(ADHM 372/MRKT 372 may be used as an elective)
Retail Merchandising Focus Area20-21
As part of the Retail Merchandising Option, students select a focus area. Focus Area One - Textile Product Merchandising or Focus Area Two - Interior Mechandising
Focus Area One - Core Requirements - Textile Product Merchandising Focus (21 credits)
Aesthetics and Visual Analysis of Apparel Products
History of Fashion (May satisfy general education category A)
Sewn-Product Manufacturing and Analysis
Global Fashion Economics
Dress and Human Behavior
Focus Area One Professional Elective Credit - 6 credits of professional electives courses are needed to reach the minimum degree total of 122 credits. Courses can be chosen with advisor approval from the list below or from ADHM, BUSN, MRKT, MGMT, THEA, COMM, or ART.
Fashion Trend Analysis and Forecasting
Dress in World Cultures
Experiential Retailing
Seminar (Photoshop/Illustrator for ARMD Majors)
Focus Area Two - Core Requirements - Interior Merchandising Focus (20 credits)
Design Fundamentals
Introduction to Manual Drafting
Interior Design Studio I-Residential
Visual Communications
Residential Systems
History of Interiors I (May satisfy general education category A)
History of Interiors II (May satisfy general education category A)
Interior Materials
Total Credits83-89

Degree Requirements and Notes

  • Transfer courses from other institutions must have grades of ‘C’ or better to be accepted for the program.

Minor Requirements

Minor: Apparel, Retail Merchandising & Design
Options: Apparel Studies and Retail Management

Required Credits: 21-22

Apparel Studies Minor Option

A total of 12 upper-division (300/400 level) courses must be taken

Required Courses
ADHM 171Fashion Dynamics3
ADHM 366Textiles3
ADHM 367Textiles Laboratory1
ADHM 155Apparel Construction and Fit3
or ADHM 370 Sewn-Product Manufacturing and Analysis
Electives: 12 credits from the following:12
Beginning Apparel Construction
Apparel Construction and Fit
Aesthetics and Visual Analysis of Apparel Products
Visual Merchandising and Promotion *
Product Development
History of Fashion
Flat Pattern Design & Draping
Pattern Drafting and Grading
Sewn-Product Manufacturing and Analysis
Fashion Trend Analysis and Forecasting
Global Retailing
Global Fashion Economics
Merchandise Planning and Buying
Dress in World Cultures
Experiential Retailing
Advanced Apparel Assembly
Retail Financial Management and Control
Dress and Human Behavior
Study Tour
Total Credits22

Retail Management Minor Option

The Retail Management minor option is available to all majors in the College of Business.

Required Courses
ADHM 171Fashion Dynamics3
ADHM 181Aesthetics and Visual Analysis of Apparel Products3
ADHM 271Visual Merchandising and Promotion3
Electives: Select 12 credits from the following:12
Global Retailing
Global Fashion Economics
Merchandise Planning and Buying
Retail Financial Management and Control
Foundations of Marketing
Foundations of Retailing
Total Credits21

Minor Requirements and Notes:                                                 

  • A minimum of 8 credits must be taken at NDSU.
  •  

Certificate Requirements

Certificate: Apparel, Retail Merchandising & Design

Required Credits:

This was approved by the SBHE in April 2014 but there is no curriculum to display at this time.

Plan of Study

Apparel studies option

The following plan suggests semester schedules that allow the student to complete his/her major/option degree program in a four year span. The arrangements of courses is based on which semesters the course is offered, the classification and the prerequisites or co-requisites required for successful completion. The Plan of Study should be used alongside the official curriculum guide and with the assistance from your assigned advisor. Remember, this is only a guide and circumstances may change the plan. 

Freshman
FallCreditsSpringCredits 
ADHM 1713ADHM 1813 
CSCI 114 or MIS 1163COMM 1103 
ENGL 1104ENGL 1203 
Science & Tech Lab4PSYC 111 or SOC 1103 
Wellness2-3Minor/Elective/STATS prereq3 
 16-17 15
Sophomore
FallCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
ECON 1053ADHM 155 or 3703ADHM 489**3
Minor/Elective3ADHM 2713 
STAT 330*3ADHM 2723 
Humanities/Fine Arts3Prof Elective3 
Prof Elective3Science/Tech 3 
 15 15 3
Junior
FallCreditsSpringCredits 
ADHM 3103ENGL 3203 
ADHM 3663Prof Elective3 
ADHM 3671Minor Elective3 
ADHM 3853Minor Elective3 
ADHM 3751Prof Elective3 
ADHM 489**1  
Prof Elective3  
 15 15
Senior
FallCreditsSpringCredits 
ADHM 4863ADHM 4813 
Minor/Elective3Minor/Elective3 
Minor/Elective3Prof Elective3 
Minor/Elective3Elective (as needed)7 
Prof Elective3  
 15 16
Total Credits: 125-126
*

 Prerequisites may apply

**

Minimum 1 credit Study Tour in consultation with your advisor

Plan of Study

Retail merchandising textile product option
Freshman
FallCreditsSpringCredits 
ADHM 1713ACCT 1023 
ENGL 1104ADHM 1813 
CSCI 114 or MIS 1163COMM 1103 
Science & Tech Lab4ENGL 1203 
Wellness2-3Elective (possible prerequisite for STAT)3 
 16-17 15
Sophomore
FallCreditsSpringCredits 
ADHM 3103ADHM 2713 
PSYC 1113ADHM 2723 
Science/Tech3ECON 1053 
STAT 330*3Humanities Fine Arts3 
ADHM 489**1Elective3 
 13 15
Junior
FallCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
ADHM 3663ADHM 3703ADHM 4963-6
ADHM 3671ADHM 3863 
ADHM 3723MGMT 3203 
ADHM 3751MRKT 4103 
ENGL 3203Business Elective3 
MRKT 3203  
 14 15 3-6
Senior
FallCreditsSpringCredits 
ADHM 3853ADHM 4813 
ADHM 4703Business Elective3 
ADHM 4863COMM 383 (or alternative COMM course)3 
MRKT 3623Prof Elective3 
Prof Elective3Elective4 
 15 16
Total Credits: 122-126
*

 Prerequisite may apply

**

 Minimum of 1 credit Study Tour required in consultation with your advisor

Plan of Study

Retail merchandising interior merchandising option
Freshman
FallCreditsSpringCredits 
CSCI 114 or MIS 1163ADHM 1513 
ADHM 1613COMM 1103 
ADHM 1713ECON 1053 
ENGL 1104ENGL 1203 
PSYC 1113Wellness2-3 
 16 14-15
Sophomore
FallCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
ADHM 2513ADHM 2713ADHM 489**3
ADHM 2642ADHM 2723 
Science & Tech3STAT 330*3 
ACCT 1023Science & Tech w/Lab4 
Elective (possible math pre-req for STAT)3Elective3 
 14 16 3
Junior
FallCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
ADHM 315 (or 316 in the Spring)3ADHM 3863ADHM 4963-6
ADHM 3663ADHM 3682 
ADHM 3671COMM 383 (or Alternative)3 
ADHM 3751ENGL 3203 
MGMT 3203MRKT 3203 
Elective/Diversity3ADHM 2613 
ADHM 489**1  
 15 17 3-6
Senior
FallCreditsSpringCredits 
ADHM 3723ADHM 4813 
ADHM 4703MRKT 3623 
MRKT 4103BUSN Elective3 
BUSN Elective3BUSN Elective3 
Elective (as needed)3  
 15 12
Total Credits: 125-129
*

 Prerequisites may apply.

**

 Minimum 1 credits Study Tour in consultation with advisor.