Apparel Production and Merchandising

The Apparel Production and Merchandising major teaches you the necessary skills to work in many areas of the apparel industry, including fiber and fabric sourcing, product development, buying, merchandising, quality assurance, and retail management. A required minor allows you to develop extra expertise in a field that complements your career goals.

Preparing You For Success

Apparel Production and Merchandising majors develop production and merchandising skills through coursework and internships.

By the time you graduate, your experiences include:

• At least one internship in the apparel industry (a minimum of 240 contact hours are required)
• Class projects in apparel construction, textiles, buying math, visual merchandising, and sustainability
• Professional development and networking through student organizations

Making Your Mark

Apparel production and merchandising graduates are in demand as designers, brand experts, business analysts and product buyers. Recent graduates are working for Nike's corporate headquarters, Disney resorts, Best Buy and Von Maur.

Major Requirements

Candidates for all baccalaureate degrees must complete requirements in the Bradley Core Curriculum. Students in this major should choose the following courses:

• CHM 100 Fundamentals of General Chemistry - 3 hrs.
• CHM 101 Fundamentals of General Chemistry Lab - 1 hr.
• ECO 100 Introduction to Economics or ECO 221 Principles of Microeconomics - 3 hrs.
• PSY 101 Principles of Psychology - 3 hrs.

Family and Consumer Sciences Core - 12-15 hrs.

• FCS 100 Family Dynamics - 3 hrs.
• FCS 220: Consumer Issues in Health Care - 3 hrs.
  or FCS 300: Consumer Issues in America - 3 hrs.
• FCS 310 and 311: Community Program Planning and Evaluation
  or FCS 346: Resource Management - 3-6 hrs.
• FCS 442: Foundations of FCS - 3 hrs.

Required Professional Work Experience: 0-3 hrs.

• EHS 301 Cooperative Education or Internship in EHS – 0-3 hrs. (a minimum of 240 contact hours is required)

Additional Required FCS Courses - 25 hrs.
(must earn C or better in each of these courses)

• FCS 131: The Fashion Industry - 3 hrs.
• FCS 133: Apparel Production - 3 hrs.
• FCS 233: Consumer Textiles - 3 hrs.
• FCS 237: Sustainability in the Apparel Industry - 3 hrs.
• FCS 330: Fashion Merchandising - 3 hrs.
• FCS 333: Apparel Product Development and Quality Assurance - 3 hrs.
• FCS 334: Visual Merchandising and Promotions - 1 hrs.
• FCS 335: Survey of Fashion Designers - 3 hrs.
• FCS 337: Clothing and Human Behavior - 3 hrs.

Required Supporting Courses - 6 hrs.

• ART 227: Basic Graphic Design - 3 hrs.
• MTG 381: Integrated Marketing Communications
  or COM 220: Advertising as Communication - 3 hrs.

Required Minor - 15-18 hrs.

• There are many options on campus that students can choose from that would align with a variety of apparel production and merchandising professions that would advance a student’s expertise, such as Journalism, Sustainability, and Marketing.

Open Elective Courses

• Selected in consultation with advisor

Contact Information