Bachelor of Science in Fashion Merchandising and B.B.A. in Marketing

The B.S. in Fashion Merchandising and B.B.A. in Marketing (2022 - 2023) dual degree program prepares graduates to work in corporate retail and design environments in careers that require exceptional merchandising and business marketing foundations.  The Degree Requirements and Plan of Study outlined in this catalog for this dual degree program are specific only to those students that enter the program in Fall 2022, Spring 2023, or Summer 2023.

Marketable Skills

Defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's 60x30 Strategic Plan as, "Those skills valued by employers that can be applied in a variety of work settings, including interpersonal, cognitive, and applied skills areas. These skills can be either primary or complementary to a major and are acquired by students through education, including curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular activities."

B. S. in Fashion Merchandising

1. Recognize key fashion and consumer trends, predict those trends based on historic and contemporary components of the fashion industry, and utilize current trend information to make purchasing and promotional decisions.
2. Utilize the knowledge and values necessary to make sound decisions about sourcing and purchasing fashion products from both domestic and offshore sources considering current laws and regulations, cultural ethics, trading barriers, global consumerism, and social responsibility.
3. Develop and produce visual presentation boards to effectively communicate mood and/or product and marketplace trend information.
4. Analyze costing, inventory, and sales data needed for the effective planning, pricing, allocation, and markdown of products at the retail level.
5. Develop and execute fashion promotion activities including press releases, advertising campaigns, special events, store displays, social media communications, and branding.
6. Articulate the knowledge and use of conceptual and critical thinking, quantitative and qualitative, and profit-based research processes and practices utilized in the fashion industry.
7. Evaluate the quality, serviceability, regulatory compliance standards, salability, trend-centered, and profitability characteristics of products considered for wholesale purchase and resale at the retail level.

B.B.A. in Marketing

Core Skills

1. Analytical Competence: B.B.A. Marketing Specific Application- Think analytically; Use analytical tools to make decisions.General Employment Application- Effectiveness in problem-solving; Efficient use of common analytical tools for marketing analysis.
2. Diversity: B.B.A. Marketing Specific Application- Work well within a diverse organization; Adapt strategies based on individual or group differences.General Employment Application- Working in diverse teams; Learning about diversity and differences and how that affects marketing strategy.
3. Ethical Reasoning: B.B.A. Marketing Specific Application- Apply ethical reasoning; Sustainability impacts on people, planet, and profits. General Employment Application- Being able to make decisions that are ethical and socially responsible.
4. Teamwork: B.B.A. Marketing Specific Application- Ability to be an effective worker in team situations. General Employment Application- Project management teams; Strategy development teams.

Discipline Skills

1. Consumer Behavior Analysis: B.B.A. Marketing Specific Application- Consumer buying process, Influences on consumer buying and behaviors. General Employment Application- Understanding how a business’s customers make decisions and use the product; Understanding what can appeal to customers and what can influence or motivate them.
2. Product/Branding Strategy: B.B.A. Marketing Specific Application- Understanding product mixes and life cycles; Understanding branding and positioning; Devising branding and positioning strategy. General Employment Application- Effectively managing a company’s product mix; Developing effective brands; Identifying and communicating a brand’s position (i.e., image)
3. Promotion Skills: B.B.A. Marketing Specific Application-Promotion mix tools; Promotion strategies and appeals. General Employment Application- Devise an optimal mix of promotion tools to accomplish objectives; Design effective messages and appeals for the targeted audience.
4. Distribution/ Retailing Strategy: B.B.A. Marketing Specific Application- Supply and distribution channels; Logistics of moving products; Channel and retail strategies. General Employment Application- Establish effective channels of distribution to meet customer needs; Get products to customers in efficient and effective ways.
5. Pricing Applications: B.B.A. Marketing Specific Application- Pricing strategies; Pricing math. General Employment Application-Setting effective prices and policies; Understanding basic dynamics of costs and profitability in relation to prices.
6. Written Communication: B.B.A. Marketing Specific Application- Writing marketing plans and reports; Writing to report research or analytics; Writing to promote and sell.

Admissions

All applicants must meet the general undergraduate admission requirements.

All admitted students are eligible for admission to the Fashion Merchandising program.

Degree Requirements

Total Semester Credit Hours (SCH): 150

Major: 102 SCH

Program Code: FASHMERCH.BS/MARKETING.BBA  CIP Code: 52.1902.00/52.1401.00

Texas Core Curriculum

Fashion Merchandising Courses Required

Within the fashion merchandising courses required, 30 of the 45 required hours must be upper-level semester credit hours.

Business Courses Required

Within the business courses required, 51 of the 57 required hours must be upper-level semester credit hours.

Departmental Requirements

Recommended Plan of Study