Design & Merchandising
Bachelor of Science Degree: 180.0 quarter credits
Degree Requirements
Incoming students, 2011/2012
Students pursuing the Bachelor of Science in Design and Merchandising may complete a concentration in an area of study using free electives. Students may pursue more than one concentration or combine a concentration with a minor.
Concentration in Retail Buying & Merchandising
This concentration is designed to broaden students’ practical and theoretical
understanding of consumption as it relates to retail buying, management and merchandising. With the growth in cross-channel retail, students need to develop their
skills not only for careers in traditional brick-and-mortar retailing establishments, but
other retail models. These include: print and electronic based retailing (catalogue,
television, and Internet). In this concentration, students explore all major retail
merchandising and marketing channels and their requirements for buying, staffing,
technology, logistics, distribution, and organizational behavior.
Concentration in Fashion Product Development
This concentration analyzes the dominant forces shaping 21st century merchandising
decisions, including global product sourcing, international retail development, and the increasingly
important role of the consumer in product design. Students successfully completing this
concentration develop practical applications to critical issues facing industry decision makers, understand supply chain management from the producer and retailer perspective,
identify new markets for products and create strategies for entering those markets,
implement merchandising strategies in sectors across the design industries and gain
exposure to the latest technology and communication tools that support the industry.
Concentration in Fashion Promotion and Special Events
Through the Fashion Promotion and
Special Events concentration students who are interested in a career in public relations,
special events planning and marketing, creative and media direction within the design
industries will have the opportunity to take classes inside and outside the AW College of
Media Arts & Design. These partnerships will enhance the students’ background in this
area of specialization, and dramatically increase networking and employment
opportunities.
Concentration in Merchandising Technologies
Merchandising utilizes technology on the front end for fashion product promotion and on
the back end to research, design, source, produce and distribute fashion and home
product. In this concentration, students will study topical issues in merchandising
technologies through a variety of theory and “hands on” based courses. Upon
completion of this concentration students will be familiar with the current technologies in
play, analyze the appropriate uses of available technology and be familiar with emerging
trends.
Concentration in Design Management in Design & Merchandising
Design management is a relatively new area of study for the design and merchandising
student. This concentration is specifically designed to prepare the student to pursue
Design Management at the graduate level.
| General education requirements | 72.0 Credits |
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| ENGL 101 | Expository Writing and Reading | 3.0 | ||
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| ENGL 102 | Persuasive Writing and Reading | 3.0 | ||
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| ENGL 103 | Analytical Writing and Reading | 3.0 | ||
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| MATH 119 | Mathematical Foundations for Design | 4.0 | ||
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| PHYS 121 | Physical Science for Design I | 4.0 | ||
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| PHYS 122 | Physical Science for Design II | 4.0 | ||
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| UNIV 101 | The Drexel Experience | 2.0 | ||
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| Arts and humanities electives* | 9.0 | |||
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| Social science electives** | 9.0 | |||
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| Free electives | 31.0 | |||
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* Suggested arts and humanities electives: ENGL 240 Science Fiction; ENGL 335 Women in Literature; HIST 163 Themes in World History; HIST 220 American Business History; HIST 224 Women in American History; MYTH 335 Mythology; any foreign language. ** Suggested social science electives: SOC 210 Race and Ethnic Relations; SOC 215 Industrial Sociology; SOC 240 Urban Sociology; SOC 245 Sociology for the Environment; SOC 340 Globalization; SOC 495 Economic Sociology. |
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| Visual studies requirements | ||||
| 42.0 Credits |
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| ARTH 101 | History of Art I: Ancient to Medieval | 3.0 | ||
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| ARTH 102 | History of Art II: Renaissance to Modern | 3.0 | ||
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| ARTH 103 | History of Art III: Early Modern to Postmodernism | 3.0 | ||
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| PHTO 110 | Photography | 3.0 | ||
| or | ||||
| PHTO 115 | Photographic Principles | |||
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| VSST 101 | Design I | 4.0 | ||
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| VSST 102 | Design II | 4.0 | ||
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| VSST 103 | Design III | 4.0 | ||
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| VSST 110 | Introductory Drawing | 3.0 | ||
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| VSST 111 | Figure Drawing I | 3.0 | ||
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| VSST 201 | Multimedia: Performance | 4.0 | ||
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| VSST 202 | Multimedia: Space | 4.0 | ||
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| VSST 203 | Multimedia: Materials | 4.0 | ||
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| Professional requirements | 66.0 Credits |
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| ACCT 115 | Financial Accounting Foundations | 4.0 | ||
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| ARTH 300 WI | History of Modern Design | 3.0 | ||
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| DSMR 100 | Computer Imaging for D & M | 3.0 | ||
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| DSMR 201 | Analysis of Product | 3.0 | ||
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| DSMR 210 | Presentation Techniques in Design and Merchandising | 3.0 | ||
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| DSMR 211 | Computer Design for Design and Merchandising | 3.0 | ||
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| DSMR 230 | Textiles for Design and Merchandising | 3.0 | ||
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| DSMR 231 | Retail Principles | 3.0 | ||
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| DSMR 232 | Retail Merchandise Management | 4.0 | ||
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| DSMR 310 | Computer Integrated Merchandise Management | 3.0 | ||
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| DSMR 311 | Visual Merchandising | 4.0 | ||
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| DSMR 333 | Fashion Product Development | 3.0 | ||
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| DSMR 477 WI | Design and Merchandising Seminar | 3.0 | ||
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| DSMR 496 WI | Senior Problem in Design and Merchandising | 3.0 | ||
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| ECON 201 | Principles of Microeconomics | 4.0 | ||
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| ECON 202 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 4.0 | ||
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| FASH 201 | Survey of the Fashion Industry | 3.0 | ||
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| MKTG 301 | Introduction to Marketing Management | 4.0 | ||
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| Art history electives† | 6.0 | |||
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| † Suggested art history electives: ARTH 335 History of Costume I; ARTH 336 History of Costume II; ARTH 337 History of Costume III; ARTH 477 Art History Seminar. | ||||
| Concentration Options | ||||
| Retail Buying & Merchandising Concentration | 25.0 Credits |
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| Required courses | ||||
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| DSMR 313 | International Fashion Merchandising | 3.0 | ||
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| DSMR 314 | Visual Merchandising III Retail Store Planning and Design |
4.0 | ||
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| DSMR 324 | Retail Directions | 3.0 | ||
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| DSMR 325 | Strategic Buying and Planning | 3.0 | ||
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| Students select a minimum of 12.0 additional credits from the following: | ||||
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| DSMR 309 | Color and Trend Forecasting | 3.0 | ||
| DSMR 326 | Fashion Product Promotion | 4.0 | ||
| MKTG 324 | Marketing Channels and Distribution Systems | 4.0 | ||
| MKTG 344 | Professional Personal Selling | 4.0 | ||
| MKTG 355 | Interactive Marketing | 4.0 | ||
| MKTG 356 | Consumer Behavior | 4.0 | ||
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| Fashion Product Development Concentration | 23.0 Credits |
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| Required courses | ||||
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| DSMR 313 | International Fashion Merchandising | 3.0 | ||
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| DSMR 320 | Merchandising/Design Directions | 3.0 | ||
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| DSMR 434 | Fashion Product Sourcing | 3.0 | ||
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| Students select a minimum of 14.0 additional credits from the following: | ||||
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| COM 362 | International Negotiations | 3.0 | ||
| DSMR 326 | Fashion Product Promotion | 4.0 | ||
| IAS 359 | Culture and Values | 3.0 | ||
| INTB 200 | International Business | 4.0 | ||
| INTB 334 | International Trade | 4.0 | ||
| MKTG 347 | New Product Development | 4.0 | ||
| MKTG 357 | Global Marketing | 4.0 | ||
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| Fashion Promotion and Special Events Concentration | 23.0 Credits |
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| Required courses | ||||
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| DSMR 205 | Merchandising Through Technology | 3.0 | ||
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| DSMR 326 | Fashion Product Promotion | 4.0 | ||
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| DSMR 312 | Visual Merchandising II | 3.0 | ||
| or | ||||
| DSMR 315 WI | Media Merchandising I | |||
| or | ||||
| DSMR 321 WI | Fashion Show Production I | |||
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| Students select a minimum of 15.0 - 16.0 additional credits from the following: | ||||
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| COM 260 WI | Fundamentals of Journalism | 3.0 | ||
| COM 280 | Public Relations | 3.0 | ||
| COM 281 | Advanced Public Relations* | 3.0 | ||
| COM 350 WI | Message Design and Evaluation | 3.0 | ||
| COM 361 | International Public Relations | 3.0 | ||
| DSMR 316 | Media Merchandising II | 3.0 | ||
| DSMR 317 | Media Merchandising III | 3.0 | ||
| DSMR 318 | Music Merchandising | 3.0 | ||
| DSMR 322 | Fashion Product Production II | 2.0 | ||
| FASH 467 | Style and the Media | 3.0 | ||
| MKTG 322 | Advertising and Integrated Marketing Communications | 4.0 | ||
| MKTG 356 | Consumer Behavior | 4.0 | ||
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| *The pre-requisite for this course is COM 280. | ||||
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| Merchandising Technologies Concentration | 21.0 Credits |
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| Required courses | ||||
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| DSMR 205 | Merchandising Through Technology | 3.0 | ||
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| DSMR 305 | Merchandising and Management Technologies | 3.0 | ||
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| Students select a minimum of 15.0 additional credits from the following: | ||||
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| COM 300 WI | On-Line Journalism* | 3.0 | ||
| COM 335 | Electronic Publishing | 3.0 | ||
| CT 230 | Web Development I | 3.0 | ||
| CT 240 | Web Development II** | 3.0 | ||
| CT 385 | Web Development III*** | 3.0 | ||
| DIGM 105 | Overview of Digital Media | 3.0 | ||
| DIGM 350 WI | Digital Storytelling and Cultural Production | 3.0 | ||
| DIGM 451 WI | Explorations in New Media | 3.0 | ||
| DSMR 312 | Visual Merchandising II | 3.0 | ||
| DSMR 316 | Media Merchandising II | 3.0 | ||
| DSMR 317 | Media Merchandising III | 3.0 | ||
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| *The pre-requisite for this course is COM 260. ** The pre-requisite for this course is CT 230 ***The pre-requisite for this course is CT 240 |
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| Design Management in Design & Merchandising Concentration | 23.0 Credits |
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| Required courses | ||||
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| DSMR 205 | Merchandising Through Technology | 3.0 | ||
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| DSMR 305 | Merchandising and Management Technologies | 3.0 | ||
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| DSMR 313 | International Fashion Merchandising | 3.0 | ||
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| DSMR 434 | Fashion Product Sourcing | 3.0 | ||
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| Students select a minimum of 12.0 additional credits from the following: | ||||
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| BLAW 201 | Business Law I | 4.0 | ||
| COM 361 | International Public Relations | 3.0 | ||
| COM 362 | International Negotiations | 3.0 | ||
| IAS 359 | Culture and Values | 3.0 | ||
| INTB 200 | International Business | 4.0 | ||
| INTB 334 | International Trade | 4.0 | ||
| MGMT 364 | Technology Management | 4.0 | ||
| MKTG 347 | New Product Development | 4.0 | ||
| MKTG 357 | Global Marketing | 4.0 | ||
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| Writing-Intensive Course Requirements In order to graduate, all students must pass three writing-intensive courses after their freshman year. Two writing-intensive courses must be in a student's major. The third can be in any discipline. Students are advised to take one writing-intensive class each year, beginning with the sophomore year, and to avoid “clustering” these courses near the end of their matriculation. Transfer students need to meet with an academic advisor to review the number of writing-intensive courses required to graduate. A "WI" next to a course in this catalog may indicate that this course can fulfill a writing-intensive requirement. For the most up-to-date list of writing-intensive courses being offered, students should check the Writing Intensive Course List on the Drexel University Writing Center page. Students scheduling their courses in Banner/DrexelOne can also conduct a search for courses with the attribute "WI" to bring up a list of all writing-intensive courses available that term. |
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