Fashion Merchandising

Learning Format

On-Campus

Types

Bachelor's, Minor
Fashion Merchandising

Join the Field Where Fashion & Business Intersect

Do you have an interest in the fashion industry while also yearning to better understand consumer behavior, trends, and budgeting? Framingham State University is proud to offer the only Massachusetts public university fashion program. Fashion Merchandising is the right career path to combine the creativity of apparel design with business analytics. You will be prepared to lead strategic planning, purchasing, and selling of products in a retail setting.

As a Fashion Merchandising major, you will participate in an internship to provide hands-on experience and transferable skills in buying & allocation, product development, styling, visual merchandising, social media marketing, sourcing, and store operations. With help from our faculty connections, recent students have secured internships with renowned local and global organizations such as TJX, DXL Group, The Paper Store, PUMA, and many more.

Our active student-run Fashion Club at Framingham State plans events, fundraisers, and campus activities. Highlights include an annual Spring Fashion Show, Trashion Show, Breast Cancer Walk, Make it Work Competition, and a yearly field trip to New York City Fashion Week. Participation in the club will develop transferable skills in event planning, budgeting, marketing, social media marketing, and campus networking.

Through international and domestic faculty-led trips, you have the opportunity to expand your perspective by immersing yourself in diverse cultures and histories, exploring different fashion markets, and gaining firsthand experience in global trends and practices. During these travels, you’ll be guided by faculty to engage with industry professionals, visit fashion companies and factories, and attend trade shows and exhibitions.

We are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). Our strong internship program, business partnerships, and experienced faculty will lead you to a fulfilling career amongst other recent alumni working for Nike, New Balance, TJX, PUMA, The Paper Store, Talbots, and so many more.

Fashion Design classroom

Fashion Design Learning Outcomes

  • Apply the principles of design, motives of dress, business cycles, and the soft goods chain to the overall fashion industry.

  • Investigate and evaluate the interrelationship of textile products, apparel production methods, and product life cycle.

  • Analyze the apparel design and retailing industry in the world marketplace.

  • Identify and apply the principles of retailing to create a complete business plan including an assortment of merchandise to meet the needs of a specific target market.

  • Investigate the major strategies of the retailing industry in regards to location, sales, merchandise management, and promotion.

  • Integrate current technologies as they relate to business practices in fashion industries

    Present information in an organized and effective manner incorporating written, oral, and visual components.

Program Requirements

Program Requirements

Course Perquisites

Courses may have specified conditions for enrollment, such as prior completion of less advanced courses, permission of the instructor, or appropriate placement test scores. Students should refer to course descriptions in the department listings for prerequisite requirements.

Major Core Requirements

The minor in Fashion Merchandising is designed for students who want some expertise in the dynamics and functions of the fashion business as an adjunct to their major fields. Students are exposed to national and international fashion merchandising fields through social, cultural, ethical, economic, and technological perspectives. Note: No more than one (1) course credit from a student’s major subject area may count towards both their major and this minor.

EFFECTIVE AS OF THE 2023-2024 UNDERGRADUATE CATALOG

Career Opportunities

Fashion Design & Retailing majors will be prepared to pursue career opportunities across a wide range of exciting fields, including:

Fashion Design classroom

Fashion Buyer

Analyze customer buying patterns and predict future trends.

Fashion Merchandiser

Curate collections and decide how many units, different styles and variations should be purchased.

Fashion Coordinator

Organize fashion shows, styling and merchandising, event planning, and trend research.

Retail Manager

Generate revenue and profits and create growth strategies for the business.

Visual Merchandiser

Define, design and implement a creative visual merchandising strategy.

Trend Forecaster

Identify new trends and predicting how they will impact the industry.

Emma Urso '24

Fashion Merchandising was the Perfect Choice for Emma Urso '24

I was able to attain an in-depth understanding of the business side of the fashion industry as well as the art of the industry through apparel constriction and textile classes. 

Colton Madore

Colton Madore '18, Assistant Merchant at Talbots

"The Fashion major at FSU is unique for allowing students to experience both design and merchandising."

Haley Alexson '17, Buyer at TJX

"I was able to utilize the school’s connections and local business ties to secure many internships and part time jobs in the Fashion industry throughout the school year."

Haley Alexson
Lily Cruz

Lily Cruz '18, Inventory Planner at New Balance

“Framingham State University rose to the top of the list for its relationships with large companies, especially within the Fashion industry, plus its location and cost-saving.”

Lucy Barajas '17, PM at Charles River Apparel

"Looking back on my FSU experience, I’m grateful for the small class sizes, especially for the design labs where students are required to create physical garments."

Lucy Barajas
Adriana Ali Hassan

Adriana Ali Hassan '23, OM at TREND Boston

"FSU taught me the foundational skills for building a business and how to maintain it using modern technology and methods."

Meet Your Faculty

Haewon Ju

Department Chair, Associate Professor, Fashion Design & Retailing Department
(508) 626-4929
hju@framingham.edu
Hemenway Hall

Priscilla Reinhardt Remis

Associate Professor, Fashion Design & Retailing Department
508-626-4700
premis@framingham.edu
Hemenway Annex

Ruirui Zhang

Associate Professor, Fashion Design & Retailing Department
(508) 626-4706
rzhang@framingham.edu
Hemenway Hall 234A

Virginia Noon

Associate Professor, Fashion Design & Retailing Department
(508) 626-4705
vnoon@framingham.edu
Hemenway Hall
View All

Learn More

If the Fashion Merchandising major sounds like a good fit and you would like to learn more, contact Admissions at admissions [at] framingham.edu (admissions[at]framingham[dot]edu) or 508-626-4500.

 Apply 

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