Design & Merchandising
Courses
DSMR 100 Computer Imaging I 3.0 Credits
The course explores the fundamentals of computer design software including Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign. Projects include graphics creation and manipulation; image acquisition, text creation and manipulation; typography; input and output options and control; hardware/software/system fundamentals; and troubleshooting as they relate to the creative industries.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
DSMR 103 Introduction to the Fashion Industry 3.0 Credits
Introduces the materials and methods used to design, develop, and market the fashion product, including current vocabulary and foundation of knowledge about industry practices and career opportunities.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
DSMR 201 Analysis of Product 3.0 Credits
This course examines the product development process from concept to consumer. Students will analyze the global supply chain and learn about sustainable product strategies.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
DSMR 210 Presentation Techniques Design and Merchandising 3.0 Credits
In Presentation Techniques students learn the various types of presentations used within a professional workplace environment. Students learn methods and practice public speaking, storytelling, rhetoric, and digital design skills to create slide decks, white papers, and short videos related to a relevant prompt specific to the fashion lifestyle industry.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Prerequisites: (VSST 102 [Min Grade: D] or VSST 105 [Min Grade: D]) and (VSCM 100 [Min Grade: D] or DSMR 100 [Min Grade: D] or WEST 100 [Min Grade: D]) and DSMR 211 [Min Grade: D] and COM 230 [Min Grade: D]
DSMR 211 Digital Design for Design and Merchandising 3.0 Credits
This course builds skills and processes in using digital design tools and industry research and their application in the development of a range of merchandising presentations. Students learn to use an array of Adobe Creative Suite tools, trend intelligence and retail analytics to present curated, balanced, and strategic product offerings.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Prerequisites: VSCM 100 [Min Grade: D] or DSMR 100 [Min Grade: D] or WEST 100 [Min Grade: D]
DSMR 215 Digital Commerce & Promotion 3.0 Credits
The Internet has changed nearly every aspect of how lifestyle brands operate in the 21st century. Digital marketing, social media, and e-commerce have become crucial to merchandising fashion apparel, accessories, home fashion and beauty business growth. In this course students will gain a deeper understanding of how the digital economy works, and they will develop the critical insights necessary to design a brand strategy to succeed in e-commerce, digital, and social media marketing.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
DSMR 230 Textiles for Design and Merchandising 3.0 Credits
Examines the textile manufacturing industry and the fundamental processes involved in producing natural and man-made fabrics as they relate to Design & Merchandising. Includes basic terminology and production processes as well as selection and evaluation of fabrics based on aesthetics, performance and care characteristics.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is DSMR.
DSMR 231 Retail Operations 3.0 Credits
Examines retail philosophies within an operational context, including understanding how consumption, present and future, determines a retailer's strategy.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Cannot enroll if classification is Freshman
DSMR 232 Merchandise Planning and Buying 4.0 Credits
Provides a working knowledge of merchandise planning, flow, and distribution in the retail setting. Covers profitable merchandise and assortment planning and control in both conceptual and technical formats. Final project incorporates six-month financial, classification, and assortment planning.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Prerequisites: DSMR 231 [Min Grade: D]
DSMR 233 [WI] Branding and Retail Strategies 3.0 Credits
Students will perform an in-depth analysis of theoretical and applied retail product and brand research. Qualitative, quantitative and triangulation methods of research will be discussed. The course focuses on researching, writing and presenting various topics in a professional environment.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
DSMR 300 Design and Merchandising Trends and Impact 3.0 Credits
An exploration of a specialized area of the industry which is relevant to the zeitgeist.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Prerequisites: DSMR 231 [Min Grade: D]
DSMR 310 Merchandising Operations & Management 3.0 Credits
This course will focus on the apparel & non-apparel management functions that exist between the merchandising, design, production and promotion elements of the product supply chain. Students will utilize retail analytics, trend intelligence, excel applications and assortment and allocation planning to execute merchandising strategies, sales plans and margin goals.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Prerequisites: DSMR 232 [Min Grade: D]
DSMR 311 Visual Merchandising 3.0 Credits
Visual Merchandising combines design skills, consumer psychology and marketing principles to create window displays, floor merchandising and plan-o-grams in a retail environment that entices consumers to buy. Students will investigate related areas of store planning and design, point-of-purchase display, fixture design, and topics on trend in the industry. Students will apply the principles and elements of design in merchandise presentation, analysis and experimentation and field research. Methods of promoting and selling merchandise, analyzing leading retail firms, employing basic methods of displaying merchandise, and developing a basic understanding of the use of special materials and lighting will be integrated into experiential projects outside of the classroom.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Cannot enroll if classification is Freshman
Prerequisites: DSMR 232 [Min Grade: D]
DSMR 315 [WI] Media Merchandising I 3.0 Credits
In Media Merchandising I students learn the process of creating, designing, and publishing a digital publication. The students develop all content organized around themes of school, city, fashion, product, and technology, and the various intersections as it relates to design and merchandising.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated 1 times for 6 credits
Restrictions: Can enroll if classification is Junior or Senior.
Prerequisites: VSST 103 [Min Grade: D] and DSMR 210 [Min Grade: D] and DSMR 211 [Min Grade: D] and ENGL 103 [Min Grade: D]
DSMR 316 Media Merchandising II 3.0 Credits
Media Merchandising II is a continuation of Media Merchandising I, where students learn to engage in strategic decision making related to digital content such as, informational articles, interviews, photography, graphic design, social media, interactive media and paid advertisement. The results of the student’s learning process is a premier fashion lifestyle digital publication.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated 1 times for 6 credits
Restrictions: Can enroll if classification is Junior or Senior.
Prerequisites: DSMR 315 [Min Grade: D]
DSMR 321 [WI] Fashion Show Production I 3.0 Credits
This course is an examination of the Fashion Show as a sales and marketing tool and as a historically important event in the evolution of the fashion industry. An understanding of all behind-the-scenes aspects of a professional fashion show will be discussed. This course introduces a hands-on experience in addition to academic course work. Especially for students interested in event planning, public relations and marketing, this course provides experience that will be valuable as students enter the workplace.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if classification is Junior or Senior.
DSMR 324 Retail Intersections: Social & Cultural Issues 3.0 Credits
Those who participate in the business of fashion such as retailers, merchants, designers, manufacturers and stylists must evolve in order to sell to customers. Throughout their lives, students are exposed to retailing, merchandising, buying, design, sales, branding, promotions, manufacturing and other such fields. For those interested in the study of retailing, fashion and merchandising, it is essential to understand landmark research and theoretical concepts behind the influences of this field and how social change, innovations and with the evolution of a multicultural marketplace, shifts have occurred over generations, and into the 21st century. This conceptual and theoretical course will expose students to a diverse range of clients and consumers.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Prerequisites: DSMR 231 [Min Grade: D]
DSMR 330 Immersive Media and Merchandising 3.0 Credits
This multi-discipline course is bringing together brand strategy & merchandising (D&M) with the immersive media experience of the Digital Media program. Students will explore digital solutions for the business of fashion and develop solutions using immersive media in virtual & real space. Groups will combine students from Design and Merchandising & Digital Media to explore opportunities to plan and implement immersive solutions specific to the textile, fashion, and lifestyle industries.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated 12 times for 39 credits
Prerequisites: DSMR 310 [Min Grade: C] or ENTP 440 [Min Grade: C]
DSMR 333 Fashion Product Development and Sourcing 3.0 Credits
Provides an overview of the development of knitted and woven, apparel and non-apparel products. The execution of line development will include market research, sourcing, costing, markup planning and category analysis. Students will evaluate global supply chains and circularity using product lifecycle management technology.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Cannot enroll if classification is Freshman
Prerequisites: DSMR 231 [Min Grade: D]
DSMR 410 Career Strategies for Design and Merchandising 3.0 Credits
Course develops skills that enable the student to put into place an effective job search strategy. Specifically geared to the D&M professions, students develop comprehensive area of expertise including networking, industry research, and industry hiring trends.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if classification is Senior.
DSMR 464 Merchandising Analytics 3.0 Credits
An integral part of today’s retail environment is data analytics. This real-world data-driven course highlights a variety of critical retail metrics and analyses that will demonstrate and support the importance of being a data-driven decision-making business. The course will utilize technology to enhance the understanding of the use of data to make key business decisions in retail buying and planning.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Prerequisites: DSMR 310 [Min Grade: D]
DSMR 475 Design and Merchandising in the Circular Economy 3.0 Credits
This course will examine the sustainability of the fashion system from concept to consumer. Topics will include new technologies, sourcing and supply chains, business models, consumer behavior, and new roles and opportunities within the fashion system that support a circular economy.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
DSMR 477 [WI] Design and Merchandising Seminar 3.0 Credits
Provides reading and discussion of pertinent topics of current concern in the professional area of design and merchandising.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is DSMR.
Cannot enroll if classification is Freshman
DSMR 485 Retail and Merchandising Seminar Leadership 3.0 Credits
This course will be taught in a seminar format and feature talks from various leadership areas in the retail, merchandising, and lifestyle product areas. Topics will consider how managers and leaders must develop teams to understand corporate culture, retail management & analysis, product quality, customer service, human resources, merchandising strategies, and future goals.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
DSMR 496 [WI] Senior Problem in Design and Merchandising 3.0 Credits
Provides an opportunity for the student to research, independently or within a group, an idea within the field of design-merchandising, synthesizing material and developing a presentation of that concept.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if classification is Senior.
Prerequisites: PROD 215 [Min Grade: D]
DSMR I199 Independent Study in Design & Merchandising 0.0-12.0 Credits
Self-directed within the area of study requiring intermittent consultation with a designated instructor.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit
DSMR I299 Independent Study in Design & Merchandising 0.0-12.0 Credits
Self-directed within the area of study requiring intermittent consultation with a designated instructor.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit
DSMR I399 Independent Study in Design & Merchandising 0.0-12.0 Credits
Self-directed within the area of study requiring intermittent consultation with a designated instructor.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit
DSMR I499 Independent Study in Design & Merchandising 0.0-12.0 Credits
Self-directed within the area of study requiring intermittent consultation with a designated instructor.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit
DSMR T180 Special Topics in Design & Merchandising 0.0-12.0 Credits
Topics decided upon by faculty will vary within the area of study.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit
DSMR T280 Special Topics in Design & Merchandising 0.0-12.0 Credits
Topics decided upon by faculty will vary within the area of study.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit
DSMR T380 Special Topics in Design & Merchandising 0.0-12.0 Credits
Topics decided upon by faculty will vary within the area of study.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit
DSMR T480 Special Topics in Design & Merchandising 0.5-12.0 Credits
Topics decided upon by faculty will vary within the area of study.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit
