Design & Merchandising BS
lMajor: Design and Merchandising
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Science (BS)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits: 181.0
Co-op Options: One Co-op (Four years)
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 50.0499
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 13-1022
About the Program
Drexel’s innovative Design & Merchandising (D&M) major integrates visual design, merchandising, and business insight for the fashion lifestyle industries. The Bachelor of Science degree educates students to conceptualize, plan, develop, market, and measure the opportunity for products and services for consumers through physical stores, online channels, televised content, and interactive media. Students develop thorough knowledge of how products come to life through sustainable textiles, design, and production, and strategize the optimal assortment, inventory, and pricing for business goals. The multidisciplinary curriculum, based on both theory and practice, is delivered through immersive, experiential learning. Graduates work across the fashion lifestyle industries engaged in creative strategies, dynamic merchandise assortments, and new product lines for global consumer markets.
The D&M program is ranked in the top four of fashion merchandising colleges in the United States by fashion-schools.org and in the top fifteen of fashion and business management programs in the world by Business of Fashion and highlighted as best overall, best in global influence and best in learning experience. Drexel is one of the nation’s top universities located in Philadelphia, the sixth largest city, with easy access to the city’s rich cultural life, vibrant design scene, and pivotal retail and entrepreneurial marketplace. From buying and fashion marketing to sustainability and product development, companies in Philly, New York City, Boston, California and other cities offer students a variety of career paths in wholesale, retail, textiles, sourcing, media, marketing, visual merchandising, and public relations.
Program: Discover a Dynamic Future in the Fashion Lifestyle Industries
Students will participate in Drexel’s renown cooperative education (co-op) program, spending six months away from the classroom gaining in-demand career skills, bringing products and services to consumers, and receiving exposure to valuable industry networks. Co-op employers include Urban Outfitters, TJX, Nicole Miller, Marchesa, Fashion Snoops, and others.
Students take fashion business courses that promote real-world project-based learning. Students work in functional teams exploring business challenges and mapping out opportunities. Industry professionals and fashion merchandising entrepreneurs mentor students and critique business strategies.
Students expand their global intelligence through robust study abroad options from the Office of Global Engagement, including the highly popular London College of Fashion, Accademia Italiana in Florence, and Ecole Superiere de Commerce Exterieur (ESCE) in Paris.
Students will tailor their interests and passions via career pathway electives allowing targeted study in ecommerce, fashion marketing, communications, magazine and media publication, product development, entrepreneurship, and others. Students also produce the award-winning D&M Magazine.
Students will learn in a fashion merchandising program that has sustainability integrated throughout the curriculum along with courses that evaluate the intersection of society, culture, and fashion.
Dual/Accelerated Degree Programs
Expand your career prospects in the dynamic world of fashion and unlock additional opportunities through our flexible dual-degree programs, allowing you to earn a Master of Science (MS) in Retail & Merchandising or a Master of Business Administration (MBA), empowering you with a well-rounded skill set for success in the fashion industry.
Additional Information
For more information about this major, visit the College's Design & Merchandising page.
Degree Requirements
Students pursuing the Bachelor of Science in Design & Merchandising have 31.0 Career Pathway electives of their choosing. These electives enable students to pursue specific areas of study in Merchandising, Buying, e-commerce & Retail Operations, Marketing, Media, Marketing and Public Promotion; Product Development and Sourcing, Fashion Sustainability, Fashion Technology, Beauty Merchandising and Marketing, Fashion Entrepreneurship and Graduate School Preparation (see our dual degree options). In addition, electives can be used for focused study in Media Merchandising (D&M Magazine), Fashion Show Production, optional Study Abroad courses, and/or pursuit of a minor.
General Education Requirements | ||
CIVC 101 | Introduction to Civic Engagement | 1.0 |
COOP 101 | Career Management and Professional Development * | 1.0 |
ENGL 101 | Composition and Rhetoric I: Inquiry and Exploratory Research | 3.0 |
or ENGL 111 | English Composition I | |
ENGL 102 | Composition and Rhetoric II: Advanced Research and Evidence-Based Writing | 3.0 |
or ENGL 112 | English Composition II | |
ENGL 103 | Composition and Rhetoric III: Themes and Genres | 3.0 |
or ENGL 113 | English Composition III | |
ENVS 160 | Environment in the News | 2.0 |
ENVS 260 | Environmental Science and Society | 3.0 |
GEO 111 | Natural Disasters | 3.0 |
MATH 119 | Mathematical Foundations for Design | 4.0 |
UNIV A101 | The Drexel Experience | 1.0 |
Required Arts and Humanities | ||
COM 220 | Qualitative Research Methods | 3.0 |
COM 230 | Techniques of Speaking | 3.0 |
Arts and Humanities elective ** | 3.0 | |
Required Social Science | ||
Select one of the following: | 3.0 | |
Politics of Hip Hop | ||
Introduction to Social Psychology | ||
Retail Intersections: Social & Cultural Issues | ||
Social Science electives *** | 6.0 | |
Visual Studies Requirements | ||
ARTH 103 | History of Art III | 3.0 |
Select two of the following: | 6.0 | |
Asian Art and Culture | ||
Art of India | ||
Art of China | ||
Art of Japan | ||
Contemporary Art | ||
History of African-American Art | ||
African Art | ||
Global Material Culture | ||
Special Topics in Art History | ||
Special Topics in Art History | ||
PHTO 110 | Photography | 3.0 |
VSST 101 | Design I | 4.0 |
VSST 102 | Design II | 4.0 |
VSST 103 | Design III | 4.0 |
VSST 110 | Introductory Drawing | 3.0 |
Professional Requirements | ||
ACCT 110 | Accounting for Professionals | 4.0 |
ARTH 335 [WI] | History of Costume I: Preclassical to 1800 | 3.0 |
COM 181 | Public Relations Principles and Theory | 3.0 |
DSMR 100 | Computer Imaging I | 3.0 |
DSMR 103 | Introduction to the Fashion Industry | 3.0 |
DSMR 201 | Analysis of Product | 3.0 |
DSMR 210 | Presentation Techniques Design and Merchandising | 3.0 |
DSMR 215 | Digital Commerce & Promotion | 3.0 |
DSMR 211 | Digital Design for Design and Merchandising | 3.0 |
DSMR 230 | Textiles for Design and Merchandising | 3.0 |
DSMR 231 | Retail Operations | 3.0 |
DSMR 232 | Merchandise Planning and Buying | 4.0 |
DSMR 300 | Design and Merchandising Trends and Impact | 3.0 |
DSMR 310 | Merchandising Operations & Management | 3.0 |
DSMR 311 | Visual Merchandising | 3.0 |
DSMR 333 | Fashion Product Development and Sourcing | 3.0 |
DSMR 464 | Merchandising Analytics | 3.0 |
DSMR 477 [WI] | Design and Merchandising Seminar | 3.0 |
DSMR 496 [WI] | Senior Problem in Design and Merchandising | 3.0 |
ECON 201 | Principles of Microeconomics | 4.0 |
ENTP 105 | Entrepreneurial Thinking | 3.0 |
MKTG 201 | Introduction to Marketing Management | 4.0 |
MKTG 321 | Selling and Sales Management | 4.0 |
or MKTG 326 | Marketing Insights | |
or MKTG 344 | Professional Personal Selling | |
or MKTG 356 | Consumer Behavior | |
or MKTG 362 | Brand and Reputation Management | |
PHIL 301 | Business Ethics | 3.0 |
PROD 215 | Design Thinking in Product Design | 4.0 |
Career Pathway Electives † | 31.0 | |
Total Credits | 181.0 |
- *
Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major.
COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.
- **
Select 9.0 credits from 100-499 level courses, including T380-480 in AFAS, ARTH, ARCH, COM, DANC, ENGL, FMST, GST, HIST, INTR, IST, JWST, LANG, LING, MENA, MUSC, PHIL, PHTO, PPE, PBHL, RELS, SCRP, THTR, TVST, VSCM, WGST, and WRIT.
Suggested Arts and Humanities electives: ENGL 303, ENGL 335, HIST 163.
- ***
Select 9.0 credits from 100-499 level courses, including T380-T480, in AFAS, ANTH, CJS, CS, ECON, ENSS, ENVS, PSI, PSY, PBHL, SOC, and WGST.
Suggested Social Science electives: SOC 210, SOC 215, SOC 240, SOC 340, SOC I499.
- †
Career Pathway electives enable students to pursue specific areas of study which compliment the Design & Merchandising major and the student's desired career pathway.
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 at the University Writing Program. Students scheduling their courses can also conduct a search for courses with the attribute "WI" to bring up a list of all writing-intensive courses available that term.
Sample Plans of Study
4 year, 1 coop (Fall/Winter)
First Year | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
DSMR 103 | 3.0 | DSMR 100 | 3.0 | CIVC 101 | 1.0 | VACATION | |
ENGL 101 or 111 | 3.0 | DSMR 230 | 3.0 | DSMR 201 | 3.0 | ||
ENVS 260 | 3.0 | ENGL 102 or 112 | 3.0 | ENGL 103 or 113 | 3.0 | ||
UNIV A101 | 1.0 | GEO 111 | 3.0 | ENVS 160 | 2.0 | ||
VSST 101 | 4.0 | VSST 102 | 4.0 | MATH 119 | 4.0 | ||
VSST 110 | 3.0 | VSST 103 | 4.0 | ||||
17 | 16 | 17 | 0 | ||||
Second Year | |||||||
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
ACCT 110 | 4.0 | ARTH 103 | 3.0 | DSMR 210 or 215 | 3.0 | COM 230, 220, or 181 | 3.0 |
COM 181, 220, or 230 | 3.0 | COM 220, 181, or 230 | 3.0 | DSMR 232 (or Career Pathway Elective) | 4.0 | DSMR 215 (or Career Pathway Elective) | 3.0 |
DSMR 211 | 3.0 | COOP 101* | 1.0 | ECON 201 | 4.0 | ENTP 105 | 3.0 |
DSMR 231 (or Art History Elective) | 3.0 | DSMR 210 or 211 | 3.0 | MKTG 201 | 4.0 | PHTO 110 | 3.0 |
Select one from the following: | 3.0 | DSMR 215 or PHTO 110 | 3.0 | Career Pathway Elective | 3.0 | ||
DSMR 231 or 232 (or Art History Elective) | 3.0 | ||||||
16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | ||||
Third Year | |||||||
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
COOP EXPERIENCE | COOP EXPERIENCE | DSMR 300 or 477 | 3.0 | DSMR 311 (or Art History Elective) | 3.0 | ||
DSMR 310 | 3.0 | DSMR 477 or 300 | 3.0 | ||||
DSMR 311 (or Art History Elective) | 3.0 | PROD 215 (or Marketing Choice) | 4.0 | ||||
DSMR 333 | 3.0 | Social Science Elective | 3.0 | ||||
Career Pathway Elective | 4.0 | ||||||
0 | 0 | 16 | 13 | ||||
Fourth Year | |||||||
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
ARTH 335 or DSMR 464 | 3.0 | DSMR 464 or ARTH 335 | 3.0 | PHIL 301 | 3.0 | ||
DSMR 496 (or Career Pathway Elective) | 3.0 | DSMR 496 (or Career Pathway Elective) | 3.0 | Arts and Humanities Elective | 3.0 | ||
PROD 215 (or Marketing Choice) | 4.0 | Career Pathway Elective | 8.0 | Career Pathway Elective | 3.0 | ||
Career Pathway Elective | 4.0 | Social Science Elective | 3.0 | ||||
14 | 14 | 12 | |||||
Total Credits 181 |
- *
Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major.
COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.
4 year, 1 coop (Fall/Winter - London Option)
First Year | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
DSMR 103 | 3.0 | DSMR 100 | 3.0 | CIVC 101 | 1.0 | VACATION | |
ENGL 101 or 111 | 3.0 | DSMR 230 | 3.0 | DSMR 201 | 3.0 | ||
ENVS 260 | 3.0 | ENGL 102 or 112 | 3.0 | ENGL 103 or 113 | 3.0 | ||
UNIV A101 | 1.0 | GEO 111 | 3.0 | ENVS 160 | 2.0 | ||
VSST 101 | 4.0 | VSST 102 | 4.0 | MATH 119 | 4.0 | ||
VSST 110 | 3.0 | VSST 103 | 4.0 | ||||
17 | 16 | 17 | 0 | ||||
Second Year | |||||||
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
ACCT 110 | 4.0 | ARTH 103 | 3.0 | DSMR 210 or 215 | 3.0 | COM 230, 220, or 181 | 3.0 |
COM 181, 220, or 230 | 3.0 | COM 220, 181, or 230 | 3.0 | DSMR 232 (or Career Pathway Elective) | 4.0 | DSMR 477 | 3.0 |
DSMR 211 | 3.0 | COOP 101* | 1.0 | ECON 201 | 4.0 | ENTP 105 | 3.0 |
DSMR 231 (or Art History Elective) | 3.0 | DSMR 210 or 211 | 3.0 | MKTG 201 | 4.0 | PHTO 110 or DSMR 215 | 3.0 |
Select one of the following: | 3.0 | DSMR 215 or PHTO 110 | 3.0 | Career Pathway Elective | 3.0 | ||
DSMR 231 or 232 (or Art History Elective) | 3.0 | ||||||
16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | ||||
Third Year | |||||||
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
COOP EXPERIENCE | COOP EXPERIENCE | DSMR 300 or 477 | 3.0 | London Classes | |||
DSMR 310 | 3.0 | Art History Elective | 3.0 | ||||
DSMR 311 | 3.0 | Career Pathway Electives | 9.0 | ||||
DSMR 333 | 3.0 | Social Science Elective | 3.0 | ||||
PROD 215 (or Career Pathway Elective) | 4.0 | ||||||
0 | 0 | 16 | 15 | ||||
Fourth Year | |||||||
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
ARTH 335 or DSMR 464 | 3.0 | DSMR 464 or ARTH 335 | 3.0 | DSMR 300 (or Career Pathway Elective) | 3.0 | ||
DSMR 496 (or Career Pathway Elective) | 3.0 | DSMR 496 (or Career Pathway Elective) | 3.0 | PHIL 301 | 3.0 | ||
PROD 215 (or Marketing Choice) | 4.0 | PROD 215 (or Marketing Choice) | 4.0 | Arts and Humanities Elective | 3.0 | ||
Social Science Elective | 3.0 | Career Pathway Elective | 3.0 | Career Pathway Elective | 3.0 | ||
13 | 13 | 12 | |||||
Total Credits 181 |
- *
Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major.
COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.
4 year, 1 coop (Spring/Summer)
First Year | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
DSMR 103 | 3.0 | DSMR 100 | 3.0 | CIVC 101 | 1.0 | VACATION | |
ENGL 101 or 111 | 3.0 | DSMR 230 | 3.0 | DSMR 201 | 3.0 | ||
ENVS 260 | 3.0 | ENGL 102 or 112 | 3.0 | ENGL 103 or 113 | 3.0 | ||
UNIV A101 | 1.0 | GEO 111 | 3.0 | ENVS 160 | 2.0 | ||
VSST 101 | 4.0 | VSST 102 | 4.0 | MATH 119 | 4.0 | ||
VSST 110 | 3.0 | VSST 103 | 4.0 | ||||
17 | 16 | 17 | 0 | ||||
Second Year | |||||||
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
ACCT 110 | 4.0 | ARTH 103 | 3.0 | DSMR 210 or 215 | 3.0 | COOP 101* | 1.0 |
COM 181, 220, or 230 | 3.0 | COM 220, 230, or 181 | 3.0 | DSMR 232 (or Career Pathway Elective) | 4.0 | COM 230, 220, or 181 | 3.0 |
DSMR 211 | 3.0 | DSMR 210 or 211 | 3.0 | ECON 201 | 4.0 | ENTP 105 | 3.0 |
DSMR 231 (or Art History Elective) | 3.0 | DSMR 215 or PHTO 110 | 3.0 | MKTG 201 | 4.0 | PHTO 110 or DSMR 215 | 3.0 |
Select one of the following: | 3.0 | DSMR 231 or 232 (or Art History Elective) | 3.0 | Career Pathway Electives | 6.0 | ||
16 | 15 | 15 | 16 | ||||
Third Year | |||||||
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
DSMR 300 or 477 | 3.0 | DSMR 311 (or Art History Elective) | 3.0 | COOP EXPERIENCE | COOP EXPERIENCE | ||
DSMR 310 | 3.0 | DSMR 477 or 300 | 3.0 | ||||
DSMR 311 (or Career Pathway Elective) | 3.0 | PROD 215 (or Marketing Choice) | 4.0 | ||||
DSMR 333 | 3.0 | Social Science Elective | 3.0 | ||||
Career Pathway Elective | 4.0 | ||||||
16 | 13 | 0 | 0 | ||||
Fourth Year | |||||||
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
ARTH 335 or DSMR 464 | 3.0 | DSMR 300 or PHIL 301 | 3.0 | PHIL 301 or DSMR 300 | 3.0 | ||
DSMR 496 (or Career Pathway Elective) | 3.0 | DSMR 464 or ARTH 335 | 3.0 | Arts and Humanities Elective | 3.0 | ||
PROD 215 (or Marketing Choice) | 4.0 | DSMR 496 (or Career Pathway Elective) | 3.0 | Career Pathway Elective | 4.0 | ||
Career Pathway Elective | 4.0 | Career Pathway Elective | 4.0 | Social Science Elective | 3.0 | ||
14 | 13 | 13 | |||||
Total Credits 181 |
- *
Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major.
COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.
Co-op/Career Opportunities
The Drexel Co-op experience is a renowned collegiate program and the essence of the Drexel Difference in the Westphal College of Media Arts & Design. Design & Merchandising students spend a minimum of six months (two terms) working in positions during which they apply classroom and studio skills to an actual work experience within their chosen professions. Design & Merchandising students leave for co-op academically equipped to be part of a company, and return as young business professionals having integrated classroom knowledge into the workplace and improved their resume.
Students who complete the Bachelor of Science in D&M from Drexel are prepared for success in a wide range of Career Pathways.
Merchandising, Buying, E-commerce & Retail Operations
- Account Executive/Sales Director
- Assistant, Associate or Senior Buyer
- Showroom Sales Representative
- Merchandise Manager (Digital and Store)
- Operations Manager
- Store Leadership (Regional and District)
- Purchasing
- Visual Merchandiser
- Allocation & Planning
- E-commerce Merchandiser
Media, Marketing & Promotion
- Fashion Marketing Coordinator
- Digital Marketing Specialist
- Market Research Analyst
- Product Campaign Specialist
- Public Relations Specialist
- Social Media Manager
- Brand Manager
- Marketing Researcher
- Fashion Forecaster
- Fashion Magazine Editor
- Stylist
- Creative Director
- Content Creator
- Influencer Marketing Manager
- Event Coordinator
Product Development and Sourcing
- Product Development Manager
- Fabric Manager/Materials Developer
- Sustainability Coordinator
- Trim Developer
- Quality Control Specialist
- Product Line Developer
- Sourcing & Production Manager
- CAD Specialist
Fashion Entrepreneurship
- Store Owner
- Freelancer
- Brand Creator
Learn more about how our alumni have succeeded across the business of fashion.
Co-op Experiences
Some past co-op employments of design and merchandising students include:
- Assistant Buyer, Urban Outfitters/Anthropologie/Free People, Philadelphia, PA
- Merchandising Co-op, TJX Companies, Framingham, MA
- Merchandising Assistant, Nation Design, New York, NY
- Product Development, Boathouse Sports, Philadelphia, PA
- Social Media Engagement Co-op, AP Brand Group, Philadelphia, PA
- Merchandising Co-op, Mundi Westport Group, New York, NY
- Pattern & Graphics Trend Forecast Co-op, Fashion Snoops, New York, NY
- Public Relations Assistant, QVC, West Chester, PA
- Assistant Merchandiser/Wholesales Co-op, Few Moda Inc., New York, NY
- Fashion Sales and Merchandising Co-op, Program F Showroom, Philadelphia, PA
- Fashion PR/Social Media & Influencer Marketing Co-op, Krupp Group, New York, NY
- Showroom Sales Co-op, Marchesa, New York, NY
- Public Relations Assistant, Neiman Marcus, King of Prussia, PA
- Design/Market Co-op, Charlotte Ronson, New York, NY
- Public Relations Co-op, KB Brand Partners, New York, NY
- Marketing Co-op, Lagos, Philadelphia, PA
- Production Co-op, Derek Lam, New York, NY
- Social Media/Brand Ambassador/Merchandising Assistant, Nicole Miller, Philadelphia, PA
Visit the Drexel Steinbright Career Development Center page for more detailed information on co-op and post-graduate opportunities.