Fashion Merchandising

Fashion Merchandising Degrees

A degree in fashion merchandising will teach students everything they need to know about manufacturing, buying, and promoting fashion items. Fashion merchandising degrees combine the study of fashion with a heavy emphasis on marketing, sales, and business principles. These programs provide students with the knowledge that will enable to them to shape trends around the world.

Types of Fashion Merchandising Degree Programs

An associate’s degree in fashion merchandising is a two year program. Students will learn about fabrics and textiles, marketing and sales, retail management, fashion buying, culture and society, and the fashion industry as a whole. Coursework will also cover consumer research techniques, computer-aided design (CAD), fashion history, business principles, and more. Graduates of an associate’s degree program in fashion merchandising may find work as fashion buyers, merchandise planners, and visual merchandisers among other positions.

A bachelor’s degree in fashion merchandising is a four year program that will educate students in great depth in each area of the fashion industry. Courses of study will prepare graduates to enter the business side of the fashion industry. Students can often choose to focus their studies on fashion marketing, retail promotion, fashion buying, visual merchandising, retail management, or fashion production. Graduates often find work as media planners, fashion buyers, retail managers, promoters, advertisers, visual merchandisers, campaign managers, or upper level managers of apparel companies among other positions.

Job Opportunities for Fashion Merchandisers

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, fashion merchandisers held approximately 529,000 jobs in 2006. Employment for fashion merchandisers is not expected to grow during the 2006 to 2016 period, as purchasing departments are consolidating and allowing merchandisers to work more efficiently. Graduates of a fashion merchandising bachelor’s degree program will be most likely to see job opportunities within the field.

Job candidates will need to be talented, highly motivated, assertive, and well educated. Salaries are very competitive within this industry, with median annual salaries reported at $81,570 in 2006.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-2009 Edition