The course of study includes classes on buying and merchandising, global retailing, retail marketmanagement, merchandise promotion, retail math, fashion economics, human behavior related to apparel selection decisions, and the analysis of textileand apparel products using textile testing equipment. Students choose to focus on the area of textile product or interior merchandising. The interior merchandising focus includes courses such as historyof interiors, design process, and interior graphics. A minor in business administration provides a general business background which prepares students for in-depth work in the retail merchandising fieldof study. A very strong general education curriculum assists students in learning critical-thinking skills.
Computer technology is an intrinsic aspect ofthe program.
Students are encouraged to work in retail stores part-time while in school because learning takes place on the job aswell as in the classroom. The field trips to New York City, Minneapolis, an international location, as well as to other production and retailing centers,expose students to the fast pace of the constantly changing merchandising world. A merchandising advisory board composed of owners and managers of retail stores in the Fargo-Moorhead community provides the department with anumber of services. They act as guest speakers, assist with field experience placement, and help in continually assessing the educational quality of theprogram in order to keep it on the cutting edge of the progression. Other organizations in the college and University provide further opportunities for leadership development andcontact with professionals.