Special educational opportunities are offered outside the classroom. An internship program is available to students wait a 2.5 grade point average or above. Participants learn to apply coursework to various business settings such as department stores, national chain specialty stores, privately owned specialty stores, fabric shops or the local newspaper. On a New York fashion merchandising study tour, students have another chance to explore the fashion industry. While on tour, they visit apparel production firms and showrooms, buying offices, textile firms, historic costume collections and exhibits, fashion journalism resources, retail establishments and an apparel distribution facility.
Valuable insight is provided to members through visits from guest speakers.
The FBA gives students opportunities to pursue leadership roles. Faculty members have demonstrated their expertise through publication of textbooks. They include a textile science book which examines interior textile products for residential and commercial applications, and an apparel design pattern-making textbook. Admission Students who meet University admission requirements may be accepted directly into the College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Consumer Sciences as Textiles, Apparel, and Merchandising majors. To complement the overall study of textiles, apparel, and merchandising, students in the program enroll in other courses.