Fashion Merchandising and Design Courses
All candidates for the fashion merchandising and design major must complete a total of 124 hours of course work, which includes all general education requirements. All fashion merchandising and design degree candidates must complete the prescribed core below. Within the fashion merchandising and design program, students may choose from two plans of study with further course requirements:
CORE REQUIREMENTS for both programs include:
FMD 114 APPAREL MERCHANDISING A study of the operations involved in the production and merchandising of apparel including fashion dynamics and product life cycle. 3 hours
FMD 115 PRINCIPLES OF CLOTHING CONSTRUCTION The practical application of basic construction techniques including pattern alterations and analysis of quality construction in ready-to-wear. 3 hours
FMD 212 VISUAL MERCHANDISING A study of promotional techniques used in successful retail operations. Emphasis is placed on merchandise display, fashion show production and floor space layout. 3 hours
FMD 213 CLOTHING AND SOCIETY The study of the social and psychological aspects of clothing in our society today. The meaning of clothes in specific social situations, cultural contexts of dress, clothing as a form of nonverbal communications and individual thought processes about clothing and appearance are studied. 3 hours
FMD 315 HISTORY OF COSTUME A study of the history of European and American costume in relation to religious, political, technological and artistic movements from the Egyptian period (2700 BC) to the 20th century. 3 hours
FMD 318 APPAREL DESIGN DEVELOPMENT A study of the feasibility of apparel designs. Emphasis will be placed on scaling designs up or down, fabric and trimmings selection in relation to price determination, developing operation sheets and collection budgeting. 2 hours
FMD 418 TEXTILES A study of textile products from raw materials through manufacturing and finishing of fabrics. Emphasis on selection and care of textiles. 3 hours
FCS 490 PROFESSIONAL SYMPOSIUM History, philosophy and current trends in family and consumer sciences. 1 hour
ECO 101 MICROECONOMIC PRINCIPLES A study of market structures, profit maximization, consumer demand, resource demand and pricing, resource allocation and consumer responsiveness to price changes. 3 hours
BUS 260 PRINCIPLES OF MARKETING An introduction to the principles, institutions and techniques associated with the distribution of goods and services from the producer to the consumer. 3 hours
BUS 467 ADVERTISING AND SALES PROMOTION An examination of the creative process, from strategy to execution, of advertising and promotional material. Students will be required to develop the strategies, media plans and draft executions of advertising and promotion materials. 3 hours
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR DESIGN CONCENTRATION
FMD 226 TAILORING Advanced techniques in garment selection, fitting and construction. Analysis of custom and fusible methods of tailoring. 3 hours
FMD 425 DRAPING A study of the principles of apparel design using the draping method. Emphasis on fit, design, appropriateness and construction techniques. 3 hours
FMD 427 APPAREL DESIGN Basic principles and methods used in garment structure and design with emphasis on flat pattern. 3 hours
FMD 428 CAD APPAREL DESIGN Applications of apparel design techniques utilizing the computer to facilitate the design process. Emphasis will be placed on original designs, patterns, grading and markers. 3 hours
ART 101 DRAWING I A Study of basic drawing fundamentals and relationships within the pictorial composition. 3 hours
ART 105 TWO-DIMENSIONAL DESIGN An exploratory study of the basic elements and principles of two-dimensional design through various media. 3 hours
ART 106 COLOR THEORY A study of the theory of color and light as perceived by the human eye. Color properties, systems, mixing, symbolism and psychology are studied through experimentation with materials and visual elements used by the artist and designer. 3 hours
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR MERCHANDISING CONCENTRATION
FMD 244 RETAIL MERCHANDISING A study of retail operations including store management, buying procedures, retail organization and merchandising mathematics. Includes laboratory application of retail functions. 4 hours
FMD 443 SPECIAL PROBLEMS IN RETAILING An in-depth study of problems which retailers are currently facing. Business environments are simulated for students to analyze, evaluate and select alternative solutions which would best suit each firm studies. Recommendations will be submitted in the form of oral and written reports. 2 hours
FMD 442 RETAIL BUYING This course applies retail strategy and merchandising principles to the day-to-day activities and responsibilities of a retail buyer. Emphasis on customer identification, sales forecasting, merchandise budgeting, assortment planning, merchandise procurement, and vendor analysis. 3 hours
BUS 240 PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT An introduction to the theory and application of management principles, skills and functions in the achievement of organizational efficiency and effectiveness. 3 hours
BUS 361 CONSUMER BEHAVIOR A study of the impact of such factors as personality, motivation, perception, learning, attitudes, cultural and social influences, and lifestyle changes on buying behavior. A review of sociological, psychological and economic models of behavior will be included. 3 hours
*For a listing of general education requirements for all majors, see the Meredith College Course Catalog.
