Fashion Merchandising Degree

Do you enjoy critiquing the most recent designs and fashion trends? Are you a fashion aficionado? Are you interested in developing your own fashion deigns?

Those wanting to design their own clothes lines can begin their journey down the path to their dream career by earning a college degree in fashion merchandising. Some graduates of fashion merchandising college programs demonstrating exceptional talent eventually get promoted to executive-level positions within the fashion industry. While enrolled in fashion design programs, students will learn about marketing, textiles, colors, and business management.

A Career in Fashion Merchandising

Whereas fashion designers specialize in designing new fashions, fashion merchandisers specialize in marketing and managing companies. Fashion merchandisers must stay up to date with marketing trends, promotions, and popular styles. The fashion industry is very competitive and constantly changing. Fashion merchandisers are responsible for marketing new styles, choosing models to showcase clothes, and recognizing new consumer trends. Since many people are vying for fashion merchandising jobs, most companies are very selective when making hiring decisions. Those with formal training and experience usually have better job opportunities. Fashion merchandising specialists should have varied work experience since they have numerous responsibilities. However, those lacking a diverse work background can learn the skills necessary to find an entry-level job in the fashion industry by earning a college degree in fashion merchandising.

Training in Merchandising

Typical curriculum in merchandising college programs include courses in merchandising and business management, such as research methods, competition analysis, profit margins, and sales monitoring. Students in merchandising programs greatly benefit if they have prior experience working with spreadsheets and computers. The skills developed through the course of a merchandising program will not only benefit students planning to work for a fashion design company, but also those planning to run their own businesses. About 25 percent of fashion designers fall under this category. Fashion designers with formal training in merchandising will develop the skills necessary to market their own products and develop business strategies.

Fashion Merchandising Online Degrees

Many types of specialists within the fashion industry would benefit from earning a college degree in merchandising, including promotional designers, sales associates, assistant buyers, store buyers, and many others. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, median annual earnings for fashion designers employed as managers exceeded $70,000 during 2006. Since many people are vying for fashion design jobs, the industry is very competitive, but steady job growth has been projected for fashion designers. Many people are also drawn to the fashion industry because many top designers are paid well, and many fashion design companies occasionally provide bonuses to their employees. Earning a degree will not automatically qualify someone for a high paying job, but most companies in the fashion design industry prefer to hire those with college degrees.

Fashion Merchandising Degree

Fashion Merchandising Degrees and Programs