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Career options 
Take the first step toward a career in fashion merchandising with this 60-credit-hour degree program. You’ll receive an overview of all phases of fashion merchandising: not only the business aspects, but also the aesthetic and creative sides of fashion, such as visual merchandising, fashion forecasting and textiles. Study fashion history and trends, and explore their influence on our lives.
Harper College’s academic facilities simulate the professional atmosphere of the fashion industry. Gain real-world experience by participating in the annual Student Fashion Show, which features original student work. You’ll also work with Studio V, a professional student-run boutique offering locally designed apparel, jewelry, accessories, sculpture, art and other original pieces. A jury show allows you to showcase your work and receive critiques from industry professionals. You can also participate in the Harper’s Bizarre Fashion Club, along with dozens of other student organizations.
When you complete this program, you’ll be ready to explore career paths in various areas of fashion merchandising, including fashion coordinating, fashion promoting, fashion show production, fashion displaying, styling, sourcing, apparel quality assessment, retail buying, store managing and more.
This 60 credit-hour curriculum provides all the phases of fashion merchandising, not only in business aspects, but also in aesthetic and creative sides of fashion, such as Visual Merchandising, Fashion Forecasting and Textiles. Students will study fashion history and trends as well as their influence on our lives. Students will also take courses in English composition, computer information systems, sociology and introductory psychology.
An educational background in fashion merchandising opens the door to various careers, such as fashion coordinating, fashion promoting, fashion show production, fashion displaying, stylist, sourcing, apparel quality assessment, retail buying and store managing.
| Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
First Semester | Hours | |
| ENG 101 | Composition I | 3 |
Description: Emphasizes the writing of expository prose. Introduction to the critical reading of nonfiction prose. IAI C1 900 Prerequisite: ENG 096 with a grade of P or other placement options. https://www.harpercollege.edu/testing/english-placement-grid.php ESL students need one of the following options: ESL 073 and ESL 074 with grades of B or better; ESL 073 with a grade of B or better and required writing placement test score; or ESL 074 with a grade of B or better and required reading placement test score. Lecture Hours: 3 Lab Hours: N/A Contact Hours: 3 Class Schedule: Spring 2025 | Summer 2025 | Fall 2025 | ||
| FAS 110 | Costume History + | 3 |
Description: Introduces the elements of design and color in historical perspective. A survey of historical periods of design focusing on costumes. Examines the influences of social, political and economic forces on these periods. Lecture Hours: 2 Lab Hours: 2 Contact Hours: 4 Class Schedule: Spring 2025 | Summer 2025 | Fall 2025 | ||
| FAS 112 | Fashion Basics | 3 |
Description: Presents fashion merchandise through evaluation of fashion products. Develops awareness of construction, as well as workmanship and design elements, such as fabric, color silhouette and taste. Lecture Hours: 3 Lab Hours: 0 Contact Hours: 3 Class Schedule: Spring 2025 | Summer 2025 | Fall 2025 | ||
| GRA 101 | Introduction to Graphic Arts Technology | 3 |
Description: Provides students an overview of past, present and future graphic arts processes including graphic applications for design/layout, imaging, photography, prepress, print and finishing. Direction is provided on occupations in the Graphic Arts industry and the use of digital applications related to producing print materials. Provides a hands-on understanding of desktop publishing software through lab and lecture. Lecture Hours: 2 Lab Hours: 2 Contact Hours: 4 Class Schedule: Spring 2025 | Summer 2025 | Fall 2025 | ||
| MGT 111 | Introduction to Business Organization | 3 |
Description: Introduces the nature of business and the environment in which it operates. Forms of business ownership, introduction to operative and facilitating facets of business operation, management, marketing, accounting, statistics, business law, finance, investments, insurance and labor-management relations. Lecture Hours: 3 Lab Hours: 0 Contact Hours: 3 Class Schedule: Spring 2025 | Summer 2025 | Fall 2025 | ||
| Hours | 15 | |
Second Semester | ||
| ART 105 | Introduction to Visual Art | 3 |
Description: Introduces the visual arts with an emphasis on creating awareness of aesthetics, artistic concepts, media, theory and criticism. In addition, students will develop a critical understanding of art and build visual literacy. IAI F2 900 Lecture Hours: 3 Lab Hours: N/A Contact Hours: 3 Class Schedule: Spring 2025 | Summer 2025 | Fall 2025 | ||
| FAS 107 | Textiles I | 3 |
Description: Explores natural and manufactured fibers, their production, uses, and characteristics. Includes discussion of yarns, fabrics, finishes, design methods, aesthetic applications, and ordering specifications. Emphasizes traditional techniques as well as advancements in technology utilized in the textile industry. Lecture Hours: 1 Lab Hours: 4 Contact Hours: 5 Class Schedule: Spring 2025 | Summer 2025 | Fall 2025 | ||
| MGT 150 | Business Math 1 | 3 |
Description: Introduces arithmetic as a tool of business. Topics include fractions, decimals and percentages, computations of interest, bank discounts, depreciation, commissions, compound interest, payrolls and taxes and graph and chart design. Lecture Hours: 3 Lab Hours: 0 Contact Hours: 3 Class Schedule: Spring 2025 | Summer 2025 | Fall 2025 | ||
| MKT 106 | Retail Merchandising | 3 |
Description: Focuses upon the merchandising activities related to hardlines, apparel and other softline merchandise. Examines the role and qualifications of the buyer and the influence of consumer preference. Includes budgeting by dollars and assortment, pricing strategy, managing assortments, the selection and promotion of merchandise, and the coordinator of merchandising functions and processes. Lecture Hours: 3 Lab Hours: 0 Contact Hours: 3 Class Schedule: Spring 2025 | Summer 2025 | Fall 2025 | ||
| PSY 101 | Introduction to Psychology + | 3 |
Description: Investigates human and animal behavior with an emphasis on the scientific nature of contemporary and classic psychological investigation. Emphasizes psychological theories, principles, and research applications. Introduces the divisions of the American Psychological Association. References biological processes, sensation, perception, learning, memory, thinking, emotional life, mental disorders, intelligence, aptitude, personality, development daily life and everyday problems. IAI S6 900 Lecture Hours: 3 Lab Hours: 0 Contact Hours: 3 Class Schedule: Spring 2025 | Summer 2025 | Fall 2025 | ||
| Hours | 15 | |
Third Semester | ||
| FAS 212 | Visual Fashion Merchandising | 3 |
Description: Studies the communication of design and methods of interpreting consumer needs and motivations. Explores the techniques of educating the consumer and promoting good design through visual display methods. Prerequisite: FAS 112 with a grade of C or better. Lecture Hours: 1 Lab Hours: 4 Contact Hours: 5 Class Schedule: Spring 2025 | Summer 2025 | Fall 2025 | ||
| FAS 220 | Apparel Analysis | 3 |
Description: Analyzes construction standards and techniques used in the ready to wear market at various prices and quality levels. Emphasizes standard terminology necessary to describe and evaluate apparel. Basic sewing and research serves as a foundation for garment classifications, assembly and production. Prerequisite: FAS 107. Lecture Hours: 1 Lab Hours: 4 Contact Hours: 5 Class Schedule: Spring 2025 | Summer 2025 | Fall 2025 | ||
| FAS 230 | Fashion Forecasting | 3 |
Description: Focuses on the social, economic, political and psychological forces that influence fashion. Research, recognize, and analyze predictive lifestyle and business trends that affect retail merchandising and marketing decisions. Introduces methods of forecasting fashion trends.Communicates and presents the forecast through creation of industry-based presentation material using current digital software. Prerequisite: GRA 101 with a grade of C or better. Lecture Hours: 1 Lab Hours: 4 Contact Hours: 5 Class Schedule: Spring 2025 | Summer 2025 | Fall 2025 | ||
| MKT 140 | Principles of Professional Selling | 3 |
Description: Focuses upon the principal factors of successful selling of goods or ideas. Examines buying motives, sales psychology, customer approach and sales techniques. Lecture Hours: 3 Lab Hours: 0 Contact Hours: 3 Class Schedule: Spring 2025 | Summer 2025 | Fall 2025 | ||
| SPE 101 | Fundamentals of Speech Communication | 3 |
Description: Theory and practice of oral communications. Development of poise, confidence and skill in speech organization and delivery. Emphasis on frequent speaking, development of standards of criticism and selection and organization of material. IAI C2 900 Lecture Hours: 3 Lab Hours: N/A Contact Hours: 3 Class Schedule: Spring 2025 | Summer 2025 | Fall 2025 | ||
| Hours | 15 | |
Fourth Semester | ||
| FAS 116 | Fashion Industries Career Practicum and Seminar | 3 |
Description: Studies an overview of career and employment possibilities in the fashion businesses and industries. Places emphasis on individual career path selections through interest testing and career counseling. (NOTE: Concurrent employment of ten hours or more in a fashion related field is required. Contact program coordinator for additional information.) Lecture Hours: 1 Lab Hours: N/A Contact Hours: 11 Class Schedule: Spring 2025 | Summer 2025 | Fall 2025 | ||
| FAS 225 | Global Sourcing of Apparel and Textiles | 3 |
Description: Defines global sourcing and provides an understanding of why and how companies participate in it. Explains how and where manufactured goods or components will be procured. Teaches that in today’s global softgoods industry, sourcing has become a major competitive strategy for both manufacturers and retailers. Lecture Hours: 1 Lab Hours: 4 Contact Hours: 5 Class Schedule: Spring 2025 | Summer 2025 | Fall 2025 | ||
| FAS 229 | Promotion of Fashion | 3 |
Description: Introduces various techniques and methods to sell fashion. Helps to synthesize a number of skills such as critical and creative thinking, negotiating, teamwork, delegating and communication skills. Students will gain recognition and be responsible for team effort that is involved in the production of a fashion show. Lecture Hours: 1 Lab Hours: 4 Contact Hours: 5 Class Schedule: Spring 2025 | Summer 2025 | Fall 2025 | ||
| MKT 245 | Principles of Marketing | 3 |
Description: Focuses on marketing activities that will cover product planning, pricing strategies and promotional efforts including advertising, selling and sales promotions and distribution channel effectiveness. Lecture Hours: 3 Lab Hours: 0 Contact Hours: 3 Class Schedule: Spring 2025 | Summer 2025 | Fall 2025 | ||
| Social and Behavioral Science 2 | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 60 | |
This course meets the World Culture and Diversity graduation requirement.
The mathematics requirement for this degree can be met with MGT150 (Business Math) or Math Competency. See Math Competency options for information. Students who use Math Competency to meet the mathematics requirement must complete an additional three credit-hour AAS General Education elective. See full list of AAS General Education Electives.
See full list of AAS General Education Electives.
Students who successfully complete this program will be able to:
Students interested in fashion merchandising may also be interested in:
For more information about the Fashion Merchandising Degree program, contact Admission Outreach at 847.925.6700, or submit a request information form. You can also apply online.