Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Merchandising

1. Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Merchandising

2. Program Overview The University of Akron’s Bachelor of Arts Degree Program in Fashion Merchandising prepares students for careers in the fashion and furnishings industries. This unique program offers students a choice of three specializations and also enables students to apply an associate degree toward a baccalaureate degree.

3. Specialization Tracks • Apparel Track • Students concentrate on the development, promotion, and merchandising of apparel products • Home Furnishings Track • Students combine knowledge of the interior design process with merchandising skills geared toward the home furnishings market • Fiber Arts Track • Students focus on textiles as an art form in order to develop careers in the rapidly growing field of fiber arts.

4. Apparel Track • Classes: • Principles of Apparel Design • Fashion & Furnishings Industries • Fundamentals of Construction • Dress and Culture • Textile Evaluation • Textiles for Apparel • Strategic Merchandise Planning • History of Fashion • Fashion Analysis • Internship • Apparel, Home Furnishings, and Fiber Arts Electives

5. Home Furnishings Track • Classes: • Introduction to Interior Design • Family Housing • Interior Design Theory • Programming and Space Planning • Specifications for Interiors I & II • Strategic Merchandise Planning • History of Interior Design I & II • Fashion Analysis • Textiles for Interiors • Internship • Apparel, Home Furnishings or Fiber Arts Elective

6. Fiber Arts Track • Classes: • Principles of Apparel Design or Intro to Interior Design • Textile Evaluation • Seminar in Fiber Arts • Historic Costume or History of Interior Design I & II • Strategic Merchandise Planning • Textiles of Apparel or Textiles of Interiors • Internship • Apparel, Home Furnishings or Fiber Arts Electives

7. Internships Students complete a required internship Internships are tailored to individual interests Internships include 150 hours of on-site training dispersed over 10 weeks Kelly in New York at Marie Claire

8. Internships Students have the option of choosing an internship site close to school, close to home, or in an exciting new location Lauren at Saks Fifth Avenue

9. Internships Internships provide an opportunity for students to gain valuable real-world experience and network with professionals in their field. Students may even receive job offers as a result of their internships. Trina at Stitch Piece & Purl

10. Lucky Shoes BCBG Max Azria Saks Fifth Avenue Victoria’s Secret Abbott’s Bridal Doreen Leaf Designs Gucci Los Angeles Sanity Boutique Clinique Obsess Boutique Cincinnati InternshipsUniversity of Akron students have completed internships locally, nationally, and internationally including: • Ralph Lauren, • Los Angeles • Cosmo Girl, • London, England • Vera Wang • Nordstrom • Cleveland and Kansas City • JoAnn Fabrics • Marie Claire • New York

11. Katie Simmons interned with Misti Alpaca, Peru Internships

12. Internships Katie steaming dresses for a fashion shoot and knitting with Peruvian women

13. Fashion Interns in London

14. Students have completed fiber arts internships with a variety of companies including: Soho Publishing New York Bagsmith Cleveland, Ohio Tahki-Stacy Charles New York Cestari, Ltd. Churchville, Virginia Tanglewood Fiber Creations St. Helens, Oregon Pick-up Sticks Oakland, CA Coats and Clark Charlotte, NC Westminster Fibers Nashua, New Hampshire CNS Yarns Montreal, Canada Classic Elite Yarns Lowell, Massachusetts

15. Program Resources • Textiles Lab

16. Program Resources • Historic Costume Collection

17. Program Resources • Clothing Construction Lab • with Bernina Sewing Machines

18. Fashion Merchandising Travel • New York City

19. Fashion Merchandising Travel London

20. Fashion Merchandising Travel Italy

21. Program Resources • Class Size • 15-30 students per class • Faculty Advisors • Business Classes taught by the College of Business Administration or Summit College with the opportunity to expand electives into minors in marketing/sales technology within the required hours to graduation • Family and Consumer Sciences Computer Lab

22. Why should you choose The University of Akron’s Fashion Merchandising Program? Smaller class formats that offer individual attention A comprehensive textile curriculum for excellent product knowledge A flexible electives component that allows you to earn a minor within the required 130 credit hours Experienced, full-time faculty teach all major courses Average an 80-85% graduation rate

23. Student Fashion Association The Student Fashion Association is a student organization designed to supplement the students’ academic experiences. Activities include: • Student Run Fashion Show • Field Trips • Guest lectures by visiting professionals • Service Projects

24. SFA Fashion Shows

25. SFA Fashion Shows

26. SFA Fashion Shows

27. Graduate Program • Students have the opportunity to continue their studies in a graduate program that specializes in the historic/cultural aspects of fashion and design.

28. For More Information • Contact Us: • Clothing, Textiles and Interiors The School of Family & Consumer Sciences 215 Shrank South Akron, OH 44325-6103 330-972-7721 www.uakron.edu/fcs SchoolofFCS@uakron.edu