B.S. in Fashion Merchandising

Major Requirements

Credit and GPA Requirements

Course Descriptions

FM 10 Introduction to the Fashion Industry
This course explores the relationship of the fashion industry to society and consumer demand. It includes fashion history development, a survey of select fashion industries, fashion design, apparel manufacturing, textile marketing, fashion merchandising, and accessory marketing in a global marketplace.
Credits: 3
Every Fall

FM 12 Business of Fashion Merchandising
This course covers the business side of the fashion industry. It provides students with realistic information about the evolving landscape of the retailing and apparel merchandise industries. Whether working for a fashion brand or starting a business in fashion, this course explores how a line is created from the research and design stage to the marketing, sourcing, production and distribution stage. It provides insight on how the industry is organized, how apparel and accessory companies operate, and how they are affected by changing technology and globalization. To engage students with real world application, the course meets regularly in The Student Body Boutique. Further to this, the course will include periodic excursions to trade shows, visits to vendors and showrooms.
Credits: 3
Every Spring

FM 14 Math for Merchandising
This course develops the mathematical and EXCEL skills for individuals who will be directly or indirectly involved in the activities of merchandising and buying for a fashion company or at the retail level. This course explains the essential concepts, practices, procedures, formulas, calculations, and interpretations of figures that relate to producing profitable buying and selling operations. At the same time, this course uses real world examples often modeled using EXCEL that reflect current industry practices and trends, so students are prepared for merchandising careers.
Credits: 3
Every Fall and Spring

FM 20 Buying for the Fashion Industry
This course provides students with the skills and savvy needed to become effective buyers in any area of retail. Typical buying tasks, such as identifying and understanding potential customers, creating a six-month merchandising plan, and developing sales forecasts, will be discussed in the context of current business automated software. Additional topics will include the coverage of important retailing trends and technological advances, including social responsibility, sustainability, fast fashion, and the use of new media and social networking. This course will meet periodically in The Student Body to engage course concepts in a retail environment and on occasion work with the buying team at an actual trade show.
Pre requisites: FM 10 and FM 14
Credits: 3
Every Spring

FM 24 Fashion Trend Forecasting
Fashion trend analysis and forecasting is vital to product and brand development. Through trend analysis and forecasting using current industry forecasting service software, students gain an understanding of how consumers and industry serve as product developers, gatekeepers and promoters of fashion. This course explores the roles of how fashion consumption impacts the environment and economic development. It looks at how socio-cultural changes, social responsibility and the digital consumer affect fashion trends. An ideal mix of creativity and professionalism are employed toward course deliverables including trend boards and associated presentations - always popular with students.
A pre requisite of FM 10 and FM 12 is required.
Credits: 3
Every Spring

FM 25 Brand Management
Students will develop core skills needed towards understanding, crafting, measuring, and managing brand strategies across a variety of industries, such as fashion, sports, and entertainment. The course draws on marketing, sociological, psychological, and technological theories of consumer behavior and culture and examines branding as a co-creation of consumers, marketers, and culture. The course objectives are to: 1) design effective brand identities and value propositions as part of overall business strategy; 2) develop brand-building and licensing programs (including associated legal issues); 3) apply brand licensing and creative elements for effective branding; 4) license key brands to expand retail channels internationally; and 5) leverage digital technologies, such as social media marketing, to promote branding and licensing programs.
Prerequisite of MKT 11 is required.
Credits: 3
Every Fall and Spring

FM 26 Importing and Exporting
A global industry for sourcing, the fashion industry must take advantage of low-cost producing countries and their respective manufacturing. However, international trade is a necessity in order to grow and generate profits. The U.S. export-import trade policies/ procedures, current trends and key trade relationships are covered in this course. Students will become skilled in what research, resources and analysis skills come into play in order to decide whether to export or import and then how global trade issues affect the textile and apparel industries.
A pre requisite of FM 10, FM 12, and FM 14 is required.
Credits: 3
Every Fall

FM 30 Advertising and Promotion in the Fashion Industry
This course introduces the various principles and methods of advertising and promotion used by producers, manufacturers, designers, and retailers in the fashion industry. Students will analyze how marketing objectives and strategies influence advertising and other forms of promotion.
A pre requisite of FM 10, and FM 12 is required.
Credits: 3
Every Fall

FM 32 Fashion Media
This course will successfully cover how Fashion Media marketing communicates the value of a brand’s product or service to their target customer.Presently, with the emergence of new media: eCommerce, social media, digital content, GPS, interactive media, and mobile apps, the marketing process is moving at light speed. Companies and marketers with this enhanced customer information must be prepared to engage dynamically. In this class, students will explore all facets of new media, through video tutorials, virtual and actual field trips, discussions, readings, and critical analysis. Special emphasis will be placed on current new media applications, activities and campaigns, using topical articles and case studies. Students will learn to identify and differentiate key media platforms and understand the pros and cons of each to effectively build targeted marketing strategies.
Credits: 3
Every Spring

FM 34 Special Events
Students will learn about a variety of special events and how to organize and manage them. Additionally, they will learn about special events history, rationale, goals and strategies, as well as the value of special events in a public relations strategy. The types of events to be discussed include fashion shows, tours of business facilities, conferences, openings, employee and customer recognition initiatives, product and services launches, community relations, sports promotions, fundraisers, galas, anniversary celebrations, and entertainment premieres. (Note that this course is cross-listed with PR 14) 
A pre requisite of FM 30 is required.
Credits: 3
On Occasion

FM 35 Computer Aided Design: CAD for Merchandising
This fundamental course introduces the basic two dimensional and three-dimensional graphic design software platform, known as Computer Aided Design (CAD). This tool can be used in various design and technical applications to enable designers to create and produce various design presentation products, such as visual display concepts, retail design, space planning, digital trend and concept boards, textile color developments, among other things. This course offers students the opportunity to upgrade their digital visual merchandising skills to industry standards and add an additional technical capability to their resumes.
Credits: 3
Every Spring

FM 39 Sustainability in Global Fashion
Sustainability has emerged as a central issue for contemporary societies and for the world community as a whole. Furthermore, many of the social and environmental concerns that are embodied in the term 'sustainability' are directly or indirectly related to design and the world of fast fashion. Sustainable fashion refers to fashion products that are manufactured, marketed and used in the most sustainable manner possible, taking into account both environmental and socioeconomic aspects. Designers help to define our human made environment- how it is produced, how it is used, and how long it endures. This course provides students an opportunity to acquire a foundational understanding of the scientific, political and social issues related to the design of resilient urban futures. The topic of sustainability in textile manufacture has been the subject of considerable research. In this course, we will also explore the textile industry from the perspective of social sustainability, shifting the focus from the materiality of textile production to the industry's relationships with the communities from which the products originate.
Credits: 3
Every Spring

FM 40 Fundamentals of Textiles
This course explores the science of textiles including information regarding fabric identification: fabric name, fiber content, yarn construction, count, coloration, finishes, weight, and list of characteristics. Students will learn the inherent performance properties and construction of fibers and yarns which are relevant for professionals in the fashion industry, such as product developers, stylists, buyers, designers, etc. This course brings together a wide variety of information enabling students to spend less time trying to connect the ideas and more time applying the concepts so they can make appropriate choices in textile selections for a product.
A pre requisite of FM 10 is required.
Credits: 3
Every Fall

FM 45 The Business of Fashion and Sports Event Planning
In this course we will cover the dynamics of event planning, integrating social media, marketing and public relations as well as project management. We will cover a broad rang of industries with an emphasis on sports and fashion organizations. Student will perform actual event planning in real time across fashion, sports and other disciplines.
Credits: 3
On Occasion

FM 50 Visual Merchandising and Display
This course will uncover the many techniques used in the visual merchandising industry. A hands-on approach is utilized whereby students design and construct interior displays. By the use of ingenuity and creative thinking, apparel items are employed to produce selling displays. Institutional and abstract concepts will be discussed and practiced. The language of the retail industry will also be used to explain and familiarize each student to this discipline. This course will also include possible on site retail visits and the awareness of store design. Discussions on digital retailing “Pop Up” shops and Brick and Mortar environs will be integrated within the information provided in this course.
A pre requisite of FM 10, and FM 12 is required.
Credits: 3
Every Fall and Spring

FM 56 Luxury Branding
Luxury has been both celebrated and condemned throughout history right up to the present day. In this course, we will examine luxury and its relationship with desire, status, consumption and economic value, exploring why luxury always triumphs in spite of the economy and world affairs. Brand strategy is the compass directing creative brand solutions. To this means, students will study the brand, its purpose and target audience, shop the market and analyze merchandising and marketing strategies to reveal insights and create meaningful brand ethos. We will take a look at case studies from the luxury sector such as like Chanel, LVMH and Tiffany, as well as luxury travel, retail store design, tech, beauty and accessories in exploring how the most successful luxury brands function and defining what luxury represents in the contemporary world. Explore old luxury and the democratization of modern affordable luxury with its criteria and strategy for today's consumer. The final project of the program results in a deliverable that responds to current trends in the luxury marketplace, culminating in a paper and professional presentation.
Credits: 3
Every Fall

FM 60 Fashion Law
From fashion start-ups to ongoing business, fashion professionals must be savvy regarding the legal decisions and regulatory developments that affect fashion companies. This course explores intellectual property protection, licensing, anti-counterfeiting and litigation. It also covers the legal aspects for start-ups, and commercial transactions in local, custom, and international settings. Just as importantly, students will learn about the legal challenges and caveats in fashion advertising, marketing and celebrity endorsements.
Pre requisites: FM 12; FM 25 or MKT 25
Credits: 3
Every Spring

FM 70 Fashion Entrepreneurship
Starting a business is a daunting task whether individuals want to open their own stores, sell their own products or establish their own brands. This course focuses on the ready-to-wear process so students can identify market opportunities and execute a business plan in a competitive retail environment. It examines how products are planned and developed. From the perspectives of consumers, manufacturers and retailers in a global context, students will look at the requirements and relationships needed to develop a plan, build a business, launch a brand and channel it to the ultimate consumer.
Credits: 3
On Occasion

FM 72 Fashion Style Writing
Clear, compelling and correct writing skills are essential for success in any field. A fashion writer is someone who writes journalism or copy relating to aspects of fashion and style. This course incorporates the construction of creative prose into the field of fashion with an emphasis on style. Features and copy for a variety of media including fashion magazines, advertising, trade publications, newspapers and increasingly online forums such as blogs and social media will be addressed. Ideas for source material will be identified in this course the same way as in the industry by attending fashion shows and collaborating with professionals to identify trends in the marketplace. Pitching articles, conducting interviews, and writing fashion features are some of the learning activities incorporated in this course.
A pre requisite of FM 10 and FM 12 is required.
Credits: 3
Every Spring

FM 87 Fashion Merchandising Internship
This internship opportunity permits students to supplement classroom instruction with real-world experience. After preparation of a resume for review by the faculty mentor, the student selects an appropriate internship geared to the individual student’s interests and abilities with the mentor. The student works approximately 120 hours per semester, with times arranged by the student and employer. Meetings with a faculty mentor, a journal, and periodic papers are required.
Pre requisites: FM 10, FM 12, and FM 14 and permission of the Program Director is required.
Credits: 3
On Demand

FM 88 Fashion Merchandising Engaged Learning
This course is designed for students to take advantage of working at the Student Body Boutique (one of LIU's Student Run Businesses). The student works approximately 40 hours per semester, with times arranged by the student and employer. Students will participate in engaged learning activities and work with a designated faculty mentor on appropriate deliverables to earn credit for the course. This is a one-credit course that can be repeated up to three times for a total of up to three credits upon approval of the Director.
Credits: 1
On Demand

FM 92 Capstone
The Capstone Project, a culminating project, integrates experience, knowledge and skills acquired and developed during the course of study. This project reflects the many ways fashion merchandisers connect with business information, media, communication professionals, and valuable assets within the fashion, textile and luxury sectors. Students will develop a Fashion Start up Entrepreneurial Venture by analyzing their target market, competition and brand, culminating in a comprehensive plan that will include a mission statement, company name, product description, design/renderings, SWOT analysis, samples, merchandising plan, timeline, media and marketing strategy, and a pitch. The final work can be used to demonstrate to future employers and other interested parties your skills and aptitude for similar independent external work assignments. A written and oral presentation will be required. Pre req: Senior status with a GPA of 2.00 or program director permission is required.
Credits: 3
Every Fall and Spring