Merchandising, BS with grad track option leading to Merchandising, MS

The grad pathway leading toward an MS with a major in merchandising offers students an opportunity to earn first a Bachelor of Science then a Master of Science degree in a shorter time period and at less cost. Exceptional students in the Department of Merchandising and Digital Retailing can obtain degrees in an expedited time frame. The grad pathway is intended for selected students as preparation to pursue career goals or for preparation to pursue a doctoral degree.

Admission requirements and program policies

Admission requirements

Students seeking admission to the pathways graduate program apply both to the program area and to the graduate school for conditional admission. An applicant must have successfully completed 75 or more credit hours of their bachelor’s degree program with an overall GPA of at least 3.5 before applying.

Program policies

Students conditionally admitted to the graduate school will start taking pathways courses after completion of at least 90 credit hours of course work toward the bachelor’s degree program. Students must complete the bachelor’s degree within one academic year of their first pathways course in order to have the graduate course credits transferred to their graduate plan of study.

Students who satisfy all requirements for the undergraduate degrees and who successfully complete the graduate courses required by the grad track pathway curriculum receive unconditional admission to the graduate degree program.

Grad track pathway applicants must receive approval from their undergraduate advisor and the graduate pathways program from which they seek admission to ensure that the graduate pathways courses satisfy degree requirements for the bachelor’s degree programs prior to admission to a grad track pathway.

Program requirements

Students may select up to 12 hours from the following courses, which are all 3 credits. A maximum of 6 hours may be taken from courses marked with (*).

CMHT 5000 - Global Discovery in Merchandising and Hospitality Management*
CMHT 5100 - Introduction to Research in Merchandising and Hospitality
CMHT 5300 - Research Methods in Merchandising and Hospitality Management
CMHT 5440 - Consumer Theory
CMHT 5550 - Promotional Strategies
CMHT 5600 - Managing Customer Experiences
MDSE 5090 - Digital Merchandising*
MDSE 5510 - Advanced Buying, Planning and Allocation*
MDSE 5560 - Sustainable Strategies in Merchandising*
MDSE 5650 - International Sourcing
MDSE 5660 - Advanced Merchandising Applications*
MDSE 5850 - Brand Development*

All remaining courses for the Merchandising with a concentration in Fashion Merchandising, BS or Merchandising with a concentration in Furnishings and Décor, BS must be completed.