Merchandising

In the Eskenazi School at IUB, Merchandising is where creative vision meets analytical precision! Merchandising prepares students for careers in buying, planning, allocation, product development, digital merchandising, social media, wholesale showroom, and store management in the rapidly emerging retail, fashion, and service industries. The Merchandising program offers an innovative and relevant curriculum that promotes both creativity and analytical skills while providing a solid foundation of industry knowledge. Students learn concepts of materials, manufacturing, buying and selling, creating a business plan, consumer behavior, and international markets. Students explore merchandising through various channels including digital technology, omnichannel innovation, retail analytics, product development, sourcing, branding, consumer engagement, and sustainability. Students will be career-ready in a liberal arts setting that engages them in the arts, humanities, and sciences.

Students can choose from two concentrations: Digital Merchandising, where they build digital competency and learn to make data-driven decisions in a dynamic, information-rich and social media-driven retailing environment; and/or Product Development, which immerses students in the foundations of global manufacturing and introduces the complexity of the product development cycle from initial idea to final sale. To supplement the major courses, Merchandising majors must also complete one of the following: a Kelley School of Business minor, the minor in Fashion Design, or another minor approved by the SoAAD Director of Undergraduate Studies with popular options being Fashion Media and Media and Creative Advertising.

For more information about this major and degree requirements visit the departmental website and the College of Arts and Sciences Academic Bulletin.