Retail & Merchandising

Courses

RMER 500 Retail Merchandising 3.0 Credits

This seminar course explores the omni-channel retail system. Through a series of case studies students will analyze and investigate past, current and future global retail strategies and trends. Such topics as brick-and-mortar retailing, retail data analytics, brand development and management, social media, online and digital retail shopping, buying and product development, supply chain management, visual merchandising, as well as customer service and sales will be introduced.

College/Department: Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit

RMER 510 Research Methods in Retail & Merchandising 4.0 Credits

This course provides students with a rigorous and comprehensive look into the skills and techniques required for conducting research and understanding their findings. Discussing the principles of research methods as they apply to merchandising, the course is divided into four sections: theory, practice, application and interpretation.

College/Department: Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit

RMER 520 Retail: Social and Cultural Issues 3.0 Credits

In this course students examine a multi-disciplinary approach to examining style change, bringing together theory from consumer studies, cultural studies, economics, sociology, psychology, and more. This course will discuss a wide range of contemporary case material, which provides practical examples of trend analysis and change.

College/Department: Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit

RMER 530 Retail Lifestyle Product Analytics 3.0 Credits

Retail and merchandising math and retail analytics will allow learners to investigate historical data, analyze it, and use critical thinking to create future buying decisions. Students will participate in retail buying simulation and use their findings using retail analytics to understand how retailers can define their product assortments and build a thriving consumer base.

College/Department: Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit

RMER 535 Retail Lifestyle Product Forecasting 3.0 Credits

Retail Lifestyle Product Forecasting is a course that will help adult learners understand how retailers predict the products that we purchase. Using the ideas of forecasting, analysis and popular culture, students will learn what retail businesses look for to obtain economic success.

College/Department: Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit

RMER 540 Retail Brand Storytelling 3.0 Credits

Students will read theoretical and conceptual ideologies surrounding the notions of fashion branding and how it has grown in merchandising. Through reading case studies, interviews, and self-reflective investigations, students will understand how retailers, designers, and fashion companies engage consumers through storytelling methods and designs.

College/Department: Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit

RMER 550 Retail Store Technology & Visual Display 3.0 Credits

This course focuses on translating the retail buy to the retail sales floor. Store merchandising & visual display strategies are investigated to meet the four customer motivations and optimize the sales and customer experience using proprietary trade technologies. There is a focus on the future store, creating "phygital" space and omni channel experience.

College/Department: Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit

RMER 560 Selling Techniques & Strategies 3.0 Credits

Taking a seminar approach, this course applies inquiry and interpretation of sales strategies as essential planning for a retail business. Students will examine various types of selling strategies and how they influence the retail environment.

College/Department: Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit

RMER 570 Retail Supply Chain Analysis 3.0 Credits

This course presents the concepts, practical tools, and support systems that are important to effective interaction with retail supply chains considering the lifestyle products of apparel, footwear, home goods and beauty. Strategic design and tactical and operational issues will be examined including retail and merchandising support technology such as CAD, PDM, PLM, RFID and EDI. Emerging concepts related to globally optimal decision-making will be emphasized.

College/Department: Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit

RMER 575 Globalization in Retail & Merchandising 3.0 Credits

This course will examine aspects of Retail Merchandising including brand communication, product design & development, retail models, store layout and visual merchandising, and product promotion within a specific region of the globe. Emphasis on social, cultural, historical and geographical variables will be measured, as well as ethical aspects and financial influences on foreign economies will be examined.

College/Department: Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit

RMER 580 Retail & Merchandising Seminar in Leadership 3.0 Credits

This course will be taught in a seminar format and feature talks from various leadership areas in the retail, merchandising, and lifestyle product areas. Topics will consider how managers and leaders must develop teams to understand corporate culture, retail management & analysis, product quality, customer service, human resources, merchandising strategies, and future goals.

College/Department: Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit

RMER 585 The Inclusive Retail Leader 4.0 Credits

This course will engage learners in diverse idea-generation approaches for retail management and how to apply them. Learners will shift away from linear retail leadership thinking and engage in the process of creativity. Learning activities will also explore how creativity and motivation drive this development. An inclusive retail leader needs to understand the importance of professional relationships, networking, and how to establish and manage a local and global workforce.

College/Department: Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit

RMER 600 Retail Futures 3.0 Credits

This course addresses the new forces in retailing and the related disruptions, challenges and opportunities. Through research, in-depth analysis, and discussion, these topics will be assessed and the related impact on this critical sector of business in most developed as well as emerging economies will be measured.

College/Department: Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit

RMER 697 Research & Data Collection 3.0 Credits

This rigorous course is designed to develop understanding and experience in empirical research in order to build and design a final project or thesis. Emphasis will be placed on data collection, organization, interpretation and presentation. Students will follow-up with their instructor through web-based platforms and will be required to turn-in reports and output for their project or thesis.

College/Department: Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Repeat Status: Can be repeated 2 times for 9 credits
Prerequisites: RMER 500 [Min Grade: B] and RMER 510 [Min Grade: B]

RMER 698 Project/Research Thesis 4.0 Credits

This final course will build the student’s concentrated coursework producing a finalized project or thesis (such as a publishable academic journal article) synthesizing an area of Retail & Merchandising based upon their specific research and data collection. Students will be responsible for working with their course professor on the final outcome that documents the proposal, base research and conclusions.

College/Department: Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Repeat Status: Can be repeated 3 times for 16 credits
Prerequisites: RMER 500 [Min Grade: B] and RMER 510 [Min Grade: B]

RMER I599 Independent Study in Retail & Merchandising 0.5-12.0 Credits

Self-directed within the area of study requiring intermittent consultation with a designated instructor.

College/Department: Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Repeat Status: Can be repeated 3 times for 48 credits

RMER T580 Special Topics in Retail & Merchandising 0.0-12.0 Credits

Topics decided upon by faculty will vary within the area of study.

College/Department: Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Repeat Status: Can be repeated 6 times for 84 credits

RMER T680 Special Topics in Retail & Merchandising 0.0-12.0 Credits

Topics decided upon by faculty will vary within the area of study.

College/Department: Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Repeat Status: Can be repeated 6 times for 84 credits