Retail & Merchandising
Major: Retail & Merchandising
Degree Awarded: Master of Science (MS)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits: 45.0
Co-op Option: None
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 52.0212
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 41-1011
About the Program
The MS in Retail & Merchandising is designed for early to mid-career professionals in retail and merchandising and for those who are looking to make a career change into the industry. Students will develop advanced skills to think critically, consider theoretical perspectives, research and solve problems, and implement innovative solutions in a dynamic global marketplace inclusive of lifestyle areas such as home, beauty and personal care, health and wellness, prepared foods, and pet products.
The two-year program is structured with a year of core curriculum followed by a year of in-depth research, data collection, and completion of a project or thesis. Program content will challenge and engross students in the areas of analytical and critical-thinking, retail data analysis, visual and retail communication, technological movements, social media, and merchandising and retail “future” strategies through academic and applied learning online and in the field. Graduates will pursue leadership roles and career growth in the areas of retail, merchandising, supply-chain, and brand industries.
Admission Requirements
- A bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution, with a GPA of 3.0 or above, GRE test scores may be required for applicants with less than a 3.0 cumulative undergraduate GPA.
- A completed application
- Official transcripts from all universities or colleges and other post-secondary educational institutions (including trade schools) attended
- Two letters of recommendation (professional references preferred)
- Personal statement (500 words) that addresses:
- Why do you want to pursue a graduate degree in retail & merchandising at Drexel?
- What do you consider to be the most important problem facing the retail industry today, and how will it affect the industry you will manage in the future?
- What are the short-term and long-term plans for your career in the retail industry, and how will a degree in retail & merchandising at Drexel further those objectives?
Degree Requirements
| Core Requirements | ||
| RMER 500 | Retail Merchandising | 3.0 |
| RMER 510 | Research Methods in Retail & Merchandising | 4.0 |
| RMER 520 | Retail: Social and Cultural Issues | 3.0 |
| RMER 530 | Omni-Channel Product Promotion & Retail Analytics | 3.0 |
| RMER 580 | Retail & Merchandising Seminar in Leadership | 3.0 |
| RMER 540 | Brand Management & Intellectual Property | 3.0 |
| RMER 550 | Merchandising Technologies | 3.0 |
| RMER 560 | Selling Techniques & Strategies | 3.0 |
| RMER 570 | Retail Supply Chain Analysis | 3.0 |
| RMER 600 | Retail Futures | 3.0 |
| RMER 697 | Research & Data Collection | 6.0 |
| RMER 698 | Project/Research Thesis | 8.0 |
| Total Credits | 45.0 | |
Sample Plan of Study
| First Year | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| RMER 500 | 3.0 | RMER 520 | 3.0 | RMER 540 | 3.0 | RMER 560 | 3.0 |
| RMER 510 | 4.0 | RMER 530 | 3.0 | RMER 550 | 3.0 | RMER 570 | 3.0 |
| 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | ||||
| Second Year | |||||||
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| RMER 600 | 3.0 | RMER 697 | 3.0 | RMER 697 | 3.0 | ||
| RMER 580 | 3.0 | RMER 698 | 4.0 | RMER 698 | 4.0 | ||
| 6 | 7 | 7 | |||||
| Total Credits 45 | |||||||
