Fashion Industry & Merchandising BS / Design MS

Major: Fashion Industry & Merchandising and Design
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Science (BS) and Master of Science (MS)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits: 229.0
Co-op Options: One Co-op (Five years)

 

About the Program

Only available to Fashion Industry & Merchandising majors, this accelerated dual degree program combines study in the areas of fashion retail merchandising, buying, and product development with the MS in Design degree. The program is designed to allow students to complete both the bachelor's degree and the MS in Design degree in five years.


The interdisciplinary Master’s program is ideal for design thinkers eager to create solutions for important real-world problems and focuses on providing a forum for students to pursue paths of inquiry and investigation within design, technology, social impact, community, environmental design, and health.

Additional Information

Students should visit the Westphal College of Media Arts and Design for more information.

Admission Requirements

Undergraduate baccalaureate degree in or related to design with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 (B) for undergraduate work.

Applying to the Master's degree

Must Apply between 90-120 Credits

Academic Experience: You must have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 in your major.

Essay: Please write approximately 500 words explaining your reasons for pursuing the MS in Design degree from Drexel; your short-term and long-term career plans; and how your background, experience, interest, and/or values, when combined with a Drexel degree, will enable you to pursue these goals successfully. Submit to Program Director.

Résumé: Please submit a resume electronically. Submit to Program Director.

Letters of Recommendation: Two letters of recommendation are required. Submit to Program Director. Additionally, it is your responsibility to confirm that your recommenders will submit letters by your application deadline and follow up with recommenders who have not completed their recommendations.

Degree Requirements

General Education Requirements
ENGL 101Composition and Rhetoric I: Inquiry and Exploratory Research3.0
or ENGL 111 English Composition I
ENGL 102Composition and Rhetoric II: Advanced Research and Evidence-Based Writing3.0
or ENGL 112 English Composition II
ENGL 103Composition and Rhetoric III: Themes and Genres3.0
or ENGL 113 English Composition III
ENVS 160Environment in the News2.0
ENVS 260Environmental Science and Society3.0
GEO 111Natural Disasters3.0
MATH 119Mathematical Foundations for Design4.0
CIVC 101Introduction to Civic Engagement1.0
COOP 101Career Management and Professional Development1.0
UNIV A101The Drexel Experience1.0
Required Arts and Humanities
COM 220Qualitative Research Methods3.0
COM 230Techniques of Speaking3.0
Arts and Humanities elective
Select 3.0 credits from the following 100-400 level courses (including T380 and T480): *3.0
Any AFAS (Africana Studies)
Any (ARTH) Art History
Any ARCH (Architecture)
Any COM (Communications)
Any DANC (Dance)
Any ENGL (English)
Any FMST (Film Studies)
Any GST (Global Studies)
Any HIST (History)
Any INTR (Interior Design)
Any IST (Internatitonal Studies)
Any JWST (Jewish Studies)
Any LANG (Language)
Any MENA (Middle East & North Africa Studies)
Any MUSC (Music)
Any PHIL (Philosophy)
Any PHTO (Photography)
Any PPE (Philosophy, Politics and Economics)
Any PBHL (Public Health)
Any RELS (Religious Studies)
Any SCRP (Screenwriting & Playwriting)
Any THTR (Theater)
Any TVST (Television Studies)
Any VSCM (Graphic Design)
Any WGST (Women's and Gender Studies)
Any WRIT (Writing)
Social Science electives
Select 9.0 credits from the following 100-400 level courses (including T380 and T480): **9.0
Any AFAS (Africana Studies)
Any ANTH (Anthropology)
Any CJS (Criminology and Justice Studies)
Any CS (Computer Science)
Any ECON (Economics)
Any ENSS (Environmental Studies & Sustainability)
Any ENVS (Environmental Science)
Any PSY (Psychology)
Any PBHL (Public Health)
Any SOC (Sociology)
Any WGST (Women's and Gender Studies)
Art History & Visual Studies Requirements:
ARTH 103History of Art III3.0
Select two of the following:6.0
Asian Art and Culture
Art of India
Art of China
Art of Japan
Contemporary Art
History of African-American Art
African Art
Global Material Culture
Special Topics in Art History
Special Topics in Art History
PHTO 110Photography3.0
VSST 101Design I4.0
VSST 102Design II4.0
VSST 103Design III4.0
VSST 110Introductory Drawing3.0
Professional Requirements
ACCT 110Accounting for Professionals4.0
ARTH 335 [WI] History of Costume I: Preclassical to 18003.0
or FASH 335 History of Costume I: Preclassical to 1800
or ARTH 336 History of Costume II: 1800-1920
or FASH 336 History of Costume II: 1800-1920
or ARTH 337 History of Costume III: 1920 to Present
or FASH 337 History of Costume III: 1920 to Present
or ARTH T380 Special Topics in Art History
or ARTH T480 Special Topics in Art History
COM 181Public Relations Principles and Theory3.0
DSMR 100Computer Imaging I3.0
DSMR 103Introduction to the Fashion Industry 3.0
DSMR 201Analysis of Product3.0
DSMR 210Presentation Techniques for the Fashion Industry3.0
DSMR 211Digital Design for the Fashion Industry3.0
DSMR 215Digital Commerce & Promotion3.0
DSMR 230Textiles for the Fashion Industry3.0
DSMR 231Retail Operations3.0
DSMR 232Merchandise Planning and Buying4.0
DSMR 300Fashion Industry & Merchandising Trends and Impact3.0
DSMR 310Merchandising Operations & Management3.0
DSMR 311Visual Merchandising3.0
DSMR 333Fashion Product Development and Sourcing3.0
DSMR 464Merchandising Analytics 3.0
DSMR 477 [WI] Fashion Industry & Merchandising Seminar3.0
DSMR 496 [WI] Senior Problem in the Fashion Industry3.0
ECON 201Principles of Microeconomics4.0
ENTP 105Entrepreneurial Thinking3.0
or ENTP 201 The Starter's Toolkit
or ENTP 205 Ready, Set, Fail
or ENTP 270 Social Entrepreneurship
MKTG 201Introduction to Marketing Management4.0
Select one of the following:4.0
Selling and Sales Management
Marketing Insights
Professional Personal Selling
Consumer Behavior
Brand and Reputation Management
PHIL 301Business Ethics3.0
PROD 215Design Thinking in Product Design4.0
Career Pathway Electives***31.0
DSGN-MS REQUIREMENTS
DSRE 620Design Problem Solving3.0
DSRE 625Technologies of Making3.0
DSRE 630Data Visualization for Design Professionals3.0
DSRE 635Translational Design Research3.0
DSRE 641Contemporary Design Theory3.0
DSRE 645Design Research Thesis Proposal3.0
DSRE 650Thesis Research and Practicum3.0
DSRE 750Thesis in Design Research I3.0
DSRE 760Thesis in Design Research II3.0
DSRE 770Thesis in Design Research III3.0
Design History or Research Option 3.0
History of Modern Design
Research Methods in Communication, Culture and Media
Research Methods and Assessment of Creative and Innovative Thinking
Research Methods I
Contemporary Art Issues
Electives
Select 15.0 credits from the following 500-600 level courses (including I599, I699, T580, T680):15.0
Any AS-I (Arts & Sciences-Interdisciplinary Studies)
Any CRTV (Creativity Studies)
Any DIGM (Digital Media)
Any DSRE (Design Research)
Any ENTP ( Entrepreneurship and Innovation)
Any ENVS (Environmental Science)
Any EPI (Epidemiology)
Any FASH (Fashion Design)
Any UXID (User Experience)
Any INFO (Information Science & Systems)
Any PBHL (Public Health)
Any RMER (Retail Merchandising)
Total Credits229.0
*

Recommended courses areENGL 303,ENGL 335HIST 163

**

Recommended courses are AFAS 301, PSY 150, WGST 324, SOC 210, SOC 215, SOC 220, SOC 230, SOC 240

***

Career Pathway electives enable students to pursue specific areas of study which compliment the Design & Merchandising major and the student's desired career pathway.

Suggested Career Pathway Electives: ENTP 205,ENTP 209,ENTP 250ENTP 375,DSMR 485.

or other course with advisor approval

Writing-Intensive Course Requirements

In order to graduate, all students must pass three writing-intensive courses after their freshman year. Two writing-intensive courses must be in a student's major. The third can be in any discipline. Students are advised to take one writing-intensive class each year, beginning with the sophomore year, and to avoid “clustering” these courses near the end of their matriculation. Transfer students need to meet with an academic advisor to review the number of writing-intensive courses required to graduate.

A "WI" next to a course in this catalog may indicate that this course can fulfill a writing-intensive requirement. For the most up-to-date list of writing-intensive courses being offered, students should check the Writing Intensive Course List at the University Writing Program. Students scheduling their courses can also conduct a search for courses with the attribute "WI" to bring up a list of all writing-intensive courses available that term.

Sample Plan of Study

Fall/Winter Co-op (Cycle A)

First Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
DSMR 1033.0DSMR 1003.0CIVC 1011.0VACATION
ENGL 101 or 1113.0DSMR 2303.0DSMR 2013.0 
ENVS 2603.0ENGL 102 or 1123.0ENGL 103 or 1133.0 
UNIV A1011.0GEO 1113.0ENVS 1602.0 
VSST 1103.0VSST 1024.0MATH 1194.0 
VSST 1014.0 VSST 1034.0 
 17 16 17 0
Second Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
ACCT 1104.0COOP 101*1.0ARTH 103, DSMR 215, or ENTP 1053.0COM 181, ARTH 103, or ENTP 1053.0
COM 230 (or Social Science Elective)3.0DSMR 210 or 2113.0DSMR 210 or PHTO 1103.0DSMR 3113.0
DSMR 211 or PHTO 1103.0DSMR 215, COM 181, or COM 2303.0DSMR 232, ECON 201, or MKTG 2014.0DSMR 477**3.0
DSMR 231 (or Art History Elective)3.0DSMR 232 or 2314.0DSMR 3103.0PHTO 110 (or Career Pathway Elective)3.0
ENTP 105, 201, 205, or 2703.0ECON 201 or MKTG 2014.0DSMR 3333.0(UG) Career Pathway Elective3.0
 (UG) Social Science Elective3.0 (UG) Social Science Elective3.0
 16 18 16 18
Third Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
COOP EXPERIENCECOOP EXPERIENCEDSMR 300 (or Art History Elective)3.0COM 220***3.0
  PHIL 301 (or Career Pathway Elective)3.0DSMR 300 (or Art History Elective)3.0
  (UG) Career Pathway Elective3.0PROD 215***4.0
  (UG) Marketing Choice or Career Pathway Elective4.0(UG) Arts and Humanities Elective3.0
 0 0 13 13
Fourth Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
ARTH 335, FASH 335, ARTH 336, FASH 336, ARTH 337, FASH 337, ARTH T380, or ARTH T4803.0DSMR 464 or 4963.0PHIL 301 (or Career Elective)3.0Student Converts to Graduate Status
DSMR 496 or 4643.0(UG) Art History Elective 3.0(UG) Career Pathway Electives6.0 
(UG) Career Pathway Elective or Marketing Choice4.0(UG) Career Pathway Electives6.0(UG) Social Science Elective3.0 
(UG) Career Pathway Elective3.0DSRE 6303.0DSRE 6453.0 
DSRE 6203.0   
 16 15 15 0
Fifth Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCredits 
DSRE 6253.0DSRE 6353.0DSRE 6413.0 
DSRE 7503.0DSRE 7603.0DSRE 6503.0 
(GR) Design History or Research Option3.0 (GR) Electives6.0DSRE 7703.0 
(GR) Electives6.0  (GR) Elective3.0 
 15 12 12 
Total Credits 229
*

Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major. 

COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.

**

DSMR 477 [WI]  should be taken the summer term before fall/winter COOP or in the spring term before spring/summer COOP.

***

PROD 215 and COM 220 should be taken together either the summer term after fall/winter COOP or the fall term after spring/summer COOP.

Fall/Winter Co-op (Cycle A - London Option)

First Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
DSMR 1033.0DSMR 1003.0CIVC 1011.0VACATION
ENGL 101 or 1113.0DSMR 2303.0DSMR 2013.0 
ENVS 2603.0ENGL 102 or 1123.0ENGL 103 or 1133.0 
UNIV A1011.0GEO 1113.0ENVS 1602.0 
VSST 1014.0VSST 1024.0MATH 1194.0 
VSST 1103.0 VSST 1034.0 
 17 16 17 0
Second Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
ACCT 1104.0COOP 101*1.0ARTH 103, ENTP 105, or DSMR 2153.0COM 181, ARTH 103, or ENTP 1053.0
COM 230 or 181 (or Social Science Elective)3.0DSMR 210 or 2113.0DSMR 210 or PHTO 1103.0DSMR 3113.0
DSMR 211 or PHTO 1103.0DSMR 215, COM 181, or COM 2303.0DSMR 3103.0DSMR 477**3.0
DSMR 231 (or Art History Elective)3.0DSMR 232 or 2314.0DSMR 3333.0PHTO 110 (or Career Pathway Elective)3.0
ENTP 105, 201, 205, or 2703.0ECON 201 or MKTG 2014.0ECON 201, DSMR 232, or MKTG 2014.0(UG) Social Science Elective3.0
 (UG) Social Science Elective3.0  
 16 18 16 15
Third Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
COOP EXPERIENCECOOP EXPERIENCEDSMR 300 (or Career Pathway Elective)3.0London Classes
  PHIL 301 (or Career Elective)3.0(UG) Art History Elective3.0
  (UG) Career Elective3.0(UG) Social Science Elective3.0
  (UG) Marketing Choice or Career Pathway Elective4.0(UG) Career Pathway Electives9.0
 0 0 13 15
Fourth Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
ARTH 335, FASH 335, ARTH 336, FASH 336, ARTH 337, FASH 337, ARTH T380, or ARTH T4803.0DSMR 464 or 4963.0(UG) Arts and Humanities Elective3.0Student Converts to Grad Status
COM 220***3.0(UG) Art History Elective3.0(UG) Career Pathway Elective or PHIL 3013.0 
DSMR 496 or 4643.0(UG) Career Pathway Elective or DSMR 3003.0(UG) Career Pathway Elective3.0 
PROD 215***4.0(UG) Career Pathway Elective3.0(UG) Marketing Choice or Career Pathway Elective4.0 
DSRE 6203.0DSRE 6303.0DSRE 6453.0 
 16 15 16 0
Fifth Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCredits 
DSRE 6253.0DSRE 6353.0DSRE 6413.0 
DSRE 7503.0DSRE 7603.0DSRE 6503.0 
(GR) Design History or Research Option3.0 (GR) Electives6.0DSRE 7703.0 
(GR) Electives 6.0 (GR) Elective 3.0 
 15 12 12 
Total Credits 229
*

Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major. 

COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.

**

DSMR 477 [WI]  should be taken the summer term before fall/winter COOP or in the spring term before spring/summer COOP.

***

PROD 215 and COM 220 should be taken together  the fall term after summer term study abroad.

Spring/Summer Co-op (Cycle B)

First Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
DSMR 1033.0DSMR 1003.0CIVC 1011.0VACATION
ENGL 101 or 1113.0DSMR 2303.0DSMR 2013.0 
ENVS 2603.0ENGL 102 or 1123.0ENGL 103 or 1133.0 
UNIV A1011.0GEO 1113.0ENVS 1602.0 
VSST 1014.0VSST 1024.0MATH 1194.0 
VSST 1103.0 VSST 1034.0 
 17 16 17 0
Second Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
ACCT 1104.0DSMR 210 or 2113.0DSMR 232, ECON 201, or MKTG 2014.0ARTH 103 or ENTP 1053.0
COM 230 or 181 (or Social Science Elective)3.0DSMR 215, COM 181, or COM 2303.0DSMR 3103.0COOP 101**1.0
DSMR 211 or PHTO 1103.0DSMR 232 or 2314.0DSMR 3333.0COM 181, 230, or ENTP 1053.0
DSMR 231 (or Art History Elective)3.0ECON 201 or MKTG 2014.0DSMR 477*3.0DSMR 3113.0
ENTP 105, 201, 205, or 2703.0(UG)Social Science Elective3.0PHTO 110 or ENTP 1053.0(UG) Career Pathway Electives6.0
   (UG) Social Science Elective3.0
 16 17 16 19
Third Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
DSMR 300 (or Art History Elective)3.0(UG) Art History Elective or DSMR 3003.0COOP EXPERIENCECOOP EXPERIENCE
PHIL 301 (or Career Pathway Elective)3.0(UG) Marketing Choice or Career Pathway Elective4.0  
(UG) Marketing Choice or Career Pathway Elective4.0(UG) Career Pathway Elective or PHIL 3013.0  
(UG) Career Pathway Elective3.0(UG) Career Pathway Elective3.0  
 13 13 0 0
Fourth Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
ARTH 335, FASH 335, ARTH 336, FASH 336, ARTH 337, FASH 337, ARTH T380, or ARTH T4803.0DSMR 464 or 4963.0(UG) Arts and Humanities Elective3.0Student Converts to Graduate Status
COM 220***3.0(UG) Art History Elective3.0(UG) Career Pathway Electives6.0 
DSMR 496 or 4643.0(UG) Career Pathway Electives6.0(UG) Social Science Elective3.0 
PROD 215***4.0DSRE 6303.0DSRE 6453.0 
DSRE 6203.0   
 16 15 15 0
Fifth Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCredits 
DSRE 6253.0DSRE 6353.0DSRE 6413.0 
DSRE 7503.0DSRE 7603.0DSRE 6503.0 
(GR) Design History or Research Option3.0(GR) Electives 6.0DSRE 7703.0 
(GR) Electives6.0 (GR) Elective 3.0 
 15 12 12 
Total Credits 229
*

DSMR 477 [WI]  should be taken the summer term before fall/winter COOP or in the spring term before spring/summer COOP

**

Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major. 

COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.

***

PROD 215 and COM 220 should be taken together either the summer term after fall/winter COOP or the fall term after spring/summer COOP.