Online Fashion Merchandising Degrees, Certificates, Diplomas from Top Colleges and Universities

Online Degrees in Fashion Merchandising

Listed below are colleges and universities that offer online degrees or certificates in Fashion Merchandising and a detailed list of the programs that are offered.

Fashion merchandising is a fairly broad field and will require you to possess a strong sense of fashion style, trends and consumer preferences with regard to clothing, accessories, jewelry, cosmetics, and shoes.

A fashion merchandiser is also commonly referred to as a visual merchandiser, visual display artist, and window display artist. Regardless of title, a fashion merchandiser is responsible for creating a visually appealing display of merchandise in both retail outlets and department stores. These displays create a certain mood and tone of the retail business consistent with the company’s overall brand image. The purpose of the display is to attract customer attention and motivate them to buy the items.
The role of the fashion merchandiser is multi-faceted as they are equal parts artist and marketer. The job responsibilities of a fashion merchandiser can include the following:

Visual display duties

Planning and creating in-store merchandise displays. When creating these displays the fashion merchandiser needs to account for such factors as merchandise selection, color, space, accessories for both interior and window displays, as well as trade shows.
Sketching store design ideas. These sketches may be created by hand or with the use of a computer software program.
Building merchandise displays in accordance with the design specifications.
Dressing and positioning mannequins.
Designing and incorporating special decorations.
Ordering merchandise and stocking inventory.
Pricing various merchandise items.
Marketing duties:
Meeting with marketing staff and management personnel to ensure that the display is aligned with company brand image and marketing strategy.
Work with the marketing team to analyze the needs of the store’s target consumer market.
Consulting with advertising and sales staff to ensure that displays include merchandise that is currently being promoted.
Predict trends by keeping current with industry news and attending fashion shows.
Work with such media materials as magazine layouts, photographs, and video shoots.
Coordinate and promote runway shows to introduce new clothing lines.

A fashion merchandiser may work on either a full or part time basis. The job may involve some degree of travel to other store locations or to attend industry events, such as fashion shows. On occasion it may be necessary to work overtime when trying to finish up a display in time for an in-store special event.

Required Job Skills for a Fashion Merchandiser

To be successful as a fashion merchandiser you will need to possess design, marketing, and construction abilities. Specific skills include:

Knowledge of fine arts and design principles
Sketching and drawing ability
Computer graphics proficiency
Creative and innovative thinking
Good sense of style and color
Strong spatial and visual orientation
Knowledge of basic carpentry
Ability to use power tools to construct displays
Ability to communicate ideas and concepts to end users
Ability to problem solve
Ability to effectively work with different team members, such a marketing, sales, and management.
Ability to analyze market trends and suggest new product lines.

Career Outlook

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there are currently about 77,000 workers who are employed as fashion merchandisers. The BLS predicts growth to be about as fast as the average for all occupations through 2018. Most new employment opportunities will arise from to replace existing workers who receive promotions, change careers, or retire.

Professional Associations

There are a number of professional associations for fashion merchandisers in the United States. The focus of these organizations ranges from clothing shoes, merchandising, advertising, and media.

While membership in these associations is voluntary, fashion merchandisers can benefit from the networking opportunities, seminars, conference, trade shows and other fashion events to remain current with regard to latest trends. Not so incidentally, these associations can also provide a great way to obtain new job leads!

Here is a list of several organizations:

As with all professions, the salaries of fashion merchandisers will vary based on level of education and experience, with the highest earnings going to management and executive-level personnel.

The following chart provides the salary range of fashion (visual) merchandisers with associate’s and bachelor’s degrees at the entry and 3-4 year experience levels. Also included is the salary range for a Visual Merchandising Manger.

Associate's Degree: entry level	$37,712-$43,974
Associate's Degree: 3-4 years experience	$41,225-$47,028
Bachelor's Degree: entry level	$38,628-$44,638
Bachelor's Degree: 3-4 years experience	$41,683-$47,340
Visual Merchandise Manager	$62,562-$170,017

Required Job Skills for a Fashion Merchandiser

While some fashion merchandisers may learn the job through on-the-job training, obtaining an associate's is the most common route of entry. Candidates typically obtain training from a fashion institute or general 2-year community college offering coursework in design and merchandising.

A college degree also assures potential employers that you possess the requisite knowledge with regard to textile production, the fashion industry, merchandising, and are trained to understand the art and science of merchandise display and design.

Associate degree

Most associate's degree programs will offer coursework that provides a balance between theory and practice. Typical courses include:

Pattern Making
Textile Production
Retail Merchandising
Marketing and Sales
Introduction to Design
Color Theory
Fashion Industry Business Practices
Industry Trends
Merchandising Basics
Fashion Show Production
Computer Graphics Applications

Bachelor’s degree

Bachelor's degrees are also available at fashion merchandising colleges. These programs typically offer a more expansive curriculum than do two-year programs with additional training in marketing, consumer behavior, merchandise purchasing, and retail management. A bachelor's degree will most often be necessary for those who seek to eventually move into a management role.

The majority of 2-year community colleges, fashion institutes, and 4-year programs require a high school diploma or GED for entrance. Most fashion merchandising colleges and schools are accredited by the National Association of Art and Design (NASD).

To obtain a list of NASD-accredited schools, visit http://nasad.arts-accredit.org/index.jsp?page=Member Lists and type in the name of your state or the state where you wish to attend school at the bottom of the page.