Special requirements
Acceptance into the program is based on evaluating the applicant’s extracurricular activities, community service, letter of recommendation, application essay and a preferred minimum GPA of 3.0.
Degree requirements for Fashion, Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) with a concentration in fashion merchandising
Course | Title | Hours |
| 30 |
| |
FASH 120 | Introduction to the Fashion Industry | 3 |
FASH 145 | Technology in Fashion Merchandising | 3 |
FASH 250 | Concepts of the Fashion Industry | 3 |
FASH 290 | Textiles for the Fashion Industry | 3 |
FASH 319 | Fashion History: The Modern Era | 3 |
FASH 340 | Merchandising Portfolio | 3 |
FASH 341 | Merchandise Planning and Control | 3 |
FASH 342 | Retail Buying Simulation | 3 |
FASH 343 | Fashion Forecasting | 3 |
FASH 380 | Fashion Branding | 3 |
FASH 440 | Line Development Studio | 3 |
FASH 443 | Fashion Management and Leadership Development | 3 |
FASH 445 | Fashion Entrepreneurship | 3 |
FASH 451 | Importing and Exporting Fashion | 3 |
| |
| |
| 3 |
ACCT 202 | Accounting for Non-business Majors | 3 |
ARTH 103 & ARTH 104 | Survey of Art I and Survey of Art II | 6 |
BUSN 162 | Digital Literacy: Spreadsheets Skills I | 1 |
BUSN 323 | Legal Environment of Business | 3 |
| 3 |
| |
| 15 |
| Marketing Principles | |
| |
| 14 |
Total Hours | 120 |
The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 120.
Note: Internships are not required but are strongly recommended. FASH 493 may range from one to six credits.
What follows is a sample plan that meets the prescribed requirements within a four-year course of study at VCU. Please contact your adviser before beginning course work toward a degree.
Freshman year |
Fall semester | Hours |
ARTH 103 | Survey of Art I | 3 |
FASH 120 | Introduction to the Fashion Industry | 3 |
FASH 145 | Technology in Fashion Merchandising | 3 |
UNIV 111 Play course video for Focused Inquiry I | Focused Inquiry I () | 3 |
| 3 |
| Term Hours: | 15 |
Spring semester | |
ARTH 104 | Survey of Art II | 3 |
FASH 250 | Concepts of the Fashion Industry | 3 |
UNIV 112 Play course video for Focused Inquiry II | Focused Inquiry II () | 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| Term Hours: | 15 |
Sophomore year |
Fall semester | |
FASH 290 | Textiles for the Fashion Industry | 3 |
MKTG 301 | Marketing Principles | 3 |
UNIV 200 | Advanced Focused Inquiry: Literacies, Research and Communication | 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| Term Hours: | 15 |
Spring semester | |
BUSN 162 | Digital Literacy: Spreadsheets Skills I | 1 |
FASH 319 | Fashion History: The Modern Era | 3 |
FASH 341 | Merchandise Planning and Control | 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 2 |
| Term Hours: | 15 |
Junior year |
Fall semester | |
FASH 342 | Retail Buying Simulation | 3 |
FASH 343 | Fashion Forecasting | 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| Term Hours: | 15 |
Spring semester | |
ACCT 202 | Accounting for Non-business Majors | 3 |
BUSN 323 | Legal Environment of Business | 3 |
FASH 380 | Fashion Branding | 3 |
FASH 443 | Fashion Management and Leadership Development | 3 |
| 3 |
| Term Hours: | 15 |
Senior year |
Fall semester | |
FASH 340 | Merchandising Portfolio | 3 |
FASH 440 | Line Development Studio | 3 |
| 6 |
| 3 |
| Term Hours: | 15 |
Spring semester | |
FASH 445 | Fashion Entrepreneurship () | 3 |
FASH 451 | Importing and Exporting Fashion | 3 |
| 3 |
| 6 |
| Term Hours: | 15 |
| Total Hours: | 120 |
Note: Internships are not required but are strongly recommended. FASH 493 may range from one to six credits.
The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 120.
Accelerated B.A. and M.S.
The accelerated B.A. and M.S. program allows qualified students to earn both the B.A. in Fashion with a concentration in fashion merchandising and M.S. in Business with a concentration in marketing management in a minimum of five years by completing up to 12 credit hours of approved graduate courses during the senior year of their undergraduate program. Students in the program may count up to three credit hours of graduate courses toward both the B.A. and M.S. degrees. Thus, the two degrees may be earned with a minimum of 147 credits rather than the 150 credits necessary if the two degrees are pursued separately.
In their senior year students would also take up to nine credit hours of graduate-level foundations courses, which are prerequisites for the graduate program.
Students holding these degrees will be very competitive due to the combined knowledge and skills in marketing, culture and business and will be well prepared for success in an increasingly global marketplace.
Entrance to the accelerated program
Interested undergraduate students should consult with their adviser as early as possible to receive specific information about the accelerated program, determine academic eligibility and submit (no later than two semesters prior to graduating with a baccalaureate degree, that is, before the end of the spring semester of their junior year) an Accelerated Program Declaration Form to be approved by the graduate program director. Limited spaces may be available in the accelerated program. Academically qualified students may not receive approval if capacity has been reached.
Minimum qualifications for entrance to this accelerated program include completion of 90 undergraduate credit hours and an overall GPA of 3.25. Students who do not meet the minimum GPA requirements may submit GRE scores to receive further consideration.
Once enrolled in the accelerated program, students must meet the standards of performance applicable to graduate students as described in the “Satisfactory academic progress” section of the Graduate Bulletin, including maintaining a 3.0 GPA. Guidance to students admitted to the accelerated program is provided by both the undergraduate School of the Arts adviser and the faculty adviser to the graduate program.
Admission to the graduate program
Entrance to the accelerated program enables the student to take the approved shared courses that will apply to the undergraduate and graduate degrees. However, entry into an accelerated program via an approved Accelerated Program Declaration Form does not constitute application or admission into the graduate program. Admission to the graduate program requires a separate step that occurs through a formal application to the master’s program, which is submitted through Graduate Admissions no later than a semester prior to graduation with the baccalaureate degree, that is, before the end of the fall semester of the senior year. In order to continue pursuing the master’s degree after the baccalaureate degree is conferred, accelerated students must follow the admission to graduate study requirements outlined in the VCU Bulletin.
Degree requirements
The Bachelor of Arts in Fashion degree will be awarded upon completion of a minimum of 120 credits and the satisfactory completion of all undergraduate degree requirements as stated in the Undergraduate Bulletin.
A maximum of 12 graduate credits may be taken prior to completion of the baccalaureate degree. Three of these credits, MKTG 672, are shared with the graduate program, meaning that they will be applied to both undergraduate and graduate degree requirements.
The graduate business courses that may be taken as an undergraduate once a student is admitted to the program — and how they apply — are shown in the table below.
Course | Title | Hours |
ACCT 507 | Fundamentals of Accounting (graduate foundation; satisfies ACCT 202 or open elective in undergraduate program) | 3 |
MKTG 672 | Influencing Consumer Behavior (shared between undergraduate and graduate programs) | 3 |
FIRE 520 | Financial Concepts of Management (graduate foundation; satisfies open elective in undergraduate program) | 3 |
SCMA 524 | Statistical Fundamentals for Business Management (graduate foundation; satisfies open elective in undergraduate program) | 3 |
Recommended course sequence/plan of study
What follows is the recommended plan of study for students interested in the accelerated program beginning in the fall of the junior year prior to admission to the accelerated program in the senior year.