Full Description

The Fashion Media minor is for students studying either fashion merchandising or a major in the school of media and journalism.

Fashion merchandising students take the Media Track to learn about the fashion media and better prepare them to understand this industry. The track includes a trip to New York City as a requirement.

Media and Journalism students take the Fashion Track to learn about the fashion publishing industry to better prepare them for work in this business. The track includes the possibility of a trip to New York City to study fashion media.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the minor is selective, open only to students declared in the Fashion Merchandising major or in a major in the School of Media and Journalism.

To declare the Fashion Media minor, students must have a minimum 2.000 overall Kent State University GPA. No Kent State University GPA is required if the student is a first-semester freshman or transfer student admitted in good standing.

Program Learning Outcomes

For fashion merchandising students, the minor better prepares them to understand their industry from the media perspective. For media and journalism, the minor exposes them to the fashion publishing industry to better prepare them for work in this business.

Program Requirements

Minor Requirements

¹

FDM 35080 must be taken in New York City only.

Graduation Requirements

• Minimum 6 credit hours in the minor must be upper-division coursework (30000 and 40000 level).
• Minimum 6 credit hours in the minor must be outside of the course requirements for any major or other minor the student is pursuing.
• Minimum 50 percent of the total credit hours for the minor must be taken at Kent State (in residence).

• Delivery:
  • In person
• Location:
  • Kent Campus

Full Description

The Bachelor of Science degree in Fashion Merchandising allows for students to acquire a thorough background in the business aspects of the fashion industry, whereby they develop competencies in fashion theory, retail operations, management and buying, fashion forecasting and promotion, the merchandising for apparel manufacturing and the development and marketing of fashion goods.

Students participate in a study abroad/away experience, which includes opportunities to study for a semester in New York City and Florence, Italy, as well as through collaborative partnership programs with the Paris American Academy, Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Regent's University in London.

In addition, students in the Fashion Merchandising major have the opportunity to enroll in the combined degree program with the Master of Business Administration degree. The combined B.S./M.B.A. degree program allows high-achieving undergraduate students early admission into graduate school. Students enrolled in the combined degree program will complete a maximum of 9 credit hours of graduate-level coursework for the M.B.A. degree during their senior year. This allows a student to accelerate their completion of the M.B.A degree after being awarded their undergraduate degree. Students complete a minimum of 150 credit hours (120 representing the B.S. degree in Fashion Merchandising and at least an additional 30 representing the M.B.A. degree). To be eligible for the combined program, students must first complete a minimum of 90 credit hours in the fashion merchandising degree with at least a 3.300 overall grade point average. Upon achieving these requirements, students submit an admissions application to the M.B.A. program by the set application deadline. Students need to satisfy all requirements for the graduate admissions application.

Admission Requirements

The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students who graduated from high school three or more years ago.

Freshman Students: Admission to the Fashion Merchandising major is selective. Prospective applicants must have a minimum 3.000 overall grade point average (on a 4.000 scale).

Transfer Students: Admission to the Fashion Merchandising major requires a minimum 2.750 overall GPA based on minimum 24 credit hours of college-level coursework at an accredited institution. Those students meeting this GPA requirement but with fewer than 24 credit hours will be evaluated as new freshmen.

Students who do not meet the criteria for admission to the Fashion Merchandising major may be eligible for admission to the Pre-Fashion Design and Merchandising non-degree major. In addition, students who do not meet the admission criteria may initiate the process for declaring the B.S. degree in Fashion Merchandising after completing minimum 12 credit hours of non-developmental coursework at Kent State University and earning a minimum 2.750 overall GPA.

International Students: All international students must provide proof of English language proficiency unless they meet specific exceptions. For more information, visit the admissions website for international students.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

1. Understand the fashion industry, fashion markets, fashion products and services.
2. Demonstrate knowledge and skills of the fashion industry through reflective experiential learning.
3. Apply integration of the key knowledge of various segments of industry from fiber to finished product, products/services, consumer markets and technology in relation to the fashion industry.
4. Articulate conceptual and critical thinking applicable to the fashion industry.
5. Employ research processes and practices employed in the fashion industry.
6. Demonstrate their professionalism and communication skills required in the fashion industry through visual, oral and written forms.

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

¹

A minimum C grade must be earned to fulfill the writing-intensive requirement.

²

Students are required to participate in a study away opportunity. Students must have a minimum 2.500 overall GPA to participate in this study away requirement. Choose from the following: FDM 35070; FDM 35080; FDM 35589; FDM 35689; FDM 35789; FDM 35889; FDM 35989; FDM 45392; FDM 45590; FDM 45589; OGE 10095.

³

Maximum 6 credit hours of FDM 45093 can be used as an Additional Major Elective. Maximum 6 credit hours from each non-Fashion Design and Merchandising (FDM) subject area can be used as an Additional Major Elective.

⁴

Students are required to declare and complete a minor as part of the fashion merchandising program. Students may select any minor available at Kent State, but it should be aligned with the student's overall educational and career goals. Number of credit hours depends on the minor selected.

Graduation Requirements

• Participation in a study abroad/away experience
• Minimum 2.500 overall GPA required for study away
• Minimum 2.500 overall GPA required for internship

Roadmap

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this major. However, courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

• Delivery:
  • In person
• Location:
  • Kent Campus

Program Requirements

Minor Requirements

Graduation Requirements

• Students declared in the Music or Music Education major must complete 18 credit hours that are separate from music degree requirements.
• MUS 11110 , MUS 11111, MUS 16914 and MUS 16915 will not count as credit for graduation in this program.

• Minimum 6 credit hours in the minor must be upper-division coursework (30000 and 40000 level).
• Minimum 6 credit hours in the minor must be outside of the course requirements for any major or other minor the student is pursuing.
• Minimum 50 percent of the total credit hours for the minor must be taken at Kent State (in residence).

Admission Requirements

Admission to a minor is open to students declared in a bachelor’s degree, the A.A.B. or A.A.S. degree or the A.T.S. degree (not Individualized Program major). Students declared only in the A.A. or A.S. degree or the A.T.S. degree in Individualized Program may not declare a minor. Students may not pursue a minor and a major in the same discipline.

• Delivery:
  • In person
• Location:
  • Stark Campus

Program Requirements

Minor Requirements

¹

Major ensembles include: MUS 45111, MUS 45121, MUS 45141, MUS 45142, MUS 45143, MUS 45212, MUS 45221 and MUS 45223.

²

Music electives may include additional applied music, major or chamber ensembles or any other music courses for which the students have fulfilled the prerequisite.

Graduation Requirements

• Minimum C grade is required in all courses for the minor.
• Transfer students must complete a minimum of 11 credit hours in music courses at Kent State University, including one semester of applied music and one semester of a major ensemble.
• MUS 11110 , MUS 11111, MUS 16914 and MUS 16915 will not count as credit for graduation in this program.

• Minimum 6 credit hours in the minor must be upper-division coursework (30000 and 40000 level).
• Minimum 6 credit hours in the minor must be outside of the course requirements for any major or other minor the student is pursuing.
• Minimum 50 percent of the total credit hours for the minor must be taken at Kent State (in residence).

Admission Requirements

Admission to a minor is open to students declared in a bachelor’s degree, the A.A.B. or A.A.S. degree or the A.T.S. degree (not Individualized Program major). Students declared only in the A.A. or A.S. degree or the A.T.S. degree in Individualized Program may not declare a minor. Students may not pursue a minor and a major in the same discipline.

To declare the Music minor, students must complete theory placement test and audition in piano, voice or on a traditional orchestral/band instrument.

• Delivery:
  • In person
• Location:
  • Kent Campus
  • Stark Campus