For best results, print using Chrome.
 Jump to Transfer Major Map
 Jump to recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2022-2023

Fashion, Bachelor of Arts with a concentration in fashion merchandising (and accelerated masters)

VCU

Community college:
Uniform Certificate of General Studies (Virginia Community College System)
Virginia Community College System
Associate degree

Uniform Certificate of General Studies

Program description

The concentration in fashion merchandising requires a strong background in marketing, business and specialized professional courses with an emphasis on globalism. Students are directed toward assignments that will develop their skills in research, writing, presentation and critical thinking. Graduates find career opportunities in fashion forecasting, product development, advertising and promotion, retail management, buying, and international marketing. Internships provide not only experience but industry contacts, and are strongly recommended. They may be conducted primarily during the summer semester.  Study abroad programs are readily available for fashion merchandising majors.


The fashion design curriculum offers technical and design courses that provide skills required in the fashion industry. Individual designs are presented in two-dimensional form, developed and perfected through techniques used in the fashion industry, and then executed in final and three-dimensional form in fabrics appropriate to the design. Junior design students are encouraged to complete internships in the fashion industry in New York City. Internships provide not only experience but industry contacts, and are strongly recommended. They may be conducted primarily during the summer semester.

Career opportunities

Graduates find career opportunities in fashion forecasting, product development, advertising and promotion, retail management, buying, and international marketing. The Department of Fashion Design and Merchandising is extremely proud of the accomplishments of their alumni and the successful careers that they enjoy.  Graduates from both tracks work both nationally and worldwide.  Our fashion design alumni currently work for such companies as Ralph Lauren, GAP, Ports 1961, TARGET, Macy’s, SEARS, Victoria’s Secret, Nordstrom, Jonathan Saunders, Under Armour, and Billy Reid.  Our fashion merchandising alumni can be found working at Louis Vuitton, Vogue.com, Hanesbrands, Fashion Snoops, Haddad Brands, Urban Outfitters, GUESS, Verdura, One Kings Lane, Nordstrom, MAC Cosmetics, Belk, American Eagle, French Connection, New York and Company, and SAKS 5th Avenue.

Bachelor-level job titles
  • Designer
  • Fashion Illustrator
  • Garment Technologist
  • Pattern Maker, Grader, Lay Planner
  • Textile Technician
  • Textiles (Print) Designer
Graduate and professional level job titles
  • College Professor
  • Interior Designer
  • Marketing Manager
  • Product Developer
Contact information

 

VCU Transfer Center

Telephone: (804) 827-1349

Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu

Transfer Advising Request

VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist


Office of Admissions

Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638

Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.

Guaranteed transfer admission requirements
  • No guaranteed admission. 
  • Apply for admission during first year at community college. 
  • Review deadlines and requirements for transfer applicants here.
Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Requirements
Highest level of math required
  • Quantitative Foundations requirement only
Science required
  • Natural Sciences requirement only
Foreign language requirements
  • Yes
Additional tuition/fees
  • Yes
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
VCU Major Maps

View VCU Major Map for Fashion with concentration in Fashion Design, Fashion Merchandising

Transfer major map
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2022-2023

Fashion, Bachelor of Arts with a concentration in fashion merchandising (and accelerated masters)

Virginia Community College System (Uniform Certificate of General Studies)

MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Explore Year 1
  • Explore the School of the Arts website.
  • Get involved with student clubs and organizations at your community college.
  • Volunteer for community service projects.
  • Register to vote.
  • Research housing options for next year.
  • Identify a mentor in a diversity organization.
  • Attend diversity-focused events on your community college campus and in your community (e.g., international festival).
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
  • Create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
Experience Year 2

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Explore the School of the Arts website.
  • Get involved with student clubs and organizations at your community college.
  • Volunteer for community service projects.
  • Register to vote.
  • Research housing options for next year.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Identify a mentor in a diversity organization.
  • Attend diversity-focused events on your community college campus and in your community (e.g., international festival).
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2022-2023

Fashion, Bachelor of Arts with a concentration in fashion merchandising (and accelerated masters)

Virginia Community College System (Uniform Certificate of General Studies)

Virginia Community College System courses
Course Title Equivalent course Credits Requirements
Students who earn the Uniform Certificate of General Studies before enrolling at VCU will be eligible for a waiver of VCU's general education requirements.
SDV 100 College Success Skills UNIV 101 1 Elective
ENG 111 College Composition I Note: students with credit for AP English Language and Composition will only receive credit for UNIV 111 at VCU and should take ENG 112 to fulfill the VCU composition requirement. UNIV 111-112 3 General education
ENG 112 College Composition II UNIV 200 3 General education
MTH 154 Quantitative Reasoning (or any other approved MTH course) MATH 131 3 General education
ART 101 History of Art: Prehistoric to Gothic ARTH 103 3 Major (Ancillary)
ART 102 History of Art: Renaissance to Modern ARTH 104 3 Major (Ancillary)
Science Physical or Life Science elective with lab VCU equivalent 4 General education
Social/behavioral Social/Behavioral Science elective VCU equivalent 3 General education
History Select any approved HIS course HIST 3 General education
Complete requirements for the Certificate VCU equivalents 6 General education
Community college credits transferred to VCU 32
VCU courses
Course Title Credits Requirements
Your GPA Doesn't Transfer With You Although you worked hard to earn your grades at your current institution, they will only be considered by VCU for an admission decision. Once you enroll at VCU, your GPA will reset to 0.0, and your new GPA will be determined by your level of success in your classes at VCU.
FASH 120 Introduction to the Fashion Industry 3 Major
FASH 145 Technology in Fashion Merchandising 3 Major
FASH 250 Concepts of the Fashion Industry 3 Major
FASH 290 Textiles for the Fashion Industry 3 Major
FASH 319 Twentieth Century Fashion 3 Major
FASH 340 Merchandising Portfolio 3 Major
FASH 341 Merchandise Planning and Control 3 Major
FASH 342 Retail Buying Simulation 3 Major
FASH 343 Fashion Forecasting 3 Major
FASH 380 Fashion Branding 3 Major
FASH 440 or FASH 450 Line Development Studio or Line Development 3 Major
FASH 443 Fashion Management and Leadership Development 3 Major
FASH 445 Fashion Entrepreneurship 3 Major
FASH 451 Importing and Exporting Fashion 3 Major
FASH Select from any FASH course not otherwise required for degree. 3 Major
ACCT 202 Accounting for Non-business Majors 3 Major (Ancillary)
BUSN 162 Digital Literacy: Spreadsheets Skills I 1 Major (Ancillary)
BUSN 323 Legal Environment of Business 3 Major (Ancillary)
Design history elective (Select from FASH 320, THEA 309, THEA 310 or any additional ARTH course) 3 Major (Ancillary)
MKTG 301 Marketing Principles 3 Major (Ancillary)
MKTG Select 12 additional credits in MKTG 12 Major (Ancillary)
Open electives 18 Elective
Credits completed at VCU 88
Minimum credits required for bachelor's degree 120
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. 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.