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2024-2025

Fashion, Bachelor of Arts with a concentration in fashion merchandising

VCU

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

Uniform Certificate of General Studies (UCGS)

Completing the UCGS will waive VCU's general education requirements.

Program description

The concentrations in fashion merchandising and fashion design are focused on providing the coursework necessary to prepare for a successful career in the fashion industry.


The path through the merchandising track begins with an introduction to fashion, textiles, and fashion history. Forecasting, buying, line development, branding, and importing and exporting fashion, and entrepreneurship are simulation classes and call on students to work in environments similar to the fashion industry. The entire curriculum provides students with a strong and disparate foundation of fashion knowledge. Ancillary requirements in business and marketing enhance fashion education. Students are directed toward assignments to develop their skills in research, writing, presentation, and critical thinking.


The fashion design curriculum offers technical and design courses that provide skills required in the fashion industry, including salient patterning and draping principles, advanced tailoring and construction techniques as well as digital and 3D design. Individual concepts are presented in two-dimensional form, developed and perfected through methods used in the fashion industry, and then executed in final and three-dimensional form in textiles appropriate to the design. The curriculum encourages explicative research, autonomous  thinking, and innovative problem solving.


Merchandising and design majors are strongly encouraged to complete Internships, which provide experience and industry contacts. Study abroad programs provide opportunities to see fashion from a global perspective while expanding students’ horizons. 

Career opportunities

Graduates find career opportunities in fashion forecasting, product development, technical design, advertising and promotion, retail management, buying, sustainability, and international marketing. Graduates work nationally and internationally.  Fashion alumni currently work for World Market, Eileen Fisher, Sam’s Club, Walmart, Conde’ Nast, Veronica Beard, Nordstrom, Under Armour, Fashion Snoops, Sandro Homme, GAP, Urban Outfitters, GUESS, Belk, American Eagle, Spanx, and Adidas.

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
  • Buyer
  • Designer
  • Marketing Manager
  • Trend Forecaster
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
2024-2025

Fashion, Bachelor of Arts with a concentration in fashion merchandising

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
  • Schedule an appointment with your community college advisor to map out your course plan.
  • Enroll in the SDV student success course.
  • Complete your math and english requirements.
  • Explore community college financial aid resources and submit your FAFSA on time.
  • Submit a transfer advising request to the VCU Transfer Center.
  • Be prepared: Once you enroll at VCU, your VCU GPA will be determined by your grades at VCU.
  • Explore the accelerated BA in Fashion and MS in Business program.
  • 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
  • Schedule an appointment with your community college advisor to map out your course plan.
  • Enroll in the SDV student success course.
  • Complete your math and english requirements.
  • Explore community college financial aid resources and submit your FAFSA on time.
  • Submit a transfer advising request to the VCU Transfer Center.
  • Be prepared: Once you enroll at VCU, your VCU GPA will be determined by your grades at VCU.
  • Explore the accelerated BA in Fashion and MS in Business program.
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
2024-2025

Fashion, Bachelor of Arts with a concentration in fashion merchandising

Virginia Community College System (Uniform Certificate of General Studies)

Virginia Community College System courses
Course Title Equivalent course Credits 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)
Humanities or Literature Select one of the following (UCGS Block II): HUM 201, HUM 202, HUM 210, HUM 216, HUM 220, HUM 256, HUM 259, PHI 100, PHI 111, PHI 220, REL 100, REL 230, REL 237, REL 240, ENG 225, ENG 245, ENG 246, ENG 250, ENG 255, ENG 258, ENG 275 VCU equivalent 3 General education
Social Science Select one of the following (UCGS Block III): ECO 150, ECO 201, ECO 202, GEO 210, GEO 220, PLS 135, PLS 140, PLS 241, PSY 200, SOC 200, SOC 211, SOC 268. VCU equivalent 3 General education
Lab Science Select one of the following (UCGS Block IV): BIO 101, BIO 102, BIO 106, CHM 101, CHM 111, CHM 112, ENV 121, ENV 122, GOL 105, GOL 106, GOL 110, PHY 100, PHY 201, PHY 202, PHY 241, PHY 242. VCU equivalent 4 General education
History Select one of the following (UCGS Block VI): HIS 101, HIS 102, HIS 111, HIS 112, HIS 121, HIS 122. HIST 3 General education
Complete requirements for the Certificate VCU equivalents 3 General education
Community college credits transferred to VCU 32
VCU courses
Course Title Credits Requirements
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 Fashion History: The Modern Era 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 Line Development Studio 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 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
REAL The REAL requirement may be satisfied by successfully completing a 300-level (or higher) course that has received a REAL attribute of Level 2, 3 or 4 or through an approved “REAL” co-curricular experience that has received a REAL attribute of Level 3 or 4. See VCU advisor for options. 0 Major
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.