UW-Stout's Bachelor of Science in Fashion and Retail program (formerly Apparel Design and Development) emphasizes current industry practices, internship opportunities, and career placement. You'll explore real-world aspects of the fashion and retail industries including market researching, planning, designing, developing, buying, and marketing.
To meet the needs of the fashion and retail industry, the program offers two concentrations:
- Fashion Design and Development | Get ready for a career in global textiles and fashion product industries by experiencing hands-on product development in all ready-to-wear garments and apparel categories.
- Retail Analytics | Prepare for corporate-level retail planning and analyst positions by exploring areas such as buying, sourcing, merchandising, operations, logistics, and accounting in an omnichannel retail environment.
Pursuing a bachelor's degree in Fashion and Retail prepares you for an exciting lifelong career in fashion design and development, fashion marketing, merchandising, buying, and retail analytics. You'll develop critical thinking and communication skills and gain hands-on experience in every aspect of the fashion and retail industry.
Program Overview
Your studies will include merchandise planning, product sourcing, social media marketing, and market research, as well as coursework on visual merchandising, apparel construction, textile pattern structures, and 21st-century garment engineering and manufacturing.
"UW-Stout prepared me to be a leader in my industry. The program prepared me to not just tell beautiful design stories, but to know how to bring those stories to life. I learned how to build garments, curate collections, and work in teams, and those skills became an asset that propelled me through my career to where I am today."
-- Kimberly MonaghanB.S. Fashion and Retail
To complement the academic program of study, students are required to have two field study experiences. These co-ops/internships are a summer or semester-long work experience in product development or management training positions with major fashion and retail companies.
Use the Request Information form to receive a program summary and learn more about the Bachelor of Science degree in Fashion and Retail.
Request Information
High school students interested in entering the fashion and retail field should have a college preparatory background emphasizing English, speech, writing skills, math, social studies, economics and accounting. Work experience in a retail store is suggested.
Starting Out
During your first few semesters, you'll enroll in a combination of general education studies and major foundation courses. General education includes:
- English composition
- Speech and a variety of other student-selected courses in the humanities
- Social and behavioral sciences
- Natural science
- Technology
- Analytical reasoning
- Initial courses in the major include:
- Introduction to retail merchandising and management
- Basic retailing
- Computer applications
Advisers are eager to help you with course selection and career direction. Additional assistance is available through the Advisement and Career Center, Counseling Center and Career Services.
Moving Forward
The Fashion and Retail program provides a sound body of knowledge from which to launch a successful career in retailing. The curriculum provides professional courses in both general retailing and in your concentration of choice. General education courses ensure that you have a well-rounded education.
You'll also contribute to the operation of The Niche, a student-inspired specialty store located in UW-Stout's Heritage Hall. You and other students take charge of all aspects of this retail operation, including planning and purchasing, inventory control, advertising, visual merchandising, special events, selling and supervision.
The retail faculty and teaching staff are former retailers who work closely with students and retail companies. They maintain and cultivate industry relationships, which provide up-to-date information and career planning for you and helps you develop solid contacts for employment upon graduation.
A number of student organizations provide you with excellent leadership training, career insights and recreation opportunities. Join our award-winning Stout Retail Association student organization with more than 100 members ready to work in apparel merchandising, fashion management, store operations, consumer electronics, culinary arts, market research, publicity and merchandising analysis.
Graduates of the Fashion and Retail program usually enter the professional field through an executive training program with a major retail company. This training generally consists of planned rotations in various supervisory positions within the store, merchandising division, distribution center or other areas of the company.
Entry Positions
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Past Student Internships
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Companies Where Graduates Work
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Job Descriptions
Technical Designer: the engineer of clothing! The technical designer oversees the making of the garment and communicates via technical sketches and specification packages with patternmakers and manufacturers to develop prototypes and initial fit garments. Then works with fit models and makes fit corrections before approving final production runs for shipments to sales floors or online vendors.
Technical Design Assistant: assists the technical designer in all aspects of the position.
Product Development Manager: oversees product development departments within organizations, typically this department is made up of technical designers.
Product Manager: oversees product categories for time and delivery.
Designer: designs clothing according to market demands with an understanding of fabrics, garment construction, sizing specifications, grading standards, and manufacturing limitations.
Assistant: assists designer with all aspects of the position.
CAD/Textile Designer: (Computer Aided Design) creates original textile prints according to market, manufacturing, and cost structures.
CAD/CAM Specialist: (Computer Aided Design/Computer Aided Manufacturing)
Pattern maker: Build patterns from specifications utilizing computer software in 2 and 3D forms. Size grading and production planning can also fall under a pattern maker’s responsibilities.
Quality Auditor/Manager: utilizing product specifications, analyze products to ensure standards are met via audits and testing.
Sourcing and Production: work with vendors to secure trims, fabrics, and product components. Build, manage, and negotiate the product development timeline.
| Sarah | Eileen Smith | Program Director, Fashion & Retail | UW-Stout |
| Bryan | Barts | Career Services Director | UW-Stout |
| Krista | Capozzi | Buyer | Mason Companies |
| Wendy | Gavinski | President CEO | Extreme Sports Divas, LLC |
| Sara | Goodman | Product Line Manager- Apparel | Ardisam |
| Megan | Krajco | Director of Design | PACT |
| Craig | Moore | Assistant Professor | UW-Stout |
| Nancy | Murray | Teaching Professor and Academic Director | UW-Madison |
| Heather | Pollard | Design Director | Mason Companies |
| Lauren | Pryor | Director of Product Development and Design | Podiumwear Custom Sports Apparel |
| Kara | Sacia | Photo Art Director | Kohl's |
| Emily | Siems Roberson | Senior Designer- Merchandise Manager | Bioworld Merchandising |
Student Gallery
Our students gain experience working on real-world projects with a unique combination of design and technology. There are no limits to how far your imagination will take with a fashion and retail degree.
