Professor Elizabeth Haley, Dean

Department of Merchandising,
Environmental Design,
and Consumer Economics

Professor JoAnn L. Shroyer, Chairperson.

Rockwell Professor Horridge; Associate Professors Curry, Gentry, Gustafson, Harp, Khan, and Mason; Assistant Professor Russ; Adjunct Faculty: Dever, Ethridge, Hutton, Lupton, and Waldren.

This department offers study in the following graduate degree programs: CLOTHING, TEXTILES, AND MERCHANDISING, ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN, and FAMILY FINANCIAL PLANNING, Master of Science; CLOTHING, TEXTILES, AND MERCHANDISING and ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN AND CONSUMER ECONOMICS, Doctor of Philosophy.

The master's degree requires a minimum of 30 semester hours including thesis. Students are required to defend the thesis based on original research and to take a final oral examination. Appropriate leveling course work may be required. A nonthesis option is available in family financial planning. This option requires a minimum of 42 hours of course work. The program is certified by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, INC. The marks "CFP" and "Certified Financial Planner" are the most respected professional designations in the financial services industry. The mark "CFP" identifies a person who has met the educational standards, passed the CFP Board of Standards examination, satisfied a work experience requirement, and agreed to the CFP Board of Standards Code of Ethics.

The doctor's degree requires a minimum of 75 semester hours of graduate work beyond the bachelor's degree, exclusive of credit for the dissertation. Students develop their courses of study in consultation with a graduate advisory committee. Leveling course work may be required. A preliminary examination is required of all students before the end of the second semester of work toward the Ph.D. degree. The student's progress will be evaluated and recommendations will be made concerning continuation of graduate studies and leveling course work necessary to remove any deficiencies revealed by the examination. Following the completion of all course work, a qualifying examination for admission to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree will be conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Graduate School.

Admission into the master's and the doctor's programs requires a GRE score of at least 900 and 1,000, respectively, or a GMAT score of at least 500. Admission of international students requires a TOEFL score of 550. The master's programs require a minimum of 3.0 GPA on the last 60 hours of undergraduate course work. Acceptance into the doctoral programs requires a 3.2 GPA on the last 60 hours of undergraduate course work or 3.5 GPA at the master's level.

The department offers an optional 6-hour credit internship for students who have not previously had experience in merchandising, family financial planning, fashion design, environmental design, or consumer economics. Students should contact the chairperson for departmental procedures and guidelines.

Courses in Clothing, Textiles, and Merchandising. (CT&M)

5118. Seminar (1:1:0). May be repeated for credit.

5301. Graduate Research Seminar (3:3:0). Introduction to philosophies, technologies, and processes involved in research and graduate study related to the student's major area of specialization.

5302. Social, Cultural, and Behavioral Aspects of Clothing (3:3:0). Exploration of the socio-psychological and cultural aspects of clothing in relation to human behavior.

5303. Advanced Study in Historic Costume and Textiles (3:3:0). In-depth study of costume or textile artifacts and design through the ages. May be repeated for credit up to 6 hours.

5306. Advanced Apparel Design and Production (3:3:0). Prerequisite: FADS 2303 or consent of instructor. Advanced clothing design problems applied to mass-produced and custom apparel.

5307. Internship (3:1:6). Supervised internship experiences in established career-related positions in the student's major area of specialization. May be repeated for credit up to 6 hours.

5310. Readings (3:3:0). A comprehensive and critical review of literature and research data related to the student's major area of
specialization.

5311. Individual Study in Clothing, Textiles, and Merchandising (3:3:0). May be repeated for credit.

5332. Principles of Textile Analysis (3:2:3). Prerequisite: C&T 3301 or equivalent or consent of instructor. Identification and quantification of fibers in textiles, analysis of finishes, dye fastness, and measurement of physical properties of textiles.

5350. Advanced Apparel Analysis and Evaluation (3:3:0). In-depth study in quality control and costing of materials and labor of mass-produced apparel.

5360. Advanced Merchandising of Clothing and Textiles (3:3:0). Prerequisite: MER 2340 or consent of instructor. Analysis of the planning, organizing, and controlling of merchandising activities in the textile and apparel industries with emphasis on retailing. Application of theory to practical problems.

5365. Contemporary Merchandising Issues (3:3:0). Definitive studies of current issues and problems that affect merchandising. Investigations into related influences from government, economics, technology, education, and society. May be repeated for credit up to 6 hours.

5370. Advanced Merchandise Promotion (3:3:0). In-depth study into merchandise communication and promotion theory through sales promotion, personal selling, visual merchandising, advertising, special events, and public relations. Particular emphasis on application of theory to practical retail issues.

5378. Research Methods I (3:3:0). Positivistic, interpretive, and critical modes of research inquiry in the student's major area of specialization.

5381. Conservation of Historic Textiles and Clothing (3:3:0). Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Comprehensive study of preservation techniques employed for the conservation of textile and clothing artifactsincludes cleaning, repairing, storing, mounting, and displaying procedures.

5385. Case Studies (3:3:0). Exploration of case study methodology to develop problem solving and decision making skills in the student's major area of specialization.

6000. Master's Thesis (V1-6).

6330. Research Fund Development (3:3:0). Exploration of processes for preparing research ideas for presentation to individuals, groups, and/or organizations. Study of research proposal characteristics, how proposals are reviewed, strategies for success, and public versus private funding sources.

6378. Research Methods II (3:3:0). Prerequisite: CT&M 5378 or equivalent and 3 credit hours of statistics. Application of statistical packages to analyze data and interpret results. Includes mainframe and micro applications.

7000. Research (V1-12).

8000. Doctor's Dissertation (V1-12).

Courses in Consumer Economics and
Environmental Design. (CEED)

5118. Seminar (1:1:0). May be repeated for credit.

5301. Graduate Research Seminar (3:3:0). Introduction to philosophies, technologies, and processes involved in research and graduate study related to the student's major area of specialization.

5307. Internship (3:1:6). Supervised internship experiences in established career-related positions in the student's major area of specialization. May be repeated for credit up to 6 hours.

5311. Individual Study in Environmental Design and Consumer Economics (3:3:0). May be repeated for credit.

5371. Advanced Family Financial Planning (3:3:0). The study and use of methods to assist families of different socioeconomic groups in family financial planning decisions.

5372. Resource Management and Allocation (3:3:0). Implications of the social sciences for decision making and resource allocation.

5373. Professional Practice in Family Financial Planning (3:3:0). Prerequisite: CEED 5371, 5377 or equivalent. Techniques and methods for practice development and operation in family financial planning.

5374. Family Economics (3:3:0). Economic status of families at all income levels; factors influencing their standard of living; interrelationships with the economy.

5375. Current Consumer Issues (3:3:0). Analysis of current consumer problems and decision-making responsibilities. Policies and programs for consumer protection and education. May be repeated for credit.

5376. Family and Personal Consumption Behavior (3:3:0). Emphasis on factors involved in individual and family consumption. Concepts related to levels and standards of living and quality of life will be examined.

5377. Advanced Family Financial Counseling (3:3:0). The study and use of methods to assist families of different socio-economic groups in correcting family financial dysfunction.

5378. Research Methods I (3:3:0). Positivistic, interpretive, and critical modes of research inquiry in the student's major area of specialization.

5379. International Issues for Families and Households (3:3:0). Analysis of relevant social, economic, and political developments pertinent to individuals and family welfare approached from a global perspective.

5381. Environmental Design Analysis (3:3:0). Implications from the social sciences as applied to analyzing causes and arriving at possible solutions to problems related to housing and interiors in contemporary society.

5382. Interior Design Systems (3:3:0). Study of systems used in the design of residential and nonresidential interiors.

5383. Housing Policy (3:3:0). A survey of housing policies focusing on current issues, alternatives, and dilemmas concerning housing consumers.

5384. Advanced Lighting and Color for Interiors (3:3:0). Prerequisite: I D 3381 or equivalent. Advanced study and application of lighting systems and color theories to the interior environment.

5385. Case Studies (3:3:0). Exploration of case study methodology to develop problem solving and decision making skills in the student's major area of specialization.

5386. Design of Interior Environments for Physically and Mentally Challenged Populations (3:3:0). Adaptation and evaluation of proximate environments to meet the needs of the physically and mentally challenged.

6000. Master's Thesis (V1-6).

6301. Graduate Colloquium (3:3:0). Studies in selected areas of research related to the student's major area of specialization. Emphasis on dissemination methods. May be repeated for credit up to 6 hours.

6330. Research Fund Development (3:3:0). Exploration of processes for preparing research ideas for presentation to individuals, groups, and/or organizations. Study of research proposal characteristics, how proposals are reviewed, strategies for success, and public versus private funding sources.

6370. Environmental Design Technology and Development (3:3:0). Examination of environmental design processes and related technologies.

6378. Research Methods II (3:3:0). Prerequisite: CEED 5378 or equivalent and 3 credit hours of statistics. Application of statistical packages to analyze data and interpret results. Includes mainframe and micro applications.

6389. Environmental Design Studio (3:3:0). Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Development of and/or response to specific environmental design programs. Study of design processes including visual presentations that exemplify design solutions for programs. Students will exhibit design projects. May be repeated for credit.

7000. Research (V1-12).

8000. Doctor's Dissertation (V1-12).