Fashion Design and Merchandising
Fashion Design and Merchandising
Bachelor of Science in Fashion Design and Merchandising
Concentrations Offered
Design and Product Development, Merchandising
Top 5 Reasons to Study
Core
Skills
- Apply science, ethics, and global perspectives to understand how fashion systems are designed, produced, and consumed.
- Analyze natural, human, and market influences to identify trends, evaluate impacts, and inform fashion and merchandising decisions.
- Use data-driven and critical-thinking skills to interpret research, solve design and production challenges, and assess sustainable solutions.
- Create and evaluate apparel and textiles using hands-on skills in garment construction, textile analysis, sustainable design, and production technologies.
- Design, present, and promote fashion concepts professionally, integrating visual and digital tools (CAD and illustration), entrepreneurial thinking, and strong communication and time-management skills.
Sample
Jobs
- E-commerce Manager / Specialist
- Retail Buyer / Analyst
- Digital Marketing / Social Media Manager
- Visual Merchandiser (including Digital Visual Roles)
- Fashion/Data Analyst
Successful Career Outcomes
Top
Employment
Industries
- Fashion/Apparel/Retail
- Marketing/Media/Entertainment
- Education/Nonprofit
- Hospitality/Travel/Real Estate
- Professional Services
Brag
Points
- Explore our Historic Costume and Textiles Collection, textile testing machinery, and wearable and comfort lab facilities.
- The Bully Tartan, a design by alumna Elizabeth Costa that celebrates the university’s beloved live mascot, is registered officially with the Scottish Register of Tartans.
- Students intern with couture designers and boutiques, bringing their classroom learning to life.
Experiential Learning Opportunities
Your journey into the world of fashion begins at Mississippi State University with a fashion design and merchandising degree, offering concentrations in merchandising or design and product development. Through hands-on, industry-focused learning, you’ll explore fashion trends, consumer behavior, product development, and retail management while gaining practical experience in merchandising and production. Experiential learning is at the heart of the program. You’ll build real-world skills through internships aligned with your career goals, applied projects, and opportunities to study abroad. You can further customize your degree by adding a minor in business, marketing, art, or another field, joining student organizations, working in a fashion-related student job, or participating in undergraduate research or community service projects—preparing you to enter a competitive industry with confidence and experience.
Spotlight
Further your education through the Thrive in Five accelerated M.S. degree program, where students complete undergraduate and master’s coursework concurrently to graduate with both bachelor’s and master’s degrees within five years.
Fashion Design and Merchandising
2025-2026 Major Map
Bachelor of Science in Fashion Design and Merchandising
Get the Courses You Need
Hands-On Learning
Connect with Community
Explore the World
Launch Your Career
Alumni
Success
MSU prepared me to work in the fashion industry in a variety of ways. Knowing how to identify fabrics has given me a competitive edge, while having a business background has been beneficial in my position at a large company.
Caroline Gilbert, alumna
Student
Testimonial
I hope to have my own streetwear clothing brand that I solely run. And my FDM classes are very thorough in teaching me the skills I need to be successful.
Ayden Brown, student