Objectives
The educational objectives of the MBA/MS in Industrial, Technical, Merchandising & Fabric Analytics are to:
- Offer qualified graduate students the option of completing a MBA in any concentration and MS in Merchandising as interdisciplinary dual degree programs.
- Prepare graduates to serve effectively in businesses where the core competency focuses on merchandising.
- Enhance career growth potential for upper-level positions of responsibility (e.g. General Manager, Division Manager, Regional Manager, Vice President, CEO) in business where the core competency focuses on merchandising.
- Expand career potential to a wide range of businesses.
General Information
Applicants must indicate MBA (concentration) and MS in Industrial, Technical, Merchandising & Fabric Analytics on the graduate application. Graduate School will send one copy of the materials to the College of Business Administration (COBA) and another copy to the School of Merchandising and Hospitality Management (SMHM).
In most cases, the student will be required to take background courses in business or hospitality management, but not both. However, a student who does not have an undergraduate degree in either discipline may have to take the background courses from both areas. Minimum admission standards of both disciplines must be met including a satisfactory score on the GMAT.
The GRE will be considered if an applicant has taken that test prior to applying for the joint program. If the applicant has not taken either test, then the GMAT should be taken. Scores more than 10 years old at the time of application for admission will not be considered.
Applicants whose native language is not English must either present a minimum TOEFL score of at least 550 (paper) or 213 (computer-based), successfully complete an Intensive English Language program, or be a graduate of a college or university in the United States.
MBA: During the first semester, the student is to meet with a specified departmental advisor in business to initiate the degree plan process. The degree plan must be approved by the appropriate individuals and then a copy will be mailed to the student. Degree plan changes must be approved by the departmental advisor.
MS: The student is also to meet with the graduate advisor in the SMHM. The graduate advisor is the contact person for the new student until the major professor is identified. The major professor assists a student in filing a degree plan to the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies. The degree plan must be approved by the dean of SMHM. Any degree plan change must have prior consent of the student's major professor and approval of the SMHM Dean.
Awarding of Degrees
Upon completion of the background courses in either business or hospitality management or both, the student will complete 30 hours of graduate courses in business and 24 hours of graduate courses in merchandising. Six hours of the completed merchandising degree will count as electives in the business concentration. The written comprehensive examination for the MBA is satisfied by the completion of BUSI 5190 - Administrative Strategy.
The MBA/MS is the non-thesis option and the student must pass a written comprehensive exam upon completion of the SMHM course work. A student who has completed an undergraduate degree in merchandising can elect to complete a thesis as part of the MS degree. In this case, the student is required to complete SMHM 5300 Research Methods (3 hrs.) and SMHM 5950 Master's Thesis (6 hrs.).
Background Courses (16.5 hours)
All students must fullfil the MBA program's core background/program course requirements.
For MS: (15 hours)
- SMHM 2490
- Introduction to Fashion Merchandising OR
- SMHM 2400
- Introduction to the Furniture Industry
- SMHM 2650
- Textiles
- SMHM 4010
- Global Textiles and Apparel Industries OR
- SMHM 3380
- Global Home Furnishings Industry
- SMHM 3370
- Fashion Theory and Trend Analysis OR
- SMHM 3750
- Consumer Studies in Apparel and Home Furnishings OR
- SMHM 2750
- Consumers in a Global Market
MBA Core Courses (18 hours)
See MBA overview for additional information
Concentration (12 hours)
The departmental advisor will determine which twelve hours the student will complete. The areas of specialization include: accounting, strategic management, e-business, finance, health services management, logistics and supply chain management, marketing, operations and supply chain management, organizational behavior and human resource management, decision sciences, decision technology, and information technology.
MS in Industrial, Technical, Merchandising & Fabric Analytics (24 hours)
Courses chosen from the following:
- SMHM 5240
- Merchandising Practices*
- SMHM 5300
- Research Methods in Merchandising and Hospitality Management*#
- SMHM 5350
- Issues and Trends in Merchandising and Hospitality Management
- SMHM 5400
- Research Applications in Merchandising and Hospitality Management*
- SMHM 5440
- Consumer Theory*
- SMHM 5460
- Human Relations in Merchandising & Hospitality Management*
- SMHM 5550
- Promotional Strategies*
- SMHM 5600
- Concept Merchandising*
- SMHM 5650
- Global Merchandising*
- SMHM 5700
- Service Excellence*
- SMHM 5750
- Electronic Merchandising
- SMHM 5790
- Field Experience
- SMHM 5800
- Leadership in Merchandising and Hospitality Management
- SMHM 5800
- Legal Aspects in Merchandising & Hospitality Management
*are web-based courses offered simultaneously as resident courses
#required course
