Fashion Marketing Degree

Our Fashion Marketing Degree combines core courses in business fundamentals with in-depth study of the fashion industry that emphasizes retail fashion marketing, trends, media and technology. Plus, you can develop key business skills such as team leadership, accounting and finance.

A Fashion marketing program can help you learn how to

• Apply quantitative tools to analyze contemporary business functions and practices
• Apply the concepts and principles of finance, economics and accounting to make effective decisions in the global business environment
• Examine the implication of technology, media and the Internet on today’s businesses
• Demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of the fashion industry, fashion marketing, its products, markets, consumers and marketing activities
• Analyze and interpret trend and market information
• Develop innovative marketing solutions based on sound analysis of market information and marketing theory
• Leverage an understanding of media, technology and the Internet to enhance promotions and branding
• Design a research project that includes defining the problem, developing an approach to it and formulating the research design
• Analyze cases that focus on key marketing management tasks, such as marketing research, sales forecasting, product and brand management, distribution channels, pricing and promotion as well as advertising strategies

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At AIU, more of the courses you take, on average, are devoted to your field of interest than at other similar schools. For a Fashion Marketing Degree, your classes may include:

Fashion Trends

In Fashion Trends you will look at how they arise by considering macro business environmental drivers as well as social and cultural influences. You will consider trend identification, market assessment and competitive response strategies. This will be appropriate preparation for fashion product development, range planning and the exploitation of market opportunities.

Fashion Branding

In Fashion Branding you will explore contemporary fashion brands and examine the strategies they use to create a unique personality, generate appeal and generally develop a "desirability factor" for potential consumers. This course will build directly on your skills and knowledge by deepening the understanding of the complexity of brands and branding, from conception and development, through to the management and marketing of the end products. The course will cover the development of values and ethics required to develop successful brands, as well as the creation of identity, revitalization and extension strategies. You will also explore the implications of changing environments for fashion consumers and fashion brands, and employ creative thinking, innovative problem solving and applied skills and methodologies to investigate and develop appropriate solutions to brand strategies.

CAD for Fashion Marketing

CAD for Fashion Marketing re-enforces the application of creative software (Photoshop, Illustrator, etc.), to advance student's skills with computer applications used to enhance fashion presentations including color rendering of drawings and drafting of flats. Students will design a collection, and all the appropriate accoutrements that sit alongside the collection. Students will then take this work and develop and present it in a professional manner using the CAD skills learned in this class.

Fashion Buying

Fashion Buying presents buying practices and techniques, with an examination of consumer buying power, major market resources, governmental regulations and merchandise analysis. Through a simulated experience, students will conduct research and plan a six-moth seasonal dollar merchandise plan. A final product book will include all stages of development of the seasonal merchandise plan including trend forecasting, vendor negotiation, and profitability analysis.

Media and PR

In Media and PR you will learn how fashion communications are planned, written, managed and delivered. Through directed activities you will experience situations replicating the "real-life" of working in the fast paced roles of fashion public relations and journalism. These assignments will develop your knowledge and understanding of the dynamics and interplay between the key fashion promotion sectors, highlighting the methodologies required for building successful working relationships within these roles. During this course, you will be expected to work with a degree of autonomy, structuring your own time management and applied research to a professional level and developing your professional and communication skills to a higher level. You will also be required to utilize a range of new and emerging technologies and applications to the media and communication assignments.

Textiles

The textiles course is a basic study of fibers, yarns, fabric construction methods, coloring processes, and finishing techniques. Emphasis is placed on the practical application of this knowledge in judging performance and in the proper use and care of fabrics used in the apparel industry.

Visual Merchandising

Effective retail display and space are essential elements of a fashion company's brand image. In this course, students study the key principles and techniques used globally in the retail environment. Students develop a capstone project that incorporates all aspects of store planning and design (e.g. exterior signing, interior signing, walls, floors, lighting, sound, merchandise, fixtures, mannequins, window displays, and wall elevations). Visual merchandising in the e-tailing environment is also examined.

Marketing Management

This course explores the application of management principles to the marketing function. Emphasis is placed on the application of planning, implementation, controlling, and evaluation of marketing strategies as the means for achieving an organization's objectives.

Principles of Marketing

Students will study and apply the fundamentals of marketing within an organization and the contemporary market environment. The course will focus on marketing strategy and development of a marketing mix.

Historical and Contextual Studies

In Historical and Contextual Studies you will be introduced to studying fashion from a historical and contextual viewpoint. The course will introduce fashion as a cultural phenomenon that will enable you to develop an analytical approach to contemporary fashion. Fashion is understood as object, image and idea and will be explored as such through the analysis of designs, images and ideas. The course will explore the links between clothing and other mediums and will be thematic as well as historically chronological in approach. You will be introduced to methods of inquiry and terminology which you will be able to use in your own marketing and/or design practice.

The Fashion Cycle

In The Fashion Cycle you will gain a broad understanding of the fashion industry and the different contexts in which it sits. You will gain a good understanding of the structure of the industry and the way that fashion works. This will provide you with a good foundation on which to build deeper specialist knowledge as you move through your fashion program. You will learn how to explore the business of fashion through investigation, observation and gathering of materials. You will learn to question, discuss, and argue about current fashion business issues and to put forward ideas and information in presentations and written work. You will learn how to know what is happening at the forefront of fashion, and to think about the future for fashion.

Program Capstone

The emphasis in this course is on applying and synthesizing concepts and techniques from all previous business/concentrations courses. The class sessions are designed to familiarize students with the many dimensions of business, with special emphasis on the area of specialization.

View the Course Catalog

From grants to military service to transfer credits, see the variety of ways you can save time and money on your Fashion Marketing Degree at AIU:

• Scholarships & Grants - AIU offers a number of institutional scholarships and grants that can help eligible students offset the program cost and help reduce out of pocket costs
• Reduced Military Tuition Rate – AIU Online offers a 45% tuition reduction to active military undergraduate students and a 20% tuition reduction to active military graduate students, including members of the Reserves and National Guard
• Transfer Credit – AIU’s transfer-friendly credit policy lets you transfer in up to 75% of the qualifying credits needed toward your degree
• Prior Learning Credit – You can receive credits for past college courses, qualifying military service, or eligible work experience

For more information, review the AIU guides below:

• Financial Aid Guide: Our guide to financial aid can answer your initial questions and help you prepare to apply for financial aid
• Scholarships and Grants Guide: Learn about the scholarships and grants offered by AIU along with details about eligibility
• Transfer Credit Guide: This guide explores how to transfer your credits from other schools—and earn college credit for your eligible past work and qualifying military experience

This business program is programmatically accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).