Degree Title: Master of Science in Human and Consumer Sciences

Program Name and Number: Apparel, Textiles, and Merchandising - MS6364

Department/Unit: Department of Human and Consumer Sciences

Delivery Mode: Athens Campus

Terms of Entry: [ANY – Rolling Admissions for any term; students with financial support are typically awarded for a Fall entry]

Program Mission: The Apparel, Textiles, and Merchandising (ATM) program equips students with the apparel product knowledge and business competencies necessary to interpret trends and satisfy consumer demands across diverse retail environments. Program graduates are poised to be effective and empowered leaders who can perform productive roles in the ever-changing global consumer marketplace. 

Program Learning Objectives:

• Community: Students will consider perspectives outside their own experiences to value their community and better understand society and culture promoting public good.

• Problem-Solving: Students will be able to synthesize historic and current events to creatively and critically analyze and solve contemporary problems to enhance consumer well-being in local, national, and global environments.
• Advocacy: Students will be able to appreciate, interpret and translate diverse perspectives to effectively communicate with and advocate for a variety of audiences.
• Diversity: Students will learn how to identify individual strengths within diverse backgrounds and leverage them to enhance communities.
• Social Responsibility: Students will develop a sense of personal and social responsibility in their roles as life-long learners within their communities and professions.
• Life-Long Learning: Students will be able to evaluate, adapt and respond to evolving industry and learning environments in a productive and professional manner.
• Reflection: Students will respond, provide and reflect upon constructive feedback to achieve continuous improvement in personal and professional endeavors.
• Communication: Students will be able to effectively listen, speak, write, and create visual communication. 
• Hands-On Experience: Students will participate in experiential learning opportunities in- and outside the classroom.
• Ethics: Students will uphold strong ethical standards through actions and behaviors in both personal and professional relationships.
• Professionalism: Students will establish and maintain professional relationships with faculty, peers, alumni, and industry leaders.

Program Overview: The Apparel, Textiles, and Merchandising major, affiliated with the Retail Merchandising and Fashion Product Development undergraduate program, offers preparation with a scholarly foundation for graduate students seeking industry positions in merchandising (such as buying, management, historic apparel and textile curator, apparel and textile performance assessment, and product development) and in academe. The program focuses on textile and apparel products as well as the processes of innovation, production, distribution, promotion, diffusion, and consumption. The ATM masters major provides a strong foundation for students who plan to continue with graduate studies in doctoral programs and also prepares graduates to go into management and research positions in industry. Students are required to have completed a basic textiles course and an apparel product development/analysis course. If these courses have not been completed graduate students will complete these courses during the first year of graduate study at Ohio University. Students will take required core courses in Apparel, Textiles, and Merchandising and accepted courses in an area of concentration (minor).

Concentrations:  Recommended minors concentration areas include art, art history, interdisciplinary arts, business, communication, education/statistics, psychology, and sociology. Graduate students will be encouraged to do multidisciplinary research when appropriate. Additionally, students (in consultation with and approval with the major advisor) may design a unique program to fulfill the concentration requirements. 

Opportunities for Graduates: Graduates of the ATM program have continued with doctoral studies, pursued teaching careers in post-secondary education, and entered industry careers with leading companies such as Kohl’s, Macy’s, Maurice’s, Wal-Mart, Big Lots, and Anthropologie.

Link to Program: http://www.ohio.edu/education/academic-programs/human-and-consumer-sciences/apparel-textiles-and-merchandising.cfm

Link to Program Handbook: Please contact Mijeong Noh, Ph.D., Program Coordinator, at noh@ohio.edu

Graduation Requirements: Conferral of the degree requires at least a 3.0 grade point average.

1. Students enrolled in a thesis program are required to complete 30 semester hours in order to earn the degree.
2. All students in the ATM program must complete a thesis as part of their degree requirements.
3. All students must submit a proposal including the concept and plans for the thesis. 
4. All students are required to orally (e.g., Oral Examination) defend the results of their thesis.
5. The expected time to degree if studying full time is two years.
6. No qualifying or comprehensive exam is required as a requirement of the program.  

Culminating Experience: Students must complete a master’s thesis.

Admission Requirements: The following materials are required for admission to a Master’s Degree Program in the Department of Human and Consumer Sciences (online application process only):

1. A Bachelor of Science, Arts, Business, or related degree from an accredited college or university.
2. A minimum of 12 semester hours of undergraduate preparation in the specific or closely related program to the graduate major
3. A completed Graduate Admissions Application and non-refundable application fee
4. Official Academic Transcripts
   • Minimum overall GPA of 2.7 with a 3.0 on the final 90 hours (4.0 scale) is recommended.   
5. Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) scores
   • The applicant’s scores will be considered along with all other application materials.
6. Letter of Intent and Statement of Goals
7. Resume/Vitae
8. Three (3) letters of recommendation,
9. Letter for Graduate Assistantship (if desired)
10. Evidence of English proficiency, international students