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Apparel, Merchandising, and Design

Offered as: major, minor

Apparel, Merchandising, and Design brochure (PDF)

Apparel, Merchandising, and Design department site

Apparel, Merchandising, and Design course catalog

The Apparel, Merchandising, and Design major opens doors to some of the hottest careers in the textiles and apparel industry. When you major in this field, you'll study fashion design, product development, costume history, merchandising and marketing strategies, production processes, business practices, and consumer behavior.

Strengths of the program

The Iowa State University Apparel, Merchandising, and Design major is one of only 13 programs in the nation approved by the American Apparel Manufacturers Association.

Curriculum requirements

4-year plans

Current and past course syllabi

For current and recent class syllabus examples go to the Class Websites page for the Apparel Educational Studies, and Hospitality Management department and look under Apparel, Merchandising, and Design.

Scholarships and financial aid

Apparel, Merchandising, and Design majors, as part of the AESHM department, need only complete one College of Human Sciences online application to automatically apply for all college-level and department-level scholarships. The application is generally available from November through February.

Career possibilities

Design option:

  • Fashion designer

  • Costume designer

  • Apparel engineer

  • Textile designer

  • Textile or clothing curator

  • Fashion editor or illustrator

  • Home furnishings consultant

Merchandising option:

  • Fashion buyer or purchasing agent

  • Marketing or product specialist

  • Store manager

  • Materials buyer

  • Showroom manager

  • Merchandise analyst

  • Public relations director

  • Visual merchandiser

  • Wardrobe/color consultant

Production/product development option:

  • Product developer

  • Fiber or fabrics market researcher

  • Fiber analyst

  • Product developer

  • Textile colorist or stylist

  • Materials buyer

  • Apparel engineer

  • Laboratory technician

  • Production assistant or manager

  • Quality assurance specialist

View Apparel, Merchandising, and Design internship experiences at Career Connections (look under the Majors heading for Apparel, Merchandising, and Design).

Transfer plans

Student organizations and learning communities

Events

Related majors and minors

Internships

View Apparel, Merchandising, and Design internship experiences at Career Connections (look under the Majors heading for Apparel, Merchandising, and Design).

Internships

Faculty

AMD faculty are regarded as some of the best in the nation by their peers and professional organizations. The department is home to the single largest group of textbook authors – their own faculty – out of anywhere in the field of fashion.

Faculty list

Facilities

The following are stories featuring some of the advanced equipment and outstanding facilities used by Apparel, Merchandising, and Design students and faculty:

Graduate degrees

  • Fashion Show 2012

    The 2012 Fashion Show will take place on Saturday, April 14, 2012.

    6:00 p.m. - Doors open
    7:00 p.m. - Show starts

    More »

  • Graduates Find Rewarding Jobs

    In 2010-11, 91 percent of CHS graduates with bachelor’s degrees got a job (of those new jobs 91 percent were directly related to their majors) or gained acceptance to graduate or professional school within six months of graduation. Culinary Science, Nutritional Science, Diet and Exercise, Kinesiology, and Family and Consumer Sciences – had placement rates of 100 percent! Story »