Apparel Merchandising & Design

The Master of Science Degree or Master of Arts Degree in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences is designed for professionals seeking advanced study in one of the specialty areas of family and consumer sciences:

Our department currently offers a Master’s degree program in Family and Consumer Sciences, and this degree program allows an emphasis in Apparel Merchandising and Design. This program option is most appropriate for individuals interested in careers in the apparel merchandise and design field who have related degrees such as business, especially marketing, public relations, art, and design. Our master’s degree program is less appropriate for students with a Bachelor’s degree in apparel, merchandising and design since our department does not currently offer a separate mMaster’s degree program in Apparel Merchandising and Design.

Family and Consumer Sciences graduate students with an interest in the apparel, merchandising and design field can choose among thirteen courses in the apparel, merchandising and design area that could potentially be included as part of their graduate degree program. The courses offered are in two concentration areas: 1) apparel merchandising; and 2) apparel product design and production. These graduate level courses include:

FCS 321 – Flat Pattern Design (3 sem. hr.)
FCS 323 – Advanced Textiles (3 sem. hr.)
FCS 324 – Draping and Design (3 sem. hr.)
FCS 327 – Clothing and Behavior (3 sem. hr.)
FCS 328 – Economics of Fashion (3 sem. hr.)
FCS 329 – Apparel Product Analysis (3 sem. hr.)
FCS 361 – Fashion History I (3 sem. hr.)
FCS 362 – Fashion History II (3 sem. hr.)
FCS 365 – Apparel Collection Development (3 sem. hr.)
FCS 366 – CAD for Apparel Design (3 sem. hr.)
FCS 368 – Fashion Promotion (3 sem. hr.)
FCS 369 – Merchandise Planning and Control (3 sem. hr.)
FCS 371 – Advanced Merchandising (3 sem. hr.)

The Graduate Catalog provides course descriptions and other information about these 13 graduate level courses and our Mater’s degree program. Lower level courses are also available for students needing to complete deficiency coursework for their Master’s degree and future career success.

Plans are to develop a sequence specific master’s degree in Apparel Merchandising and Design in the near future.

Students may choose one of the following degree program options:

32-semester-hour program which includes a thesis
39 semester hour program of course work

The admission requirements to the master’s degree program in Family and Consumer Sciences include:

Minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in the last 60 hours of undergraduate coursework
The GRE exam with a preferred verbal score of 420
Three letters of recommendation
Statement of goals for seeking the degree

Our current faculty in the Apparel Merchandising and Design area have doctorate degrees from the following institutions.

Iowa State University
Oklahoma State University
Oregon State University
University of Minnesota

Additional information

For information about other Illinois State University graduate programs, visit the Graduate Program web site.

For additional information about this program, you may contact:

Robert Cullen, Ph.D.
Graduate Program Coordinator
Department of Family and Consumer Sciences
Campus Box 5060
Office: Turner 203F
Phone: (309) 438-8850
Fax: (309) 4388-5659
Email: