Twin Cities campus

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Twin Cities Campus

Retail Merchandising Minor

Retail Merchandising
College of Design
  • Program Type: Undergraduate minor related to major
  • Requirements for this program are current for Fall 2024
  • Required credits in this minor: 15 to 17
Minors in Retail Merchandising at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities are introduced to basic retail merchandising principles such as an overview of the industry of commerce and a chance to learn about some of the major trends in consumption patterns. The minor provides the opportunity to explore several facets of the retail industry with its wide array of electives, including retailing in a digital age, retail buying, visual merchandising, retail promotions, consumers of design, international retail markets, leadership, and more. The program offers a wide range of educational and career opportunities, including hands-on learning projects, professional guest speakers, case studies, and travel to study abroad foreign and/or domestic retail centers.
Program Delivery
This program is available:
  • via classroom (the majority of instruction is face-to-face)
Minor Requirements
Minor Courses
RM 1201 - Fashion, Ethics, and Consumption [CIV] (3.0 cr)
RM 2215 - Introduction to Retail Merchandising (3.0 cr)
Take 3 or more course(s) totaling 9 or more credit(s) from the following:
· RM 2234 - Retailing in a Digital Age [TS] (3.0 cr)
· RM 3124 - Consumers of Design (3.0 cr)
· RM 3170 - Topics in Retail Merchandising (1.0-4.0 cr)
· RM 3196 - Field Study: National or International (1.0-4.0 cr)
· RM 3242 - Retail Buying (3.0 cr)
· RM 3243 - Visual Merchandising (2.0 cr)
· RM 3244 - Virtual Reality Retailing (2.0 cr)
· RM 4117W - Retail Environments and Human Behavior [WI] (3.0 cr)
· RM 4123 - Living in a Consumer Society (3.0 cr)
· RM 4216 - Retail Promotions (3.0 cr)
· RM 4217 - International Retail Markets [GP] (3.0 cr)
· RM 4234 - Digital Retail Analytics and Social Media (3.0 cr)
· RM 4235 - Data Driven Retail (3.0 cr)
· RM 4247 - Advanced Buying and Sourcing (3.0 cr)
· RM 4248 - Creative Leadership in Retailing (3.0 cr)
 
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RM 1201 - Fashion, Ethics, and Consumption (CIV)
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
Apparel business. Overview of steps in the process of creating, merchandising, selling, and consuming apparel. Various ethical positions reflected in manufacturer, retailer, and consumer decision making are considered.
RM 2215 - Introduction to Retail Merchandising
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
This course is designed to introduce concepts involved in the retail business and provide a high-level overview into all aspects of managing, planning and executing within this environment. Concepts include omni channel/multichannel retailing, digital retailing, consumer behavior, buying, inventory planning, supply chain, pricing, financial planning, human resources, store locations, store layout, and visual merchandising.
RM 2234 - Retailing in a Digital Age (TS)
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Spring
Students will explore and evaluate the impact of emergence of retail technology on the retail industry and consumers as well as on the society at large. Changes in the retail business and consumer behaviors will be examined in relation to emerging technologies. Both benefits and concerns related to digital retailing will be discussed.
RM 3124 - Consumers of Design
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Course Equivalencies: ApSt 5124/RM 4124
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
Contemporary approaches to consumer behavior. Focus is on understanding why people buy certain products/services by reviewing the examples found in the design-related industry, including apparel. This course discusses various psychology related theories to understand internal and external influences shaping consumer decisions.
RM 3170 - Topics in Retail Merchandising
Credits: 1.0 -4.0 [max 16.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Periodic Fall, Spring & Summer
In-depth investigation of specific topic.
RM 3196 - Field Study: National or International
Credits: 1.0 -4.0 [max 10.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall, Spring & Summer
Faculty-directed field study in national or international setting. prereq: instr consent
RM 3242 - Retail Buying
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
Principles/mathematics of merchandise inventory control, merchandise selection. prereq: [2215 or DHA 2215]; [MATH 1031 or MATH 1051 or MATH 1142 or MATH 1151 or MATH 1155 or MATH 1271 or CALG student group]; [jr or sr]; retail merchandising [major or minor] or instr consent
RM 3243 - Visual Merchandising
Credits: 2.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall
Retail store environment. Physical/psychological effects that initiate/motivate consumer behavior. Merchandise display: creativity, department layout, fixturing, lighting, cross merchandising, visual resources, signing, maintenance. prereq: 2215 or instructor consent
RM 3244 - Virtual Reality Retailing
Credits: 2.0 [max 2.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Spring
Students will use a virtual 3D store modeling software package, to conceptualize and design store interior, layout, fixtures, lighting, signs, merchandising planograms based on an understanding of visual merchandising foundational knowledge.
RM 4117W - Retail Environments and Human Behavior (WI)
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Spring
Theory/research related to designed environments across retail channels. prereq: 2215 or DHA 2215, [jr or sr or grad student], [design major or minor or instr consent]
RM 4123 - Living in a Consumer Society
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Course Equivalencies: ApSt 5123/RM 4123
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Periodic Fall
Consumerism within U.S. society. Commodification of health care, education, and production of news. Commercialization of public space/culture. What drives consumer society. How meaning is manufactured. What the lived experiences are of consumers today. Postmodern market. Alternatives to consumer society. prereq: Sr, retail merchandising major or minor
RM 4216 - Retail Promotions
Credits: 3.0 [max 4.0]
Course Equivalencies: ApSt 4216/ApSt 5216/RM 4216
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall
Role of integrated marketing communications in retail businesses. Promotion techniques/media characteristics. Application of theories behind consumer decision making. prereq: 2215, [jr or sr or grad student], [DHA major or minor or instr consent]
RM 4217 - International Retail Markets (GP)
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Spring
Operating a retail business in foreign countries. How international markets differ from U.S. market. Effects of sociocultural systems within foreign countries. Theories of international trade. Interface between countries and firms. Strategic alternatives for global retail operations.
RM 4234 - Digital Retail Analytics and Social Media
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Fall
In this digital era, a large volume of digital footprints of users is being generated. The characteristics of users and their behaviors are tracked through various digital media such as websites, social media, and mobile platforms. Using quantitative methods to measure and analyze this ?big data? has become crucial as it allows retailers and marketers to make informed decisions concerning consumer behavior. This course is designed to prepare students to become leaders in the digital retail world by leveraging various digital metrics and insights related to sales, reach, customers, to make strategic business decisions.
RM 4235 - Data Driven Retail
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Spring
This hands-on course is designed to introduce basic concepts and techniques for big data text analysis and apply them in retail context. Students learn the theoretical basis for natural language processing and text analysis and understand how various analysis methods are used to draw insights from unstructred text data. Students also learn the basics of Python and practice using the Python codes to analyze data such as word frequency analysis, sentiment analysis, semantic network analysis, topic modeling, and Concor
RM 4247 - Advanced Buying and Sourcing
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Spring
This course is designed to familiarize students with the decisions involved in running a retail business and the concepts and principles for making those decisions. Major topics covered include sourcing, factory production and operations, supply chain management, translating trends into designs, managing merchandise assortments, merchandise planning systems, buying and sourcing, retail pricing and building a six month financial plan. MS-Excel for solving strategic problems in retail buying.
RM 4248 - Creative Leadership in Retailing
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
Theory/research on creative leadership. Opportunities to apply knowledge to contemporary issues facing practicing retail leaders.