Graduate Certificate - Merchandising
Core Courses
This course offers an evaluation of psychological, sociological, and cultural theories of consumer behavior through the examination of factors influencing consumers' decision-making process.
In this course, students analyze leadership and how it affects organizational culture and change through a prism of past and current experiences. Students examine various leadership styles and develop a personal leadership philosophy for professional advancement in merchandising.
In this course, students learn to evaluate effectiveness and/or appropriateness of retail theories and current practices. Students learn to assess internal and external environmental forces impacting strategic decisions by retail firms and to synthesize past and present trends in order to forecast probable future patterns. Prerequisite: Retail Management course.
Elective Courses
This course is an advanced study of issues and management strategies necessary to design and produce a competitively priced product while offering visibility over material procurement and apparel production practices including the treatment of workers. Students examine the role of globalization, sustainability, and rapidly changing technology in the development of a successful product.
Students in this course examine integrated marketing communications to understand promotional strategies and techniques and pursue cultural and global awareness, social responsibility, and ethical decision-making.
Program Summary
Cost per credit hour:
2023-2024: $600
2024-2025: $610
Learn more about Tuition and Cost
Average time to complete:
Master's degree: 26 months
Graduate certificate: 12 months
36 Hours
12 Hours
University Contact
These campus coordinators can help you navigate Great Plains IDEA. Click on the university name to learn more about how Great Plains IDEA works at that campus.
Ashley SchultzStacy Duffield
Rae Ann Montgomery
Melisia Bieber
The online Family and Community Services Program is teaching me to observe, evaluate, and assist families using a strengths-based approach. In my previous role as alumni advisor, one of my responsibilities was speaking with parents from various backgrounds to prepare them for their scholar's graduation and matriculation. Using what I learned in Resilience in Families and Family Resource Management I was able to highlight families' assets and internal resources to help them help their scholar succeed, in addition to providing them with new information and external resources. All of my courses have contributed in some way to how I now approach my work and interact with those close to me. I am a better employee, sister, daughter, friend, and mentor because of the online Family and Community Services program!