Alabama's Public Liberal Arts University

Family & Consumer Sciences

Retail Merchandising

Career Options

Job opportunities in retail merchandising are diverse and challenging, calling upon people with creative ideas, product knowledge, a sense of the global community, enthusiasm, and the ability to work well with others. Job titles may include the following:

  • department manager

  • store manager

  • district manager

  • merchandise manager

  • sales representative

  • buyer

  • personnel manager

Salary Range

Beginning salaries vary by region and company. Entry-level professionals typically earn $23,000 or more.

Professional Internships

Students in the Retail Merchandising program complete a 320-hour (6 credit hours) professional internship at the end of their program of study. Experiences gained on the job reinforce classroom instruction and enable students to move quickly from college into professional positions. Internships may be in stores anywhere in the world.

Major Courses

  • Apparel Construction and Evaluation

  • Visual Display

  • Textiles

  • International Retailing

  • Merchandise Mathematics

  • Retail Management

  • Internship

Minor Courses

  • Accounting

  • Economics

  • Business Law

  • Business Communications

  • Management

  • Management of Information System

  • 2 Business Electives

Study Tours

The retail merchandising merchandising program offers several opportunities for students to visit and learn, firsthand, about the major trade centers of the world. Major study sites include Paris, London, Rome, New York, and Atlanta. Students receive credit while studying domestic and international trade centers.

Contact Person

Donna Bell M.Ed

(205) 665-6388

e-mail: belldw@montevallo.edu