Apparel merchandising and product development program named among nation’s top 50

Bowling Green State University’s apparel merchandising and production development program has been named one of the nation’s top 50 fashion merchandising programs for 2018. The online publication Fashion-Schools.org ranked the College of Education and Human Development program No. 46 overall, which places it in the top 25 percent of the schools considered for evaluation.  

Each year Fashion-Schools.org ranks the top fashion merchandising schools in the U.S. The rankings are based on factors that include the schools’ admission data, graduation success, reputation and an extensive proprietary survey conducted with school and industry stakeholders. This is the sixth year that Fashion-Schools.org has released annual rankings and the first time that BGSU has appeared on the list. 

“BGSU’s program prepares students for a professional career in fashion, which is a field much broader than most people realize: everything from textiles and merchandising to product development, computer-aided design and brand representation,” said Dr. Deborah Wooldridge, professor and director of the School of Family and Consumer Sciences.

Fashion-Schools.org highlighted BGSU’s small classes, new workshop in the Eppler Center and graduation requirement of two program options. Students participate in co-ops and internships. Both a major and a minor are available; students choosing the major can either minor in marketing at the University’s nationally ranked College of Business or study for a year at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City in the areas of advertising and communications or textile development and marketing. Many students further complement their classroom experience with visits to domestic or international fashion hubs in Paris, London, Milan and more.