About the Program
The Retail Management program prepares students for successful careers in the buying, distribution, merchandising, and marketing of consumer goods and services in the fast-paced and constantly evolving world of retail and related industries. Through the program, students develop a strong foundation in critical thinking, communication, and practical skills. These include: consumer behavior, retail operations, strategy, and leadership. Students acquire knowledge and skill sets that encompass industry trend analysis, retail marketing plans, luxury branding, and cutting-edge retail technology. The Program requires an internship prior to graduation to gain valuable industry experience. Overall, graduates of this program are well equipped to pursue a range of exciting opportunities, including positions in retail management, buying, product merchandising, brand strategy, and supply chain management.
For students interested in the fashion retail industry, the Program offers a unique one-year study opportunity with the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York City. Students accepted to the FIT program spend their junior year studying Fashion Business Management. Courses taken in this program transfer back to Purdue, and students successfully completing the FIT program earn an associate degree from FIT.
Division of Consumer Science
Retail Management Major Change (CODO) Requirements
World Language Courses
World Language proficiency requirements vary by program. The following list is inclusive of all world languages PWL offers for credit; for acceptable languages and proficiency levels, see your advisor. (ASL-American Sign Language; ARAB-Arabic; CHNS-Chinese; FR-French; GER-German; GREK-Greek(Ancient); HEBR-Hebrew(Biblical); HEBR-Hebrew(Modern); ITAL-Italian; JPNS-Japenese; KOR-Korean; LATN-Latin; PTGS=Portuguese; RUSS-Russian; SPAN-Spanish)
Critical Course
The ♦ course is considered critical.
In alignment with the Degree Map Guidance for Indiana’s Public Colleges and Universities, published by the Commission for Higher Education (pursuant to HEA 1348-2013), a Critical Course is identified as “one that a student must be able to pass to persist and succeed in a particular major. Students who want to be nurses, for example, should know that they are expected to be proficient in courses like biology in order to be successful. These would be identified by the institutions for each degree program”.
