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Fashion Marketing: Diploma

Description

The KPU Fashion Marketing Diploma program integrates studies in fashion, communications, business and marketing. The program includes academic courses, hands-on studio projects and industry work experiences. Students develop skills necessary for dynamic careers and participate in various fashion events to create broad industry networks.

Program outcomes include collecting, analyzing and interpreting data on economic and fashion trends, consumer buying habits, demographics, and emergent tastes and preferences. Students research stores, attend events, write blogs, organize photo shoots, review fashion forecasts and develop buying plans. Students are mentored by Alumni and faculty to explore current industry needs and to prepare them for leadership roles in the fashion business.

Successful candidates acquire and develop extensive research, thinking, communication, and technical skills necessary for academic and career development. Our students are immersed in emerging trends for local and international markets and incorporate social responsibility and sustainability into functional business practices.

Students take on leadership roles and share their skills and insights through opportunities in the community. Graduates of the Fashion Marketing Diploma program may apply to the third year of one of KPU Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) programs.

Information regarding KPU BBA programs can be found here: http://www.kpu.ca/business/programs

Student Profile

Accepting up to 30 new students each year, applicants to the program are eager to learn about and work in various areas of the fashion industry. They have some experience and knowledge about fashion and wish to build on that passion to develop their marketing and management skills for success in leadership positions. If you have always enjoyed exploring fashion companies and thought about working with people and clothing in the business sector then you will thrive in this program.

Students who excel in this program have a flair for fashion, an eye for style and an innate ability to connect with people.

Career Opportunities

Our graduates develop skills necessary for employment in the creative business services sector. Career opportunities are extensive and include:

  • Buying
  • Merchandising
  • Branding
  • Forecasting
  • Styling and Consulting
  • Visual Merchandising
  • Communications
  • Special Events Coordination
  • Retail Sales
  • Management

Graduates can work for apparel companies, retailers, distributors and marketers.

Some graduates choose to work freelance or run their own organizations and ideally find a broad variety of options to pursue a meaningful career or further education.

Admission Requirements

In addition to the Faculty's Admission Requirements, which consist of KPU's undergraduate English Proficiency Requirement, the following program admission requirements apply:

Letter of Interest

The letter of interest should be type-written (3-5 pages, single spaced, 12 pt. font) and must include:

  • A summary of knowledge about the field of fashion marketing.
  • A statement of personal goals for applying to the program.
  • A brief write-up including personal examples related to as many of the following skills as possible (2-3 paragraphs for each): working in a team, working independently, problem solving, developing personal management, organizational and stress management skills. Examples could come from school, work, play, sports activities etc.

Your letter of interest must be accompanied by:

  • Transcripts from high school and any post-secondary institutions attended (Note: transcripts sent with your application for admission are not available to faculty – applicants must include copies with the letter of interest.
  • A current resume.
  • Two letters of reference. It is recommended applicants ask people to write about an applicant's ability to carry out one or more of the skills listed.

Curricular Requirements

The Diploma program requires a minimum of 60 credits of post-secondary courses.

To continue each semester as a Fashion Marketing Diploma student and maintain priority registration status, students are required to take all of the Fashion Marketing (FMRK) courses in sequence as listed in the "Course Requirements" section.

Course Requirements

Semester 1 (Fall)

All of:
  FMRK 1105 Computers for Fashion Marketing 3 credits
  FMRK 1115 The Apparel Industry 2.5 credits
  FMRK 1150 Fashion Retail Work Experience 2 credits
  MRKT 1199 Introduction to Marketing 3 credits
One of:
  BUSI 1110 Fundamentals of Business in Canada 3 credits
  BUSI 1210 Essentials of Management 3 credits
  BUSI 1215 Organizational Behaviour 3 credits
And one elective (see below).

Semester 2 (Spring)

All of:
  FMRK 1205 Visual Communications for Fashion Marketing 3 credits
  FMRK 1215 Textile Science 3 credits
  FMRK 1250 Fashion & Consumers 3 credits
  MRKT 1299 Consumer Behaviour 3 credits
  BUQU 1130 Business Mathematics 3 credits

Semester 3 (Fall)

All of:
  FMRK 2105 Visual Fashion Merchandising & Promotion 3 credits
  FMRK 2115 Fashion Forecasting 3 credits
  FMRK 2120 Fashion Writing 3 credits
And two electives (see below).

Semester 4 (Spring)

All of:
  FMRK 2205 Fashion Buying 3 credits
  FMRK 2215 Fashion Events and Promotions 3 credits
  FMRK 2240 Fashion Marketing Work Experience 1.5 credits
And two electives (see below)

Progressing to Kwantlen Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) Degrees: Students planning to progress to a BBA degree program at KPU should consult a School of Business educational advisor as early as possible to confirm declaration requirements.

Electives

Electives may be taken at any time based on availability and having met prerequisites where applicable.
Four of the five electives required (3-credit each for a total of 15 credits) must be selected from the following list.
One of the five electives required (3-credits) may be selected from any program or area of study, including courses from the list below:

Any of:
  ACCT 1110* Introductory Financial Accounting I 3 credits
  ACCT 1210* Introductory Financial Accounting II 3 credits
  ACCT 2293* Accelerated Introductory Financial Accounting 3 credits
  BUQU 1230 Business Statistics 3 credits
  BUSI 2390 Business Law 3 credits
  ECON 1150 Principles of Microeconomics 3 credits
  ENGL 1100 Introduction to University Writing 3 credits
  MRKT 1220 Dynamic Selling 3 credits
  MRKT 2111 Marketing Online 3 credits
  MRKT 2235 Small Business Entrepreneurship 3 credits
  MRKT 2321 Retail Management 3 credits
  MRKT 2333 Marketing Management I 3 credits
  MRKT 2340 Marketing Research 3 credits
  MRKT 2360 Selling and Sales Management 3 credits
  MRKT 2401 Introduction to Integrated Marketing Communications - Advertising 3 credits
  MRKT 2421 Retail Buying and Merchandise Management 3 credits
  MRKT 2444 Marketing Management II 3 credits
  MRKT 2455 International Marketing 3 credits

Note: For graduation purposes a maximum of 6 credits can be obtained for any combination of ACCT 1110, ACCT 1210 and ACCT 2293 (an accelerated course).

Credential Awarded

Upon successful completion of this program, students are eligible to receive a Diploma in Fashion Marketing.

At a Glance

Chip and Shannon Wilson School of Design

kpu.ca/design

Fashion Marketing

kpu.ca/design/fashion-marketing

Implementation Date:

  • 01-Sep-2015

Start Date(s):

  • Fall Intake (September)  September

Intake Type:

  • Limited Intake  Limited intake

Instructional Cycle:

  • Semester-based

Program Type:

  • Undergraduate

Credential Granted:

  • Diploma

Minimum Credits Required:

  • 60

Offered At:

  • KPU Richmond  Richmond

Format:

  • Full-time  Full-time

Applying to KPU:

Last Updated: 5-May-2016

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