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Furnishings and Decor Merchandising Degree
Bachelor of Science (B.S.)
Program type:
Major
Format:
On Campus
Est. time to complete:
4 years
Credit Hours:
120
Make yourself more marketable by exploring your options in the fashion category of
furnishings and décor where creativity and commerce converge to impact a global marketspace.
The Furnishings & Décor program at UNT is one of the few nation-wide that focuses
specifically on the myriad of furnishings, décor and interior design products
that are constantly created and continually arrive on the market. This global industry
is responsible for the creative, aesthetic and functional outcome of an entire innovative
industry that is constantly analyzing information and transforming ideas into products
that are used to showcase our individual style and shape our environments.
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Request More InfoWhy Earn a Furnishings and Decor Merchandising Degree?
Think of all the furnishings and décor objects people depend on in homes, at work, and in hotels and restaurants. Every piece of furniture, upholstery, fabrics, wall coverings, decorative accessories, tabletop items, flooring, wall treatments, rugs, lighting, lamps, window treatments, cabinetry, countertops that is selected and placed in environments to enjoy and use begins life in the furnishings and décor industry. So where do these objects originate? Who creates them? We are the industry that “designs the products that designers choose and use,” and we are involved in every aspect of the life of those products.
These fashionable and functional objects are constantly changing, and innovations are continuously happening. Product development and design, trends and forecasting, manufacturing, merchandising, visual display, and buying and selling are the core of this multi-billion dollar industry.
We are ideally located at UNT because the North Texas region is home to the Dallas Market Center and many companies that design and produce furnishings and decorative accessories in the U.S. and abroad. The increasing global demand for home furnishings products means great career opportunities for our graduates.
Marketable Skills
- Quantitative analysis of merchandising strategies
- Oral and written communication
- Analyze target consumer behavior
- Teamwork
- Apply fashion product knowledge
Furnishings and Decor Merchandising Degree Highlights
Our dynamic program emphasizes product development, merchandising, and residential
aesthetics and it is a program uniquely different from, but related to interior design.
Courses in products and processes, decorative accessories, drawing and planning, consumer
behavior, buying, sourcing, aesthetics, furniture industry, textiles and historic
architecture, interiors and furniture help develop marketable skills that transcend
industries.
Competencies in creative problem solving, written, verbal, and visual communication,
trend analysis, consumer behavior, and flexibility make graduates of the merchandising
program competitive in this fashion-based field.
We provide many professional development events for students featuring industry executives,
field trips, and career fairs.
We offer learning experiences beyond the classroom in areas including New York City,
Europe, and the Dallas-Fort Worth area. These study tours allow you to earn credit
hours while experiencing international exposure to the industry.
As a furnishings and decor merchandiser, graduates may be involved in creating, developing,
sourcing, manufacturing and merchandising products within the broad categories of
furnishings, furniture, and decorative accessories.
What Can You do With a Furnishings and Decor Merchandising Degree?
Graduates of the program pursue careers as:
- Home accent and decorative accessory companies
- Home builders
- Home centers
- Home stagers
- Furniture and home furnishings companies
- Major retailers
- Manufacturers
- Sales representatives
- Showroom management
- Specialty companies and more
Furnishings and Decor Merchandising Degree Courses You Could Take
Managing a Diverse Workforce (3 hrs)
Workforce diversity provides strength in the current global business environment.
Investigates the concepts, policies and practices facing professionals in the global
workplace. Effective workplace interactions result when personnel hold a global perspective
that incorporates an appreciation and understanding of human diversity.
Historic and Contemporary Styles of Home Furnishings (3 hrs)
Survey of furnishings in the built environment from the 16th century to the present.
Emphasis on technological, cultural and social influences on historic and contemporary
styles.
Drawing and Planning for Home Furnishings (3 hrs)
Development of basic drawing and drafting skills. Emphasis on incorporating hand drafting
techniques specific to the planning of cabinetry/fixture placement and home furnishings
arrangements.
Effective Leadership Communication (3 hrs)
Principles of effective leadership communication will be explored as students develop,
deliver, and evaluate professional presentations.
Global DiscoveryEurope (3 hrs)
Experience fashion and home furnishings industries through visits to manufacturing
facilities, retail establishments, museums, historical structures, and industry support
organizations in Europe, primarily in Paris and London. Pre-trip and post-trip class
meetings required.
Creating Consumer Experiences (3 hrs)
Exploration of the dynamic merging of retail merchandising, hospitality, and entertainment
industries to create total consumer experiences. Topics include evolution of consumption,
symbolic consumption, ritual consumption, sensory consumption, consumer efficiency;
entertainment, thematic, lifestyle and value experiences; branding, brand extension
and strategic alliance; and global experiential retailing.
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