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:

• English 12 with a minimum grade of C+ (or equivalent)
• Letter of interest (see www.kpu.ca/design/fashion-marketing for details)

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.