Bradley's Department of Family and Consumer Science offers an undergraduate curriculum leading to a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts in Retail Merchandising (required courses and four-year plan).  Students are required to complete a minor in either marketing or management. 

The purpose of the program is to prepare graduates for careers in buying and sales and related areas in the fashion industry.  In addition to their major coursework students will also pursue a minor in business management or marketing.  The Retail Merchandising curriculum includes core courses in the history and philosophy of family and consumer sciences along with specialized courses in retail merchandising.   These areas include apparel analysis, consumer behavior, fashion merchandising, and textiles.  The Department of Family and Consumer Sciences offers both a local and global focus, empowering graduates to respond to diverse and complex family and consumer issues.

Students in Bradley's Retail Merchandising program work directly with faculty who create a close-knit community by being dedicated teachers, mentors, and advisors.  Some of the specialized interests of Bradley's Retail Merchandising faculty involve relevant research project sharing with students.

Outside of the classroom, Bradley Retail Merchandising majors have a wealth of co-curricular and cooperative learning experiences to choose from, including off-site study in Europe, Chicago, and New York, BU Fashion Focus organization, and Kappa Omicron Nu Honor Society.   Students will have the opportunity to have close interaction with faculty to gain research experience with faculty members in a relevant projects.  Some students also participate in annual student research and creative achievement exhibition.

Bradley Retail Merchandising graduates enjoy an excellent placement rate.   Bradley alumni have held or currently hold significant positions nationally as Interior Stylist in the Visual Merchandising/Display Department of Nordstrom; Merchandise Manager for a resort at Disney; Planning Manager for Crate and Barrel Corporate Headquarters; District Manager for Hertz; Business Analyst for Marshall Field and Children's Buyer for Von Maur.  Graduates have continued their studies at Iowa State University, Purdue University, University of Nebraska, and George Washington University.

Average Placement Rate 100% in recent 15+ years.