Fashion Design and Merchandising Department Records

The Department of Fashion Design and Merchandising was established in 2021. As of 2023, it offers a Bachelor of Science in two majors: Fashion Design and Fashion Merchandising. The Department is part of the School of Business. It was previously known as the Department of Apparel, Merchandising and Design.

The origin of these departments dates back to the opening of the College of St. Catherine in 1904, when classes in domestic science were offered. In 1916, a Department of Home Economics and Domestic Art began offering a four-year degree. By 1922, the name had been shortened to Department of Home Economics. From 1991-2011, it was known as the Department of Family, Consumer and Nutritional Sciences. FCNS was restructured in 2011, when two new departments were created: the Department of Apparel, Merchandising, and Design and the Department of Nutrition and Exercise Science (which was part of the Henrietta Schmoll School of Health).