Academics
Visual Merchandising Major
Visual merchandising is an indispensable and integral component of the fashion business. It is the tool or language that retailers use to communicate with the customer.
Successful retailers place great emphasis on compelling presentations of merchandise. The question confronting every retailer is: What encourages a customer to shop in one store rather than another? The answer: A coordinated effort that includes marketing, merchandising, store design and visual merchandising.
As a Visual Merchandising major pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree at LIM College, you’ll be exposed to an in-depth analysis of the retail store environment. You will be introduced to the principles, philosophies and technologies of visual merchandising through first-hand exploration of the marketplace and hands-on classroom experimentation, using the newest software.
With New York City as an inspirational backdrop, you’ll visit local retail establishments to view displays and engage in on-site investigation and documentation of successful design and merchandising practices.
Additionally, you will learn basic drawing techniques used by retail designers to indicate and communicate store layout and design concepts. Various visual merchandising tools such as mannequins, forms and decorative props will also be introduced as you develop your own displays.
The careers a Visual Merchandising major can pursue include:
• Visual Merchandising Director
• Display Designer/Director
• Visual Merchandising Consultant
Learn more about careers in Visual Merchandising.
View the curriculum for the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Visual Merchandising.
Explore Visual Merchandising Department courses.
Student Consumer Information
Program: Visual Merchandising
Degree(s): Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)
CIP* Code: 50.0401
Program Approval: New York State Education Department
Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education, Candidacy for Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
*Classification of Instructional Program
Occupation Information
| Standard Occupation Code (SOC) | Potential Job Titles | Department of Labor O*Net Occupation Description and Link |
| 27-1026.00 | Visual Merchandiser, Merchandising Assistant, Merchandising Coordinator | Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers |
| 27-1011.00 | Assistant Display Designer, Display Designer, Creative Director | Art Directors |
| 41-9011.00 | Showroom Director, Merchandiser, Field Merchandiser | Demonstrators and Product Promoters |
| 27-3031.00 | PR Coodinator, PR Assistant | Public Relations Specialists |
| 41-1011.00 | Assistant Manager, Sales Lead, Key Holder | First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Retail Sales Workers |
| 41-4011.00 | Sales Manager, Department Manager, Assistant Manager | Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products |
| 11-2022.00 | Sales Lead, Key Holder, Account Executive | Sales Managers |
| 13-1022.00 | Assistant Buyer, Associate Buyer, Buyer | Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products |
Program Costs
| Semester | Program (4 years or 8 semesters) | |
| Tuition & Fees* | $11,113 | $88,904 |
| Books & Supplies | $550 | $4,400 |
| Room & Board** | $7,675 | $61,400 |
*Assumes full-time study using 2011-2012 costs. (Please note that students requiring remediation may take longer and incur additional costs.)
**2011-2012 costs. Housing is not mandatory, cost is for on-campus room only. LIM College has no formal board (meal) plan.
Program Completion: 2010-2011 Graduates
On-time Program Completion rate: 83%
Number of students completing program between July 1, 2010 and June 30, 2011: 29
(On-time is defined as completion within 4 academic years)
Median Debt for Program Graduates: 2010-2011
Federal Title IV Loans: $15,000
Private Loans: $0
Institutional: $0
