The Master of Science (M.S.) major in Merchandising and Consumer Studies will educate the next generation of product developers, retail and merchandising managers, as well as consumer studies professionals, who will make pivotal and transformative decisions vital to intelligent economic, social, and environmental resource management. Our goal is to prepare students with competencies that address current and future consumer-related employment needs of Texas. Building on the undergraduate foundation, the master’s level curriculum engages students in the analysis, critical thinking, and holistic problem solving needed to respond to the complexity and growth of consumer-centric systems.
The Merchandising and Consumer Studies program will educate the next generation of product developers, retail and merchandising managers, as well as consumer studies professionals, who will make pivotal and transformative decisions vital to intelligent economic, social, and environmental resource management. Our goal is to prepare students with competencies that address current and future consumer-related employment needs of Texas. MCS faculty is conducting cutting-edge research on important current issues surrounding consumers and marketplaces (such as sustainable consumer lifestyle, corporate social responsibility, and consumption behavior on social media). Faculty provide strong mentorship for graduate students to engage in research and make co-authored publications in top scholarly venues through student-driven thesis projects as well as faculty-guided scientific research. Through the integration of theory and applied knowledge, graduates gain insight related to merchandising and consumer sciences to address the cultural, demographic and lifestyle changes of today’s society. Specifically, the master’s level curriculum engages students in the analysis, critical thinking, and holistic problem solving needed to respond to the complexity and growth of consumer-centric systems.