The mission of the retail management program is to prepare students to make a contribution to the retail industry and to society as a whole through quality education, research, and service. By focusing on both the role of diverse and global consumers and the complex infrastructure of retailing goods and services, faculty members maintain and expand a partnership between the retail industry and academics. Retail management courses emphasize integration of theory, e-commerce, category management, leadership, industry application, and career planning strategy (includes study in technology, communication, marketing, management, accounting, and economics). An internship program, industry-sponsored course projects, and a strong alumni base afford students the opportunity to interface with a dynamic combination of retail executives and organizations throughout their academic study. The Fashion Merchandising concentration brings together textiles and fashion and retailing. This concentration includes the retail core courses as well as retail courses focused on fashion merchandising