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Lasell University
Lasell University

2013 - 2014 Academic Catalog

Mathematics Minor

The Mathematics minor consists of six courses.
Course Code Course Title Credits
Major Requirements
Core Courses
ARTS120 Three-D Design 3
BUSS201 Financial Accounting 4
BUSS220 Marketing 3
BUSS224 Organizational Behavior 3
ECON101 Principles of Econ-Micro 3
FASH101 Contemporary Issues in Fashion 3
FASH200 Fashion History 3
FASH201 Merchandise Planning & Control 3
FASH207 Digital Tools for Fashion 3
FASH210 Textiles 3
FASH211 Fashion Retail Management 3
FASH212 Visual Merchandising 3
FASH301 Fashion Promotion 3
FASH302 Retail Operations 3
FASH304 Interior Display & Design 3
FASH309 Apparel Product Development 3
FASH317 Ethics in the Fashion Industry 3
FASH342 Fashion & Culture 3
FASH401 Fashion Industry Professional Dev 3
FASH405 Fashion Retail & Merchandising Capstone 3
FASH415 Internship 4
MATH116 Merchandising and Financial Mathematics 3
MATH208 Statistics 3
Additional Major Requirements

To count toward the minor, each course must be passed with at least a C.

MATH 205 & MATH 208 may require prior coursework depending upon Math placement.

Credit Requirements for minor: 20 credits

ARTS120 - Three-D Design

This course introduces students to the notion of creating within three-dimensional space. Line, composition, planes, volume, and surfaces are studied from both additive and subtractive perspectives. Students construct various models and/or maquettes. Problem solving and individual expression are emphasized.

BUSS201 - Financial Accounting

This course provides students with an applied knowledge of the fundamental accounting process and procedures used in business. Students learn how to identify and record business transactions. In addition, students learn how to create financial statements, as well as how to become intelligent users of financial information.

BUSS220 - Marketing

In this course, fundamentals of the nature of marketing are presented and evaluated for specific functions and institutions. Policies and practices as applied generally to marketing research involve product development, selection, channels of distribution buying and physical distribution selling. Pricing under competitive conditions, social benefits of competition and government regulations are included. Prerequisites: BUSS 101, HEM 101, FASH 101, or SMGT 102; ECON 101.

BUSS224 - Organizational Behavior

In this course, students study individuals within the context of the organization using a behavioral approach. Group dynamics and intergroup dynamics are emphasized in relation to productivity and work satisfaction along with the examination of specific aspects of organizations that influence behavior. Areas covered include: structure, leadership, and change. Teaching modalities include case studies and role-playing. This is a writing intensive course. Prerequisite: PSYC 101 or SOC 101.

ECON101 - Principles of Econ-Micro

This course is an introduction to the principles of the economic behavior of individuals, firms, and industries in the mixed economic system. Topics include consumer demand; elasticity; supply and costs of production; the allocation of economic resources; international trade; and the role of government in promoting economic welfare.

FASH101 - Contemporary Issues in Fashion

This course takes an interdisciplinary approach to the fashion business as it relates to cultural, historic, economic, and contemporary influences, giving students a basic understanding of the terms and concepts associated with the fashion and retail industries. Topics include: technological applications, environmental influences on fashion; the fashion cycle; trend forecasting; fashion marketing; women's, men's, and children's apparel; supply chain management; foreign and domestic market centers; and retail merchandising.

FASH200 - Fashion History

This course covers the evolution of fashion from the time of early civilization to the mid-nineteenth century. Students learn how to identify various characteristics of clothing by studying both the social and psychological aspects of western culture. An understanding of fashion trends in relationship to art, architecture, and human behavior throughout history, and the various social implications clothing has on a given society are also explored. Upon completion of this course, students should be able to interpret fashion as a cultural language with identifiable characteristics. This is a writing intensive course. Prerequisites: ENG 102, or permission of instructor.

FASH201 - Merchandise Planning & Control

This course provides an understanding of business strategies related to assortment planning, buying, and allocating inventory. Building upon retail math fundamentals, students create stock and sales plans in accordance with the goals and objectives of a given seasonal sales strategy, including methods of figuring markups, sales projections, turnover, average stock, stock-to-sales ratios, open-to-buy, markdowns, and gross margin. Negotiation skills related to terms of sale, shipping and pricing strategies are explored within the wholesale/retail business relationship. Both manual and computer-based calculations are explored through the use of Excel and other industry-based software. Prerequisite: FASH 101 & MATH116

FASH207 - Digital Tools for Fashion

Technical skills are becoming more and more a required proficiency in all capacities of the fashion industry. This course introduces Fashion & Retail Merchandising and Fashion Communication & Promotion students to software prominently used for apparel manufacturing, retail and media. With a focus on methods of visual communication, projects include technical drawing, colorization, editing, and integration and manipulation of photographic images.

FASH210 - Textiles

This course introduces the study of textiles through exploration of the production of fibers and methods of creating fabrics. Students learn to identify fiber content, properties and various types of weaving and knitting applications. Other topics include the study of fiber characteristics, quality and care of fabric finishes, and a practical assessment of fabrics in realtionship to particular end uses.

FASH211 - Fashion Retail Management

This course explores the principles of retail management. Topics include; technological applications, marketing strategies, store image considerations, competitve analysis, legal constraints,consumer behavior,decision making and critical reasoning associated with reatail store practices. Principles are explored and applied through class discussion and lecture, and case studies exploration.Prerequisite: FASH101

FASH212 - Visual Merchandising

This course builds a foundation in basic visual methods to promote products. The use of interior, P.O.P., and exterior displays, fixturing, graphics and signage are discussed. Various hands-on projects develop an aptitude for working with color and proportion to create visual solutions for product promotion. Exploring color analysis and proportion, students create visual solutions that demonstrate artistic sensitivity and express a mood or idea. Additionally, students become familiar with journalistic reporting and written analysis through various media applications. Prerequisite: FASH 101, ARTS 120.

FASH301 - Fashion Promotion

This course integrates fashion industry promotional activities centered around the "promotion mix." Through advertising, publicity, and special events including fashion shows, students create and execute promotional campaigns that link to various external constituents to stimulate consumption of a product or service. Prerequisite: FASH 212.

FASH302 - Retail Operations

This course builds on the concepts learned in FASH 201 Merchandise Planning & Control and FASH 211 Retail Management extending into retail store planning, trading area and site analysis, financial management, multi-channel retailing and performance metrics. All phases of merchandising and sales management, including merchandise logistics, enabling technology, distribution channels, retail assortment planning and labor administration are incorporated into a comprehensive study of retail operations. Technological applications that are industry specific are utilized throughout this course. Prerequisite: FASH 211

FASH304 - Interior Display & Design

This course introduces students to the processes involved in designing a set, display, or interactive environment. The elements and principles of design are closely examined, developed, and applied. Students learn to solve problems of space, volume, color, texture, lighting, and design. Drafting techniques are emphasized, as are presentation skills. Practical modeling and construction techniques, including use of 3D computer software are used in the process of creating a setting and installations. Prerequisite: FASH 212.

FASH309 - Apparel Product Development

Exploring the global product development matrix, students in this course work together in teams to explore the product lifecycle in terms of sourcing and production. Class sessions combine cases with hands-on exercises to reinforce key concepts. Topics include planning time-and-action calendars, specification and technical package development, sizing, quality control, and evaluation of the global production environment. Prerequisite: FASH 211, or FASD 220, or FASH 218.

FASH317 - Ethics in the Fashion Industry

This course integrates ethical, moral and legal issues regarding the fashion industry from design and manufacturing through distribution, promotion and sales. Grounded in theories of consumption, students will explore operating procedures for various aspects of the apparel business such as; responsible advertising, consumer privacy, compliance with sustainable practices, fair labor and working conditions, design with a focus on gender identity or age appropriateness, and recognizing fashion’s influence on body image and eating disorders. Students will address topics through in depth discussions using group models and by exploring and mastering decision making frameworks to generate solutions. Prerequisite: ENG 102

FASH342 - Fashion & Culture

This course evaluates the concept of fashion in the cultural context and its impact on human behavior as non-verbal communication, including the expression of national identity. Through a historical and contemporary study of the connection between fashion and society, the relationships between clothing, culture, ethnicity, social and political events, economic status, and geographical location are examined. Students explore the symbolic aspects of clothing from the personal and consumer standpoints. Prerequisite: PSYC 101 or SOC 101.

FASH401 - Fashion Industry Professional Dev

This course is designed to prepare students for the professional work environment through simulated business activities, case studies, and meetings with faculty and industry experts. The course explores career development and professional strategies, each of which is designed to prepare students for FASH 403 Field Assignment. This is a writing intensive course. Prerequisites: FASH 211, FASH218, & JR status

FASH405 - Fashion Retail & Merchandising Capstone

This course offers the student an opportunity to reflect and directly apply industry methods and practices acquired over the course of their degree studies. Students design and execute an in-depth project that engages them in research and experimentation, applying merchandising theories to a variety of situations. Prerequisite: FASH 415.

FASH415 - Internship

The internship field assignment provides students with hands-on experience in the business of fashion, applying classroom theory to the professional work environment. Objectives for the field assignment include: (1) exposure to major components of the fashion company’s operation, (2) first-hand experience in the professional working environment, and, (3) acquisition of professional skills required for this ever-changing fashion industry. The student completes a journal, analyzes the internship company and processes, and receives feedback and evaluation from the internship site supervisor. A minimum of 150 hours of supervised onsite work is required. Prerequisites: FASH 401 and senior standing

MATH116 - Merchandising and Financial Mathematics

This course focuses on retail mathematics. Topics include simple and compound interest, the time-value of capital, annuities, amortization, sinking funds, bond and investment, business problem-solving and decision making. Other topics include profit, loss, and break-even analysis, pricing, inventory, and merchandise planning. The course introduces basic theories of statistics. Prerequisite: MATH 106 with a grade of C or better or through placement testing.

MATH208 - Statistics

This is an introductory course in descriptive and inferential statistics with an emphasis on applications in business and the social and biological sciences. Topics include: data analysis, and graphical methods of describing data, measures of central tendency and variability, probability, the normal distribution, sampling distributions, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, correlation, and regression analysis. Prerequisites: MATH 106 with a grade of C or better or demonstrated competency through placement testing and ENG 102.