Undergraduate University Curriculum Committee
Course Proposal Form for Courses Numbered 0001 – 4999
(Faculty Senate Resolution #09-44, November 2009)
Guidelines for submission may be accessed via the web at:
www.ecu.edu/cs-acad/fsonline/cu/curriculum.cfm.
Note: Before completing this form, please carefully read the accompanying instructions.
1.
Course Prefix and Number:
MRCH 2883
2.
Date:
2/18/2011
3.
Requested Action (Check only one type):
New Course
Check Required or
Elective
X
Required
Elective
Revision of Active Course
Unbanking of a Banked Course
X
Renumbering of Existing Course from:
#2999
to
#2883
4. Method(s) of delivery (check all boxes that apply for both current/proposed and expected
future delivery methods within the next three years):
Current or
Proposed Delivery
Method(s):
X
Expected
Future Delivery
Method(s):
On-campus (face to face)
X
Distance Course (face to face off campus)
Online (delivery of 50% or more of the instruction is offered online)
5.
6.
Justification for new course, revision, unbanking, or renumbering:
This course is currently a 3 hour course. Based on faculty experience, industry feedback,
and student feedback, this course would be more beneficial to the students to be divided into
a 1 hour seminar (MRCH 2883) and a 2 hour work experience course (MRCH 3883). The
request for the number change is to have the internship preparation course sequential with
the internship course (MRCH 4883). Dividing the course into a one hour lab and a two
hour work experience has three advantages: 1) hands-on or active learning about the
fashion and interiors industry between the sophomore and junior year will engage students
in higher level merchandising courses, 2) students gain more professional/internship
experience for their future careers, and 3) students become better prepared for MRCH
4883: Merchandising Internship II, which will require students to perform at a higher
standard.
Course description exactly as it should appear in the next catalog:
Page 1 of 6
2883. Pre-Professional Seminar (1) P: Merchandising major. Introduction to careers in
merchandising, job search tactics, interview skills, and professional correspondence.
7.
If this is a course revision, briefly describe the requested change:
Change MRCH 2999: Pre-Professional Seminar (3 hrs) to MRCH 2883: Pre-Professional
Seminar (1 hr) and MRCH 3883: Merchandising Internship I (2 hrs).
8.
If writing intensive (WI) credit is requested, the Writing Across the Curriculum
Committee must approve WI credit prior to consideration by the UCC.
Has this course been approved for WI credit (yes/no/NA)?
No
If Yes, will all sections be WI (yes/no/NA)?
9.
If service-learning (SL) credit is requested, the Service-Learning Advisory Committee
must approve SL credit prior to consideration by the UCC.
Has this course been approved for SL credit (yes/no/NA)?
No
If Yes, will all sections be SL (yes/no/NA)?
10.
If foundations curriculum (FC) credit is requested, the Academic Standards Committee
(ASC) must approve FC credit prior to consideration by the UCC.
If FC credit has been approved by the ASC, then check the appropriate box (check at
most one):
11.
English (EN)
Science (SC)
Humanities (HU)
Social Science (SO)
Fine Arts (FA)
Mathematics (MA)
Health (HL)
Exercise (EX)
Course Credit:
Weekly
or
Per Term
=
Credit Hours
2hrs Weekly
or
Per Term
=
Credit Hours
Studio
Weekly
or
Per Term
=
Credit Hours
s.h.
Practicum
Weekly
or
Per Term
=
Credit Hours
s.h.
Internship
Weekly
or
Per Term
=
Credit Hours
s.h.
Lecture Hours
Lab
s.h.
1
s.h.
s.h.
Other (e.g., independent study):
Total Credit Hours
1
s.h.
Page 2 of 6
12.
Anticipated yearly student enrollment:
13.
Affected Degrees or Academic Programs:
Degree(s)/Course(s)
BS, Merchandising
14.
60
PDF Catalog Page
284
Change in Degree Hours
No change
Overlapping or Duplication with Affected Units or Programs:
X
Not Applicable
Applicable (Notification and/or Response from Units Attached)
15.
Approval by the Council for Teacher Education (required for courses affecting teacher
education programs):
X
Not Applicable
Applicable (CTE has given their approval)
16.
Instructional Format: please identify the appropriate instructional format(s):
Lecture
X
Lab
Technology-mediated
X
Seminar
Studio
Clinical
Practicum
Colloquium
Internship
Other (describe below):
Student Teaching
17.
Statements of Support:
(Please attach a memorandum, signed by the unit administrator, which addresses the
budgetary and staff impact of this proposal.)
X
Current staff is adequate
Additional staff is needed (describe needs below):
X
Current facilities are adequate
Additional facilities are needed (describe needs below):
Page 3 of 6
X
Initial library resources are adequate
Initial resources are needed (give a brief explanation and estimate for cost of acquisition
of required resources below):
X
Unit computer resources are adequate
Additional unit computer resources are needed (give a brief explanation and an
estimate for the cost of acquisition below):
X
ITCS Resources are not needed
Following ITCS resources are needed (put a check beside each need):
Mainframe computer system
Statistical services
Network connections
Computer lab for students
Describe any computer or networking requirements of this program that are not
currently fully supported for existing programs (Includes use of classroom, laboratory,
or other facilities that are not currently used in the capacity being requested).
Approval from the Director of ITCS attached
18.
Syllabus – please insert course syllabus below. Do not submit course syllabus as a
separate file. You must include (a) the citation of the textbook chosen for the course, (b)
the course objectives, (c) the course content outline, and (d) the course assignments and
grading plan. Do not include instructor- or semester-specific information in the syllabus.
MRCH 2883: Pre-Professional Seminar (1 credit hr)
Department of Interior Design and Merchandising
College of Human Ecology
East Carolina University
Course Description:
P: Merchandising major. Introduction to careers in merchandising, job search tactics, interview skills,
and professional correspondence.
Page 4 of 6
Textbook: Granger, M. M. (2010). The Fashion Intern (2nd edition). New York, NY: Fairchild
Publications, Inc. ISBN-10: 9781563679100
Course Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. Describe and define careers in merchandising.
2. Demonstrate effective job search tactics.
3. Demonstrate effective job application skills through resumes, correspondence, and interviews.
Grading Components and Scale:
Assignments in the class may include the following:






Self-evaluation and Career Analysis (100 points)
Students will complete a self-evaluation and an analysis of career options. By analyzing career
options, students will learn about the careers available to them as merchandising students.
The internet, the career center, guest speakers, and the library will serve as sources for this
analysis. In addition, students will complete the self-evaluation which will allow them the
opportunity to match their skills and desires with the most appropriate career option(s).
Resume (200 points)
Before turning in the final resume, students are required to make an appointment with the
Career Center in order to have their resume critiqued by a career advisor. When students
turn in the final copy of their resume, they also need to include the original resume with
comments and a signature of the career advisor.
Cover Letter (150 points)
Students will submit a cover letter geared toward an actual job opening identified during your
Career Presentation. Students should submit a copy of the job opening when submitting the
cover letter.
Thank You Letter (125 points)
Students are required to compose a thank you letter addressed to the interviewer for the
Mock Interview.
Mock Interview (100 points)
Through the HIRED program at the career center, students will be given the opportunity to
complete a mock interview. A report listing the students who participate in the program will
be submitted to the instructor at the end of the semester. This report serves as proof of
completion of this activity.
Career Presentation (125 points)
In groups of 4, students are required to identify their career of interest (i.e buyer, store
owner, designer, visual merchandiser, etc.) and prepare a presentation for the class on that
particular career path. Students will need to identify actual job openings for a position in that
field and detail the job requirements and experience necessary. Students will also be required
to profile at least 4 companies in different locations that offer positions in that field.
Page 5 of 6

Presentations are to be professionally prepared and approximately 15 minutes. Part of the
grade will be based on student evaluations.
Guest Speakers (200 points)
To introduce students to the concept of networking and expose students to industry
executives, guest speakers will be acquired and interviewed by students. This project is a twopart activity. Part I involves an informational interview between the guest speaker and ALL
group members. A write-up of interview findings will be submitted to fulfill this portion of the
assignment. Part II involves scheduling, preparing a topic outline, and introducing the guest
speaker to the class. Therefore, in groups of 4, students will locate, interview, schedule, and
introduce a guest speaker to the class. Students are responsible for all of the logistics involved
in finding, interviewing, and scheduling an appropriate guest speaker. In addition, students
will prepare a professional presentation to introduce the guest speaker to class members. At
the conclusion of the class presentation, students will submit (typed) to the instructor the
following: Questions and findings from the informational interview, an outline of topics to be
covered in the guest speaker’s presentation, a copy of the introduction used to present the
guest speaker to class, and a copy of the thank you letter written to the guest speaker.
Letter grade:
A  1000 – 895; B  894 – 795; C  794 – 695; D  694 – 595; and F  594 – 0
Course Schedule
Topic 1
Topic 2
Topic 3
Topic 4
Topic 5
Topic 6
Topic 7
Topic 8
Topic 9
Topic 10
Topic 11
Topic 12
Topic 13
Topic 14
Topic 15
Topic 16
Topic Outline
Introduction and Careers in Merchandising
Self Analysis
Resume Writing
Interview Skills
Career Presentations
Guest Speaker
Professional Correspondence
Job Search Strategies
Professional Conduct
Guest Speaker
Networking
Guest Speaker
Guest Speaker
Graduate School & Negotiating
Guest Speaker
Review and Wrap-up
Page 6 of 6