Arkansas State University is a public university in Jonesboro, Arkansas, and its online bachelor of science in fashion merchandising and marketing is one of the lowest-priced complete fashion business degrees in the United States. It is a practical, business-focused program rather than a design school, and it suits students aiming for buying, planning, retail management and brand marketing roles who need to study online. This profile covers the program, cost, admissions and outcomes from U.S. Department of Education data, and who it suits.
Fashion programs
A-State’s fashion offering centres on the BS in Fashion Merchandising and Marketing, delivered online through A-State Online in short accelerated terms. The degree is 120 credit hours. Its requirements combine business courses in marketing, supply chain and consumer behavior with fashion courses such as visual merchandising and display and a fashion internship. It is designed for students who want to work on the business side of fashion and retail, and it overlaps with the university’s business and art and design faculties on campus in Jonesboro.
The internship requirement is worth noting: it is the most important part of a merchandising degree for getting hired, and online programs that build one into the curriculum are more useful than those that do not.
Cost
A-State publishes a flat online rate of $302 per credit hour for all U.S. residents, with fees included, which is $906 per three-credit course. A full 120-credit degree therefore costs about $36,240 in tuition. Up to 90 credit hours can come from transfer credit, so a student with an associate degree or previous college work can finish for much less. For campus students, federal data lists tuition of $8,354 a year for Arkansas residents and $15,002 for out-of-state students, and an average net price after grants of $15,441, which includes living costs in Jonesboro.
Admissions
A-State admitted 82% of applicants in the most recent federal data. Online applicants submit an application and official transcripts, and transfer students need a 2.0 GPA on previous college credit. There is no portfolio requirement, since the degree is business-focused.
Outcomes
Federal data shows a completion rate of 56% for the university as a whole. Median earnings ten years after starting at the university are $47,220, across all majors. Outcomes for online fashion graduates are not reported separately. As with any online merchandising program, results depend heavily on the internship and on graduates’ willingness to start in retail management or assistant roles and move toward corporate buying and planning.
How the online degree works
A-State Online runs most courses in accelerated terms several times a year, so students take one or two classes at a time and can start at different points in the year rather than only in the fall. Courses are taught by university faculty, and the degree awarded is the same Arkansas State University bachelor’s as on campus. The pay-by-the-course pricing means you pay as you go, which suits students working full time or using employer tuition assistance. Students who already have an associate degree in fashion merchandising or business are the best fit, since the 90-hour transfer allowance can leave only the upper-level major courses to complete.
Arkansas State is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, the same regional accreditor that covers most large public universities in the central United States, so its online degree qualifies for federal financial aid and its credits are widely accepted. Because the degree is awarded by the university itself rather than a separate online brand, the diploma does not say “online”. For students who later want a master’s in merchandising, retail or business, a regionally accredited public university bachelor’s is the safest foundation.
Questions to ask before applying
- How many of your existing credits will transfer? Ask for an unofficial evaluation first; it decides the real total cost.
- How is the internship arranged for students who do not live near Jonesboro?
- How many courses can you take each term while working?
- Does your employer offer tuition assistance that can be used for the program?
Who Arkansas State suits
- Students anywhere in the U.S. who want an accredited online fashion merchandising bachelor’s degree at a low, transparent price.
- Students with an associate degree or college credit who can transfer a large block of it.
- Retail employees who want to move into buying, planning or management while keeping their job.
Who should look elsewhere
- Students who want to design clothes; this is a business degree, and design needs studio training. See the fashion design directory.
- Students who want a big-name fashion school brand; ASU FIDM offers a better-known name online at a moderately higher price.
- Students who want the network of a fashion city; the city guides compare campus options.
How it compares
Among the online programs we compare, Arkansas State has the lowest published total price for a full bachelor’s degree. ASU FIDM costs more but carries the FIDM name, and Academy of Art University costs several times as much. The full comparison is in the online fashion degrees guide, and the fashion merchandising degree guide covers jobs and pay. Campus options in the state are in the Arkansas fashion schools guide.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Arkansas State’s online fashion degree cost?
The published rate is $302 per credit hour, fees included, or about $36,240 for all 120 credit hours before transfer credit.
Is the degree fully online?
Yes. It is delivered through A-State Online and can be completed without visiting Jonesboro.
Does it include an internship?
Yes. A fashion internship is part of the degree requirements.