Prior to teaching fashion merchandising, it is necessary to graduate from an accredited fashion merchandising program. Associates, bachelors, masters and Ph.D. degrees are offered at many schools. However, according to North Carolina A & T State University and The Art Institute of Raleigh-Durham, masters degrees or higher are preferable for teachers. Accredited fashion merchandising programs in North Carolina include Penn Foster College, McKinley College and Westwood College Online.
To teach in fashion merchandising, both knowledge and experience are required. A fashion merchandiser can train within a school, in a department store or in a warehouse. Successful fashion merchandising teachers have excellent oral and written communication, anticipate fashion trends and display the most profitable sales and marketing techniques.
Fashion merchandising teacher applicants must submit a resume or curriculum vitae for employment consideration. A resume summarizes an applicant's education and experience for the employer. A resume might also note personal qualities that pertain to fashion merchandising teaching, like creativity, innovation and organization.
Most fashion merchandising schools check personal and professional references before hiring teachers. These references are used to assess employment criteria, such as work ethic and credibility. Professors, former employers and clients are valuable references. Remember the fashion merchandising field is continuously evolving, so it is important to leave a favorable impression as a student or employee if teaching is the ultimate goal.