The Art and Science of the Fashion Industry: Textile and Apparel Management at Mizzou

Pamela Norum, professor and department chair of the textile and apparel management department, part of the College of Human Environmental Sciences, described the vision of the department for students interested in all aspects of the fashion industry.

“In terms of preparing students, the textile and apparel management department goes above and beyond by looking at the entire supply chain for the industry. In fact, we consider the department to be a global leader focusing on the apparel and textile supply chain. The department prides themselves on their specialized focus in how every aspect of the process inter-relates and fits together in all fashion chains. The faculty is internationally recognized and award winning, leading the university in publishing and research.”

Students have opportunities to participate in New York study tours as well as study abroad in Italy and London. Student engagement opportunities include participation in an advisory board, a visual art and design showcase, a research and creative activities forum and membership in the Association of Textile and Apparel Management student organization. 

College Factual has ranked the department 7th of 47 programs in the country, and first in the state of Missouri. In its 2018 fashion school rankings, Fashionista places TAM at 16th, based on tuition, well-known and successfully placed alumni and feedback from students and alumni. On Fashion-Schools.org’s annual list of the top fashion merchandising schools and colleges in the United States, based on graduation success, reputation and other factors, TAM was graded in the top 10 percent for 2018. As a result, their students and alumni are major leaders in the fashion industry around the world and prepared for a wide variety of career options such as merchandising, buying, sourcing, product development, technical design, retail operations, and more. ■