Key information for BSc in Fashion Buying and Retail Management

Code: SE419 | Level: 7 | Duration: 3 years | Delivery: Fulltime | Credits: 180

Location for BSc in Fashion Buying and Retail Management

Location: Waterford | Campus: Cork Road

Application Information for BSc in Fashion Buying and Retail Management

Next Intake: Rolling Intake | Application Status: Open | Fee Information Link: /current-students/fees-and-grants/fees/undergraduate-fees

Study Options for BSc in Fashion Buying and Retail Management

Work placement options: Available (View details at https://www.setu.ie/engage/access-our-talent) | Study abroad options: Available (View details at https://www.setu.ie/global/global-mobility)

International Applicants information for BSc in Fashion Buying and Retail Management

International Application Status: Open | Application Information Link: https://www.setu.ie/global/study-at-setu/applying-to-setu | International Fees Link: https://www.setu.ie/current-students/fees-and-grants/fees/global-fees

What modules are taught in BSc in Fashion Buying and Retail Management?

Year 1: Sem 1: Intro Fashion Buying & Retail man | Sem 2: Statistics and Data Analytics, Sem 1: Personal, Professional and Academic Skills 1 | Sem 2: Personal, Professional and Academic Skills 2, Sem 1: The Fashion Retail Manager | Sem 2: The Macro Business Environment, Sem 1: Basic Excel | Sem 2: Retail Marketing, Sem 1: Market Pricing for Retail and Services | Sem 2: Retail Consumer | Year 2: Sem 3: Accounting for Retailers | Sem 4: Marketing Research Fashion Forecasting, Sem 3: Enterprise Skills | Sem 4: Fashion Branding, Sem 3: Intro to Human Resource Management | Sem 4: Advanced Excel, Sem 3: Law | Sem 4: Fashion Buying 2, Sem 3: Online Retailing | Sem 4: Employability skills, Sem 3: Merchandising | Sem 4: Marketing Mix Decisions | Year 3: Sem 5: Choose one of the following electives: | Sem 6: Customer Relationship Management, Sem 5: *Retail Work Placement | Sem 6: Retail Entrepreneurship, Sem 5: *Retail Work Placement Log | Sem 6: Digital Fashion Marketing, Sem 5: *Retail Study Abroad | Sem 6: Retail Logistics & Project Management, Sem 5: *Retail Study Abroad Learning Log | Sem 6: Fashion Retailing, Sem 5: *International study Trip and Log | Sem 6: Global Fashion Landscape

What further study options exist for graduates of BSc in Fashion Buying and Retail Management?

Students who complete this level 7 degree programme can choose either to graduate after three years or progress on to a related level 8 degree.Completion of a level 8 programme will also enable students to undertake taught Masters programmes or Masters degrees by Research at SETU Waterford or other third-level Colleges. BSc in Retail Management career opportunitiesGraduates often pursue lead, supervisory or management positions at the retail store level, or specialist/analyst positions within a retail department or corporate headquarters such as: Category Management, Buying and Merchandising, Key Account Management and Sales/Marketing positionsGeneral Retail ManagementBusiness ownershipCareer optionsFashion BuyerFashion Retail ManagerAll Retail Managerial positionsFashion InfluencerVisual MerchandisingMerchandising roles in Buying OfficeLogisticsSales / key account Manager RolesOffice ManagerFurther StudyAdd 1 year to attain Level 8 DegreeBachelor of Business (Hons) - Management Stream, HR Stream or Marketing Stream

SE419 Waterford

Bachelor of Science

Fashion Buying and Retail Management

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Programme Overview

The BSc in Fashion Buying and Retail Management is a specialized honours degree designed for individuals passionate about combining business acumen with the dynamic world of fashion. Developed in direct collaboration with leading global fashion industry figures—including the Primark fashion buying team and the design lead at JW Anderson London—the programme responds to the growing demand for qualified professionals in fashion buying and retail strategy. It equips students with the managerial, analytical, and creative competencies required to lead and innovate within the global retail sector.

Practical Learning & Flexible Semester 5

Practical experience and industry engagement are central to the degree. In Year 3 (Semester 5), students participate in an educational trip to global fashion capitals Paris or London, alongside a choice of flexible experiential pathways:

Industry Work Placement: Gaining direct, hands-on experience within a fashion buying, visual merchandising, or retail management environment.
Study Abroad Option: Spending a semester studying at an international partner institution across Europe, North America, or Canada.
Industry Seminars: Attending a recurring series of masterclasses and guest lectures delivered by key fashion and retail leaders throughout the programme.

Coursework

The curriculum blends core business operations, modern digital technologies, and specialized fashion industry disciplines:

Fashion Buying & Merchandising: Planning, sourcing, range building, and managing stock cycles for retail brands.
Retail Trend Analysis & Media: Forecasting consumer trends, fashion analytics, media strategies, and visual merchandising.
Business, IT & Management: Retail management principles, digital business systems, financial planning, leadership, and supply chain control.

Career Opportunities

Graduates earn a industry-tailored business qualification that opens doors to exciting, fast-paced roles across global retail, e-commerce, and fashion enterprises:

Assistant Fashion Buyer & Merchandiser
Retail Operations & Department Manager
Fashion Trend Forecaster & Visual Merchandiser
Digital Retail & E-Commerce Specialist
Fashion Brand & Marketing Coordinator
Postgraduate Study in Business, Retail & Fashion Strategy

Upon completion of the degree, graduates emerge fully equipped with the practical expertise, global exposure, and commercial acumen needed to step directly into high-impact roles in the fashion buying and retail management sector.

Contact

[email protected]

Year 1

Semester 1	Semester 2
Intro Fashion Buying & Retail man	Statistics and Data Analytics
Personal, Professional and Academic Skills 1	Personal, Professional and Academic Skills 2
The Fashion Retail Manager	The Macro Business Environment
Basic Excel	Retail Marketing
Market Pricing for Retail and Services	Retail Consumer

Year 2

Semester 3	Semester 4
Accounting for Retailers	Marketing Research Fashion Forecasting
Enterprise Skills	Fashion Branding
Intro to Human Resource Management	Advanced Excel
Law	Fashion Buying 2
Online Retailing	Employability skills
Merchandising	Marketing Mix Decisions

Year 3

Semester 5	Semester 6
Choose one of the following electives:	Customer Relationship Management
*Retail Work Placement	Retail Entrepreneurship
*Retail Work Placement Log	Digital Fashion Marketing
*Retail Study Abroad	Retail Logistics & Project Management
*Retail Study Abroad Learning Log	Fashion Retailing
*International study Trip and Log	Global Fashion Landscape

Leaving Cert: Minimum entry requirements for BSc in Fashion Buying and Retail Management

5 subjects: O6/H7
English or Irish: O6/H7
Mathematics: O6/H7

Advanced and Equivalent Entry for BSc in Fashion Buying and Retail Management :

Students who complete this level 7 degree programme can choose either to graduate after three years or progress on to a related level 8 degree.
Completion of a level 8 programme will also enable students to undertake taught Masters programmes or Masters degrees by Research at SETU Waterford or other third-level Colleges.

BSc in Retail Management career opportunities

Graduates often pursue lead, supervisory or management positions at the retail store level, or specialist/analyst positions within a retail department or corporate headquarters such as: Category Management, Buying and Merchandising, Key Account Management and Sales/Marketing positions
General Retail Management
Business ownership

Career options