Learning Abroad Center

Learning Abroad in Retail Merchandising

“Studying outside of the United States makes students understand that they are a part of an extremely competitive global economy. Not only do students return with a greater understanding of retailing, they are sensitized to the life issues that face culturally diverse peoples of the world.”

Kim Johnson, Retail Merchandising Faculty

Department Recommendations

Best Time to Go Abroad

Please consult your four year plan for the best time to study abroad: z.umn.edu/4yearplan

Fulfill Requirements

Be sure to meet with your academic adviser to fill out an Academic Planning Form.

Prospective Retail Merchandising Students

  • Retail merchandising and business courses abroad may not meet retail merchandising course requirements at the University of Minnesota. Your academic adviser will work with the Retail Merchandising faculty to help you try to obtain approval once you are admitted to the Retail Merchandising program.

Core Major Courses

  • Your academic adviser will be able to approve courses prior to departure. Work with your academic adviser to fill out the Academic Planning Form.

Study & Intern in London Program

  • Study & Intern in London is a very popular study abroad option for retail merchandising students. A list of courses that meet major requirements can be found below under the "United Kingdom" heading.

Are You Pursuing the Management Minor?

  • Only one management minor course can be done abroad. Questions may be directed to the management minor adviser. For all other minors, check with your minor adviser to see if there are requirements you can fulfill while studying abroad.

Internships

  • Credit-based internships abroad can fill the Retail Merchandising internship requirement. Check with your academic adviser for more information.

Liberal Education

  • You can fulfill liberal education requirements while abroad. Decide early which requirements you want to satisfy through courses taken abroad, so you don't fulfill them on campus. Consult the Learning Abroad Center's U Credit Abroad Search to find courses that have already been evaluated or to submit courses online to be evaluated for liberal education requirements.

Be aware that study abroad courses may not meet multiple requirements

  • Some University of Minnesota courses are approved to meet multiple requirements. For example, one course may count toward your liberal education requirements AND meet a requirement in your major. Study abroad courses may not meet multiple requirements.

Upon Return from Study Abroad

Meet with your academic adviser

Meet with your academic adviser to discuss the study abroad return process and to go over re-entry resources to help you make your learning abroad experience a meaningful component of your academic and career pathway.

Programs

Africa

Senegal

Wakanda & Black Liberatory Futures: Exploring Afrofuturism in Senegal

  • Summer Session 2024, Dakar, Senegal; open to all students
  • Immerse yourself in Senegal's cultural environment and meet with Senegalese community members in a variety of industries and learn innovative, creative ways to help heal our communities, promote abolitionist principles, and advance collective liberation
  • Using historical and modern-day research methods, Afrofuturist and Pan-Africanist movements, community engagement, and cross-disciplinary approaches, engage in the design research process to tackle emerging community issues that directly oppress Black communities throughout the United States
  • This program is led by Terresa Moses, Assistant Professor of Graphic Design and Director of Design Justice in the College of Design and Simone Gbolo, Statewide Director Louis Stokes North Star STEM Alliance, Office for Equity and Diversity. This course is approved for DES 4403/5503.
  • Consult with your academic adviser to see if this program will meet major or minor degree requirements

Americas

Argentina

Study & Intern in Buenos Aires

  • Study language and culture in Buenos Aires, the political and economic heart of Argentina. Students can take a breadth of courses in economics and Argentine history
  • No language prerequisite; Courses available in English including The Global Economy and International Marketing

Asia and Oceania

Australia

Study & Intern in Sydney

  • Offered each semester and summer term
  • Students complete a 6-credit internship, which allows them to integrate with Australians, experience the local culture first-hand, and gain professional skills
  • Students to focus on job training, career networking, and resume building in an international setting

University of Melbourne (available through IFSA Australia)

  • Offered each fall and spring semester, academic year, and calendar year
  • Students may choose from courses throughout the university, including those in management, business in the global economy, the Asian economies, organizational behavior, operations management, human resource management, principles of marketing, market research, marketing communications, social and political context of work, managerial strategies, brand management, and business in Southeast Asia

China

Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, Shanghai (available through IFSA China)

  • Offered each fall and spring semester, academic year, and summer
  • Students take a Chinese language course plus electives taught in English about Chinese culture and business
  • No language prerequisite

Japan

Japanese Studies in Tokyo (available through IES Japan)

  • Offered each fall and spring semester
  • Students are required to take a Japanese language course, plus electives taught in English
  • Electives include courses in anthropology, society and culture, and economics
  • No language prerequisite

Exchange in Tokyo, Japan: Sophia University

  • Offered every academic year and spring semester
  • Students may choose from Japanese language classes and a wide variety of courses taught in English
  • Electives cover subjects including culture, identity, gender, public speaking, marketing, and business
  • No language prerequisite

Singapore

Design & Food in Singapore

  • Winter Break 2024, Singapore; open to all students
  • Immerse yourself in Singapore, ranked as one of the world's best cities for street food. This course is an experiential introduction to principles of service design applied to the food industry in Southeast Asia
  • You will explore markets, farms and stores while engaging with local universities, companies, and organizations
  • This program is led by Barry Kudrowitz and Carlye Lauff, both professors in the department of product design in the College of Design, and is approved for PDES Major/Minor elective credit
  • This course can be tied to three Sustainable Development Goals: #2 Zero Hunger, #3 Good Health and Well-Being, and #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
  • Consult with your academic adviser to see if this program will meet major or minor degree requirements

New Zealand

University Study in New Zealand: University of Otago

  • Offered each fall and spring semester, academic year, and calendar year
  • Students may choose from courses throughout the university, including those in business studies, clothing and textile sciences, and design studies

University of Wellington (available through IFSA New Zealand)

  • Offered each fall and spring semester, academic year, and calendar year
  • Students may choose from courses throughout the university, including those in design, culture, and economics

Europe

France

Business & International Affairs in Paris (available through IES France)

  • Offered each fall and spring semester and academic year
  • Students are required to take a French language course, plus electives taught in English
  • Electives include courses in economics, marketing, and business
  • No language prerequisite, although internships are available for students with adequate French

Greece

Capturing Greece: Color, Light, & Form

  • May Term 2024, Athens & Greek Islands, Greece; open to all students
  • Immerse yourself in Greece’s unique cultural environment to expand your vision and creativity. Travel to Athens and Tinos to observe and experience water, stone, and structure in a fresh way
  • You will explore ancient architectural forms, uniquely evolved historic villages, and references to mythological and symbolic imagery
  • This program is led by Frances (Fancy) Trice is the Graphic Design Program Director in the College of Design, and is approved for the Arts & Humanities Liberal Education Core
  • Consult with your academic adviser to see if this program will meet major or minor degree requirements

Italy

Design in Sicily

  • The Design in Sicily is a 7-week program offered in Siracusa, Italy during Summer Session. A College of Design instructor accompanies the program and teaches a 3-credit studio course open to all students. Earn 6-7 credits as you make Sicily your classroom. Consult with your academic adviser to see if this program will meet major or minor degree requirements
  • Engage in the design process with local and international designers through coursework and a collaborative practicum
  • Create visual projects in response to your Italian experience, honing your own sensibilities as a designer in the rich visual culture of Italy
  • Engage with the theme of how meaning is created through both the still and the moving image, and you will engage in hands-on explorations through a variety of forms of visual representation including drawing from observation and imagination, illustration, photography, video, and collage

Study & Intern in Florence

  • Offered each fall and spring semester
  • The Consumerism course fulfills the RM 4123 Living in a Consumer Society requirement
  • No language prerequisite; courses taught in English by Italian and international faculty
  • Internships are available if students have sufficient Italian language skills

Business Studies in Milan (available through IES Italy)

  • Offered each fall and spring semester and academic year
  • Students are required to take an Italian language course, plus culture- and business-related electives taught in English or Italian
  • Students may be able to take one or two courses taught at a local university (such as Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi or the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore); a wide variety of which are taught in English
  • No language prerequisite

Spain

Study & Intern in Barcelona

  • Participate in an internship with a local company or organization to develop professional skills and immerse yourself in Spanish culture
  • A variety of business-related courses have been pre-approved for retail merchandising requirements. Consult with your academic adviser for more information

United Kingdom

University Study in the UK: Queen Mary, University of London

  • Offered each fall and spring semester and academic year
  • Students may choose from courses throughout the university, including those in economics and business management

Study & Intern in London

  • Offered each fall and spring semester, academic year, and summer
  • Students may take coursework plus a for-credit internship
  • Past placements include AdVision, British Tourist Authority, Cartoon Art Trust, Global Healthcare Communications, London Property Brochures, Simply Games, Wine & Spirit Association, and Tugboat Graphics
  • The following courses have been approved for major requirements by the retail merchandising faculty:
    • LNDN 3531 Creative Connections: Advertising and Marketing in Britain = RM 4216 Retail Promotion/Retail major required elective area
    • LNDN 3227 Global Workforce Management = Retail major required elective area
    • LNDN 3752 International Marketing = RM 4217 International Retail Markets
    • LNDN 3228 Managing Global Supply Chains = Has been approved for an alternative course for RM 4217 International Retail Markets
    • LNDN 3375 Global Internship Course = RM 4196 Internship
    • LNDN 3753 International Economics = Retail major required elective area
    • LNDN 3733 International Finance = Retail major required elective area

University of Westminster, London (available through IFSA United Kingdom)

  • Offered every fall and spring semester and academic year
  • Students may choose from courses throughout the university, including those within the university’s fashion merchandise management major, focusing on business communication, fashion marketing, brand management, fashion in society, and the future of merchandising

London College of Fashion (available through IFSA United Kingdom)

  • Offered each fall and spring semester
  • Within your selected track, you will take a few mandatory classes and choose from a wide range of electives to complete your course load, for a total of 13-16 credits
  • Classes at LCF focus on Fashion and Fashion Merchandising

United Kingdom, Northern Ireland

Ulster University (available through IFSA United Kingdom)

  • Offered each fall and spring semester and academic year
  • Students may choose from courses throughout the university, including those in retail studies, business management, and marketing

Additional Options to Consider

LAC Global Seminars

  • 3-week, 3-credit programs at the 3000-level led by University of Minnesota faculty and staff over winter break or May session.
  • Explore an exciting location and topic, Fulfill Liberal Education requirements, or earn major/minor credit.

LAC Freshman Seminars

  • Combine on-campus instruction during the spring semester with a study abroad component during spring break, on a 3 credits, 1xxx level Seminar.
  • Freshman Seminars Abroad are designed specifically for first-year students as an introduction to study abroad, an opportunity to explore an exciting location and topic, and likely fulfill a liberal education requirement.

Additional LAC Seminars

  • Check out additional LAC Instructor-led Seminars that might run over winter break, spring break, May, and summer sessions. They vary in length, dates, and content so students can find one that best fits their academic and professional goals.

Intensive Language Programs

  • Begin your language study or work toward completing requirements for a language minor.
  • Complete a semester of language on a short-term program or explore options to complete two or more semesters of language on semester-long program.