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Mark Rosenbaum, Chair

Degree Offered

Master of Retailing

The world of retailing is changing every day with companies vying for their share of the increasingly crowded marketplace on a global stage.  The Master of Retailing degree is designed to provide individuals in a variety of retail settings the skills they need to rise above their peers and become leaders in today’s dynamic retail industry.  Whether you are a corporate industry professional looking to sharpen and upgrade your skill set, an entrepreneur who wants to learn how to set up and run a brick-and-mortar store and/or establish an online retail presence, or you are looking to enter the academic arena with the latest in software applications in an enriched learning environment, the Master of Retailing degree will provide you with career-ready skills coupled with the latest industry software.  The Master of Retailing degree will provide individuals with the skills that are in demand across the retail industry in roles from operation and supply chain management to data analytics.

Admission Requirements

Admission requirements conform to the general regulations of The Graduate School and regional and national accreditation standards. Applicants must submit to The Graduate School an application form, and a nonrefundable application fee, one official transcript from each post-secondary institution attended (mailed to The Graduate School) showing their complete academic record, two letters of recommendation, records of immunization, and reports of examination scores on the GRE or GMAT.

Applicants for admission to the Master of Retailing program will be evaluated using a combination of academic and professional factors. They normally are expected to have an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.00 for all undergraduate coursework and either a combined GRE score of 300 on the verbal and quantitative components or a total of 500 on the GMAT. Applicants may request GRE/GMAT requirement to be waived under certain conditions (see GRE/GMAT Waiver Information).

Admission decisions may also take into consideration other criteria, such as professional experience, in the retailing industry, involvement in professional and/or student organizations, and strength of recommendations from professional and academic sources.

International applicants are required to submit with their application a certified transcript indicating the nature and scope of their academic training. An applicant whose native language is not English is required to submit a minimum TOEFL score of 570 (Paper-based Test, PBT), 230 (Computer-based Test, CBT), or 88 (Internet-based Test, iBT) on the TOEFL or 6.5 on the IELTS. Prior to enrollment in the Master of Retailing program, international students whose native language is not English are required to take an English diagnostic test administered by the English Program for Internationals. Students with deficiencies are provided opportunities for further study in reading, writing, and speaking English.

GRE/GMAT WAIVER INFORMATION

Policy to Request GRE/GMAT Requirement Be Waived

We understand every student is unique and students with different background can bring various experiences and perspectives to our classrooms. 

Although our admissions criteria include GRE or GMAT score, the Department of Retailing at the University of South Carolina also values other important factors than the standardized test scores in determining a student’s potential to succeed in our Master’s program.

A student may petition for a GRE/GMAT requirement waiver when he or she meets at least ONE of the following criteria:

• Four or more years of professional (managerial) experience in a retailing or service-oriented organization.
• A completed baccalaureate degree from The University of South Carolina, or from an *accredited institution, with a cumulative GPA of 3.40/4.00. 
• A completed Master’s degree, with a 3.0 (or better) GPA from the University of South Carolina, or from an *accredited institution.

*To check if your school is accredited, visit https://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/Search.aspx

You may submit a GRE/GMAT Waiver Request Form demonstrating that you have satisfied the above criteria prior to submitting your application. It is recommended that applicants requesting to have the test requirement waived submit their Request Form, along with supporting documentation as soon as possible. This will allow the applicant time to take the exam in the event that the request is denied.

Program and Courses

Programs

• Retailing, M.R.

Courses

• RETL 525 - Legal Aspects of Entrepreneurship and E-Commerce
• RETL 530 - Fashion and the Law
• RETL 535 - Retail Logistics
• RETL 551 - Retail and Fashion Business Planning
• RETL 562 - Advanced Merchandise Management Strategies
• RETL 569 - Advanced Retail Promotion and Social Media Analytics
• RETL 590 - Special Topics in Retail Management
• RETL 592 - Retailing/Fashion Merchandising Field Study
• RETL 600 - Fundamentals of Omni-Channel Retailing
• RETL 640 - Personnel Development & Relations Management
• RETL 662 - Customer Relationship Management for the Retail Industry
• RETL 700 - Advanced Omni-channel Retailing
• RETL 710 - Retailing E-Commerce
• RETL 725 - Customer Experience Optimization in the Retail Environment
• RETL 730 - Retail Loss Prevention
• RETL 740 - Omni-Channel Workforce Management
• RETL 745 - International Retailing
• RETL 747 - Competitive Strategies in Retailing
• RETL 749 - Advanced Category Management
• RETL 750 - Advanced Sales Strategies for Retail
• RETL 790 - Special Topics in Marketing Education
• RETL 798 - Directed Study in Retailing
• RETL 799 - Thesis Preparation

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