Management in the Fashion Industry

General information

Master applied studies take two years, or four semesters. All student activities are graded according to the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). The structure of the program is such that all courses span a single semester, with a fairly even distribution of ECTS (30 ECTS for the first and second semester each, 25 ECTS for the third semester, and 35 ECTS for the fourth). Upon a successful completion of the studies, the total number of ECTS points obtained is 120. The studies are realized in the form of traditional classroom teaching, in Serbian. The Management in the Fashion Industry master applied studies belong to the broader educational field of technical and technological sciences, the field of industrial engineering and engineering management. Upon finishing master applied studies, the student is awarded the title „Master of Applied Engineering Management“, or „MaAppEngMa“ / „M.A.E.M.“ for short.

Qualification

According to the National Qualifications Framework in Serbia (NOKS), upon finishing master applied studies the student reaches level seven, sublevel one (level 7.1). To reach this level, the student is first required to have level 6.1 (graduated from basic applied studies that carry 180 ECTS). Also, candidates who graduated from basic academic studies in adequate professional fields within the corresponding educational-scientific field (carrying at least 180 ECTS) can also enrol in this master study program, as well as candidates who finished 4-year basic academic studies from a similar field, according to the laws that were in effect prior to the Law on Higher Education (until September 10, 2005).

Candidates who have graduated from accredited higher education institutions abroad are also eligible to enrol in this master study program, under the same conditions as citizens of Serbia, as long as they speak the Serbian language (since it is the language the classes are held in) and if they have previously nostrificated the diploma they obtained from their alma mater in the country of origin. The nostrification must confirm that the academic degree they were awarded equals at least a study program carrying 180 ECTS according to the relevant laws and regulations of the Republic of Serbia, provided that the curriculums of the study program they graduated from correspond to the curriculums of the appropriate Serbian study programs of similar professional fields.

 

Classes and exams

All of the courses at this study program take one semester to finish. Student activities throughout the semester (pre-exam obligations), such as attendance and active participation in class, practical work, mid-term exams, test, papers and homework are all awarded a certain number of points. The ratio between the number of points obtained through the fulfilment of pre-exam obligations and the points obtained at the final exam is established for each individual course separately; the pre-exam obligations can carry a minimum of 50, and a maximum of 60 points. The final exams take place on-site, at the Department, in the appropriate exam terms, which are: January, February, June, July, September and October. By fulfiling the pre-exam obligations and passing the final exam, the student can achieve a maximum of 100 points; for a grade of „6“, 51 points are needed; for „7“, 61 points; for „8“, 71 points; for „9“, 81 points; for „10“, 91 points.

 

Goals and Outcomes

• The basic goal of this study program is to educate masters of applied management while focusing on the abilities of independent management of businesses and other types of organizations in the fashion industry (starting up, organizing, leading, controlling and developing).
• The development of the ability to harmonize the production and placement of fashion products with the expectations on the market, and to define activities within the context of current trends.
• Mastering specific practical skills needed to apply modern management methods and tools in finding innovative solutions to complex management issues, by studying:
• professional courses in the field of: market research, quality management in the apparel/fashion industry, fashion marketing, business development and consumer behavior;
• professional applied courses in the field of: sales, brand management, logistics, public relations, organizational systems, organization of manufacturing processes, creative potential management, fashion event organization, and fashion collection planning                                                 
• Influencing industrial and economic development. In the Republic of Serbia, the textile and apparel industry has a long and rich tradition, whose continuity can be ensured by the creation of new positions in the system that produces and offers fashion products and services according to modern business concepts. This branch of industry has lately faced grave challenges, due to the transformation of the local economy and the changes on the global market. These momentous shifts influence both the production itself and the placement of fashion products, along with their effective presence on the market. Keeping in mind that there is a dynamic component to the manufacturing and sales of fashion products and services, the expert teams and manufacturers are required to continually monitor and adapt to the demands of the market and current fashion trends. The industry therefore needs professionals who are quick and agile, which is manifested through successful organization, management, control, and marketing, which in turn leads to the creation of fashion products with a great competitive edge, and, finally, economic efficiency.
• Influencing education. Graduates of the Management in the Fashion Industry master program can, within their positions in the industry, organize and lead various trainings and courses that would help improve the existing and incoming human resources.
• Influencing society on the whole. By employing masters of applied engineering management, the quality of the workforce in the fashion industry will improve. Through their work and knowledge obtained through this study program, our Masters of Applied Engineering Management will influence the development of the fashion industry, its competitive edge at the local, European, and world market, and through that the development of local economy and society on the whole.

The education of the students in the field of management and fashion industry is conducted in compliance with the goals of the institution, so that they can act independently, responsibly, enterprisingly and efficiently in their work, realizing even the most complex activities and projects that carry a great responsibility with confidence, with the ability to control and evaluate the work of other managers and employees, as well as the functioning of the company or organization on the whole. With that goal in mind, the business practices of the leading domestic and global fashion companies are closely followed, along with the latest professional developments in the field of management, and all of the knowledge thus obtained is implemented into the teaching process.

The study program is harmonized with the needs of the fashion industry and with similar programs of renowned local and European HE institutions.

 

The competences of future students

By mastering the study program, the students acquire:

• general abilities:

• of analysis, synthesis and prediction of business solutions through the application of adequate methods and through the evaluation of the consequences stemming from the planned and realized activities;
• mastering theoretical and highly specialized knowledge, practical skills, methods and procedures related to procurement, production, distribution, sales and services;
• developing critical and self-critical thinking, and an innovative and creative approach to work;
• implementing specialized knowledge in business operations of fashion companies and institutions;
• following and evaluating innovations, knowledge transfer and innovative methods within fashion industry management;
• developing communication skills and the ability to organize and lead teamwork, coordinate communication, interactions and cooperation with the stakeholders in the fashion industry;
• developing professional ethics thanks to the educational work of the Academy of Technical and Art Applied Studies Belgrade.

 

• subject-specific competences:

 

• thorough knowledge and critical understanding of the discipline (management in the fashion industry);
• solving concrete problems through the analysis and application of modern organizational and technological methods and business strategies;
• connecting and implementing basic knowledge in the fields of management, textile engineering, and textile and apparel design; keeping up with contemporary achievements and innovations in the fashion industry;
• developing skills through the application of knowledge that corresponds to the demands of the market and the changes in the fashion industry;
• keeping up with modern technological solutions for the manufacturing, control and sales of fashion products through information and communications technology.

Competences acquired at this study program allow the graduates to become successfully integrated in fashion industry management through business and manufacturing processes and the ability to follow trends in the development of fashion products and services and the application of new technologies.