Master of Professional Studies in Retail Design

Retail is changing. Get ready to move into the future and define your path with Columbus College of Art & Design’s Master of Professional Studies in Retail Design. With CCAD's MPS program, you’ll experience a cutting-edge approach to learning with a rich mix of theory and practice in a curriculum developed and taught by retail experts. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of how customers engage with brands and make purchase decisions—from e-commerce to brick and mortar, and everything in between.


 

 

A program designed for…

Omnichannel specialists

Environmental branders

Retail/interior designers

Entrepreneurs 

Digital marketers

Brand consultants

Merchandisers

And more...

 

 

  Retail is detail

What sets our program apart? A channel-agnostic approach to retail that only an art and design school can offer, balancing business acumen with innovation, inclusivity, and creativity to meet the challenges of tomorrow. You'll gain a mastery of the retail landscape and industry connections that will put your career on the fast track.

  A program that works for you 

We get it. Your day job is demanding. Our MPS program is designed to fit your life with options to enroll full- or part-time and synchronously online.

Classes are conveniently scheduled on evenings and weekends. You'll be able to earn your degree in 1 year full time or 2 years part time, including summers. No matter where you are, you'll get to meet and bond with your cohort during three in-person meetups in Columbus across the program.

 


MPS in Retail Design FAQs:

  • CCAD’s MPS programs are 30-credit, professionally focused, non-terminal master’s degrees. These accredited graduate degrees offer students the opportunity to efficiently up skill, whether independent of a CCAD undergraduate degree or as an extension to our BFA programs
  • The MPS in UX is a 30-credit-hour program that can be completed in two years.
  • CCAD prides itself on multidisciplinary education. Courses will cover visual design, analytics and trends in retail, presentation and storytelling, social theories and much more. Graduates will leave with a marketable understanding of retail design theory, research, and technical knowledge.
  • Classes are held online synchronously (at a specific day and time) during the week, with three to four in-person weekend workshops. Program structure is a mix of lectures, reading, design critiques, discussion, and hands-on activity.
  • Retail design is increasingly relevant in not just the clothing industry but nearly every industry. Our channel-agnostic approach to retail is one that only an art and design school can offer and helps to balance business acumen with innovation, inclusivity, and creativity to meet the challenges of tomorrow. Best of all, you’ll build your professional network and make meaningful mentorship connections in this growing field. Students graduating from our program will be poised to take on roles such as Omnichannel specialists, Environmental branders, Retail/interior designers, Entrepreneurs, Digital marketers, Brand consultants, Merchandisers, and more!
  • Yes! In fact, it’s a perfect opportunity for working professionals to add timely and relevant expertise to their skillset. Classes are mostly online and offered in the evenings and weekends, and the curriculum provides your choice of a full- or part-time experience. Most working professionals who maintain their full-time careers will participate as part-time students, but it is not a requirement
  • These tests are not required for enrollment. View the application form for other requirements.

 


Home to retail

Columbus knows retail. As home to some of the country’s top retailers— Bath & Body Works, Big Lots, and Hollister, to name just a few—you’ll have access to top talent, mentors, and loads of opportunities. Plus, you’ll work directly with one of those retail partners to define and conduct an immersive capstone project. 

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Get a taste of the program

Learn more about key issues facing the retail sector from experts who shaped this program by watching our webinar series "CCAD Knows Retail."

Not ready to commit to a full degree program or looking to fill a specific skill gap? You can request to enroll in a select set of courses from the MPS. If, later on, you choose to apply to and are accepted to the program, these will count towards your graduation requirements. Email [email protected] for more information.

 

Hear more from our experts


Meet the Advisory Board

 

Master of Professional Studies in Retail Design

CCAD’s MPS in Retail Design was created to give you the knowledge and tools you need to advance your career. Key to that is our MPS in Retail Advisory Board, whose members are here to help you make valuable connections as you build and expand your professional network.

Our MPS in Retail Design Advisory Board includes leading minds in the industry, representing such organizations as Bath & Body Works, Big Red Rooster, Chute Gerdeman, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, L Brands, Landor & Fitch, Procter & Gamble, Target, and TENFOLD. Their expertise and insight were key in developing the program curriculum, and members continue to play a valuable role by serving as faculty, as members of students’ individual advisory committees, and as key components of students’ professional networks.

In other words: Our board members are here to ensure that our curriculum meets industry demands and to provide a helping hand for students ready to take their careers to the next level.

CEO Creative Director of ZenGenius, Inc
MPS Retail Design Advisory Board
Principal, REALM Collaborative
MPS Retail Design Advisory Board
Chair, Board of Trustees
MPS Retail Design Advisory Board
Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams
Coordinator for Community Education
MPS Retail Design Advisory Board, Graduate Programs
President, 42 Solutions, and former Senior Vice President, International Operations, L Brands
MPS Retail Design Advisory Board
Practice Lead, Retail Solutions Strategy, Taivara Technology Innovations
MPS Retail Design Advisory Board
Partner, Design + Strategy, ASG | Chute Gerdeman
MPS Retail Design Advisory Board
Director of Creative Activation, TENFOLD
MPS Retail Design Advisory Board
Lead Design Project Architect, Target
MPS Retail Design Advisory Board
CEO, Bumbershoot, LLC
MPS Retail Design Advisory Board
Owner, ConsumerX Retail, Adjunct Faculty
MPS Retail Design Advisory Board
Chief Executive, Easton at Steiner + Associates, Inc.
MPS Retail Design Advisory Board
Executive Vice President, Thought Leadership & Marketing, WD Partners
MPS Retail Design Advisory Board
Creative Director, Brand Communications, WD Partners
MPS Retail Design Advisory Board
Senior Vice President, Creative, Big Red Rooster
MPS Retail Design Advisory Board
Chief Marketing Officer, Bath & Body Works
MPS Retail Design Advisory Board
L Brands/Bath & Body Works
Founder, Gabby Rosi Collective & former Senior Director of Design and Development, Whole Foods Market
MPS Retail Design Advisory Board
Principal, Timamxelle design group, LLC
MPS Retail Design Advisory Board
Design Director Hair Care: Branding, Retail Environments and Digital at Procter & Gamble
MPS Retail Design Advisory Board
Former Chief Marketing Officer, DSW
MPS Retail Design Advisory Board
Designer Shoe Warehouse Inc.
Design Director, Landor & Fitch
MPS Retail Design Advisory Board
CEO, Warhol & Wall St. & Director, Columbus Fashion Alliance
MPS Retail Design Advisory Board
Adjunct Faculty
MPS Retail Design Advisory Board

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