Programme: BConSci Clothing Retail Management

Kindly take note of the disclaimer regarding qualifications and degree names.
Code Faculty
02130110 Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences
Credits Duration NQF level
Minimum duration of study: 4 years Total credits: 510 NQF level:  08

Admission requirements

  • The following persons will be considered for admission: a candidate who is in possession of a certificate that is deemed by the University to be equivalent to the required Grade 12 certificate with university endorsement, a candidate who is a graduate from another tertiary institution or has been granted the status of a graduate of such an institution, and a candidate who is a graduate of another faculty at the University of Pretoria.
  • Life Orientation is excluded in the calculation of the Admission Point Score (APS).
  • Grade 11 results are used for the conditional admission of prospective students. Final admission is based on the Grade 12 results.

Minimum requirements

Achievement level

English Home Language or English First Additional Language

Mathematics

APS

NSC/IEB

AS Level

NSC/IEB

AS Level

5

C

4

D

28

*  Cambridge A level candidates who obtained at least a D in the required subjects, will be considered for admission. International Baccalaureate (IB) HL candidates who obtained at least a 4 in the required subjects, will be considered for admission.

Promotion to next study year

A student who did not pass all the prescribed modules of a particular year of study, has to register for the outstanding modules first. With the approval of the head of the department, modules of the following year of study may be taken in advance only if no timetable clashes occur; all the requirements and prerequisites have been met and not more than a specified number of credits per semester are taken. The credits of the semester of which modules are repeated, are taken as a guideline for the calculation of the number of modules permitted.

  1. A student registers for the second year when at least 80% of the first-year module credits have been passed.
  2. A student registers for the third year when at least 85% of the module credits of the previous years have been passed.
  3. A student registers for the fourth year when at least 95% of the module credits of the previous years have been passed.

Practical/clinical/internship information

KTP 403 Experiential training in the industry: During the 4 years of study, during holidays, weekends and after hours, students must complete a total of 480 hours experiential training in the industry to develop practical and occupational skills, participate in community projects/development, engage in service learning. This is equal to 3 weeks x 40 hours (120 hours) per year, according to requirements as determined by the head of the department. These "credits" include evidence of experiential training, service learning and community engagement during the four years of the study programme and must be successfully completed together with a complete portfolio before the degree will be conferred.

Pass with distinction

A student obtains his or her degree with distinction if a weighted average of at least 75% is obtained in the following modules:
A combination equivalent to six semester modules

  • Marketing research 314 and Strategic marketing 321
  • Clothing retail management 410 and Clothing merchandising 420
  • Clothing production 320, Product development 411
  • Project: Clothing textile project 402
  • New developments, sustainability and textile use 411
  • Textiles: Marketing and consumer aspects 421

Minimum credits: 134

Fundamental  = 12
Core               = 122

Additional information:
Students who do not qualify for AIM 102 must register for AIM 111 and AIM 121.
Students who do not qualify for STK 110 must register for STK 113 and STK 123.

Fundamental modules

Core modules

  • Module content:

    This module provides an overview of the fundamentals of marketing by considering the exchange process, customer value, marketing research and the development of a marketing plan. It also addresses the marketing mix elements with specific focus on the seven service marketing elements namely the service product, physical evidence, people, process, distribution, pricing and integrated marketing communication.

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  • Module content:

    This module deals with the core principles of economics. A distinction between macroeconomics and microeconomics is made. A discussion of the market system and circular flow of goods, services and money is followed by a section dealing with microeconomic principles, including demand and supply analysis, consumer behaviour and utility maximisation, production and the costs thereof, and the different market models and firm behaviour. Labour market institutions and issues, wage determination, as well as income inequality and poverty are also addressed. A section of money, banking, interest rates and monetary policy concludes the course.

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  • Module content:

    This module deals with the core principles of economics, especially macroeconomic measurement the private and public sectors of the South African economy receive attention, while basic macroeconomic relationships and the measurement of domestic output and national income are discussed. Aggregate demand and supply analysis stands core to this course which is also used to introduce students to the analysis of economic growth, unemployment and inflation. The microeconomics of government is addressed in a separate section, followed by a section on international economics, focusing on international trade, exchange rates and the balance of payments. The economics of developing countries and South Africa in the global economy conclude the course.

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  • Module content:

    Presentation techniques: story boards and technical drawings. Presentation techniques using CAD.

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  • Module content:

    The nature and function of accounting; the development of accounting; financial position; financial result; the recording process; processing of accounting data; treatment of VAT; elementary income statement and balance sheet; flow of documents; accounting systems; introduction to internal control and internal control measures; bank reconciliations; control accounts; adjustments; financial statements of a sole proprietorship; the accounting framework.

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  • Module content:

    Budgeting, payroll accounting, taxation – income tax and an introduction to other types of taxes, credit and the new Credit Act, insurance, accounting for inventories (focus on inventory and the accounting entries, not calculations), interpretation of financial statements.

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  • Module content:

    Computer processing of accounting information.

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  • Module content:

    Basic clothing construction techniques and quality control.

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  • Module content:

    Application of basic clothing construction techniques and quality control.

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  • Module content:

    An introduction to the elements and principles of design as is applicable to interior and clothing design and food preparation. Colour theory.

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  • Module content:

    The entrepreneurial mind-set; managers and managing; values, attitudes, emotions, and culture: the manager as a person; ethics and social responsibility; decision making; leadership and responsible leadership; effective groups and teams; managing organizational structure and culture inclusive of the different functions of a generic organisation and how they interact (marketing; finance; operations; human resources and general management); contextualising Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in each of the topics.

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  • Module content:

    Value chain management: functional strategies for competitive advantage; human resource management; managing diverse employees in a multicultural environment; motivation and performance; using advanced information technology to increase performance; production and operations management; financial management; corporate entrepreneurship.

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  • Module content:

    Descriptive statistics:
    Sampling and the collection of data; frequency distributions and graphical representations. Descriptive measures of location and dispersion.
    Probability and inference:
    Introductory probability theory and theoretical distributions. Sampling distributions. Estimation theory and hypothesis testing of sampling averages and proportions (one and two-sample cases). Supporting mathematical concepts. Statistical concepts are demonstrated and interpreted through practical coding and simulation within a data science framework.

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Minimum credits: 134

Core modules

  • Module content:

    Internal and external influencing factors of consumer behaviour, the consumer's decision process and application fields of consumer behaviour, consumerisms and social responsibility, buying behaviour of consumers in both product and service related industries, consumer psychology and the influence thereof on buying behaviour, psychology of pricing, influencing factors in consumer buying behaviour, the impact of various forms of marketing communication on buying behaviour.

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  • Module content:

    Integrated brand communications approach, marketing communication planning, objectives and budgets for integrated marketing communications, principles and strategising of marketing communication elements, new media, the brand name communication process, marketing metrics and evaluation for marketing communication effectiveness.

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  • Module content:

    Costume and fashion history: Appearance characteristics of Western dress. Influencing factors. Evolution of styles from Ancient Egyptian up to and including the present.

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  • Module content:

    The South African fashion industry: Basic principles of fashion; fashion as a product; and the consumer.
    Fashion production: Haute Couture and ready-to-wear clothes. Fashion forecasting and fashion analyses.

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  • Module content:

    Flat pattern design. Computer Aided Design (CAD).

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  • Module content:

    Pattern use and good fitting. Commercial pattern sizing and use, pattern drafting, fit evaluation and pattern alterations to ensure good fit, grading techniques and size specification sheets. Electronic pattern design using Gerber Accumark software.

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  • Module content:

    Logistics management
    The role of logistics in an enterprise; definition and scope of customer service; electronic and other logistics information systems; inventory management; materials management with special reference to Japanese systems; management of the supply chain. Methods of transport and transport costs; types and costs of warehousing; electronic aids in materials handling; cost and price determination of purchases; organising for logistics management; methods for improving logistics performance.

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  • Module content:

    Project management and negotiations:
    Introduction Project management concepts; needs identification; the project, the project manager and the project team; types of project organisations; project communication and documentation. Planning and control: planning, scheduling and schedule control of projects; resource considerations and allocations; cost planning and performance evaluation.
    Negotiation and collective bargaining: The nature of negotiation; preparation for negotiation; negotiating for purposes of climate creation; persuasive communication; handling conflict and aggression; specialised negotiation and collective bargaining in the South African context.

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  • Module content:

    Utility aspects: basic components of textiles, consumer decision making, utility aspects that include durability, comfort, maintenance, health/safety/protection and aesthetic aspects. Fibres and yarns: Fibre structure and performance including textile chemistry, fibre morphology and formation, fibre properties, classification and identification. Yarn structure and performance (including spun yarns, filament yarns, compound and novelty yarns).

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  • Module content:

    Fabric structures: Introduction to fabric structures. Woven fabrics, knits, non-woven fabrics and compound fabrics. Finishes and dyeing processes: Introduction to fabric finishing. Preparatory and final finishes. Finishes for special end-uses: durability, comfort and protection; ease of maintenance; aesthetic appeal. Dyed and printed fabrics.

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Minimum credits: 120

Core modules

  • Module content:

    The role of marketing research, the process of marketing research, interpretation of secondary research, qualitative research, survey research, observation, measurement and attitude scaling, questionnaire design, sampling design and sampling procedures, basic data analysis, descriptive statistical analysis, interpretation and reporting of results, research report writing.

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  • Module content:

    Strategic issues in marketing, strategic marketing, strategic analysis (market analysis, customer analysis, competitor analysis and internal analysis), market strategies (competitive strategies, strategies in the product life cycle and relationship building strategies) and strategy implementation and control.

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  • Module content:

    Basic principles of law of contract. Law of sales, credit agreements, lease.

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  • Module content:

    Labour law. Aspects of security law. Law of insolvency. Entrepreneurial law; company law, law concerning close corporations. Law of partnerships.

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  • Module content:

    Introduction to aesthetics. The interaction between environment and consumers’ aesthetic experience. Visual merchandising: basic components; tools and techniques; planning in clothing, interior and foods retail settings. Visual merchandising planning. Use of sustainable strategies in visual merchandising planning in clothing, interior and foods retail settings. This module addresses UN sustainable development goals: 8 (decent work and economic growth), 9 (industry innovation and infrastructure) and 12 (responsible consumption and production).  

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  • Module content:

    Social-psychological and cultural aspects of clothing: development of a framework to study individuals’ clothing behaviour, symbolic-interactionism and a cognitive perspective. Development of the self: self and self-concept: the body as indicator; personal values and norms. Appearance management and presentation of the self: role acceptance, identity, social control social cognition. Cultural context and dress: human adaptation; culture creations (technical, moral and ceremonial patterns); societies and clothing; beauty standards and beauty ideals. Social context, identity, change and clothing: the family, politics, religion, economy and the role of clothing as a reflection of social and personal identities; mentefacts and identities; social change and clothing.

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  • Module content:

    Small scale production: Industrial machines, production systems, quality assurance. Practical exercises and assignments are based on the themes covered in the module theory component. The UN sustainable development goals #11&12 are addressed during the theory components and practical sessions. Projects are focused on responsible consumption and production as well as community engagement.

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  • Module content:

    Consumer decision making (determinants of informed, responsible consumer decisions, complexity of consumer decisions), consumer satisfaction, consumer socialisation (consumer education; development of consumer skills); consumerism (consumer protection) and consumer complaint behaviour. Gender issues in consumer decision-making, expenditure patterns of the diverse South African consumer market and globalisation. The UN sustainable development goals #5 and 12 are addressed in this module and all projects are focused on responsible consumption behaviour. 

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Minimum credits: 122

Additional information:
KTP 403 Experiential training in the industry: During the 4 years of study, during holidays, weekends and after hours, students must complete a total of 480 hours experiential training in the industry to develop practical and occupational skills, participate in community projects/development, engage in service learning. This is equal to 3 weeks x 40 hours (120 hours) per year, according to requirements as determined by the head of the department. These credits include evidence of experiential training, service learning and community engagement during the four years of the study programme and must be successfully completed together with a complete portfolio before the degree will be conferred.

Core modules

  • Module content:

    Clothing retail aspects: Functioning of clothing retail. Environments, formats and structures of clothing retailers.
    Merchandising and store positioning. Fashion consumer behaviour. Business ethics, social and environmental responsibilities of clothing retailers, and ethical consumer behaviour. Fashion marketing communication; advertising, direct marketing, sales promotions, personal selling and service provision, publicity and public relations, fashion shows and special events.
    This module addresses UN sustainable development goals: 8 (decent work and economic growth), 9 (industry innovation and infrastructure) and 12 (responsible consumption and production). 

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  • Module content:

    Clothing merchandise managerial aspects: fashion buying and planning function, controlling inventories, factors influencing stock movement, redistribution of stock; merchandising processes, sourcing and relationship with suppliers; management roles and responsibilities. Buying strategies, forecasting and records, preparing a buying plan, developing an assortment plan. Global sourcing perspective for the SA clothing industry. Economic, social, environmental responsible sourcing practices of retailers.
    This module addresses UN sustainable development goals: 8 (decent work and economic growth), 9 (industry innovation and infrastructure) and 12 (responsible consumption and production).

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  • Module content:

    Entrepreneurship in the South African clothing industry, business planning, starting a business and the product development processes that form part of the manufacturing of clothing.
    Production: planning, conceptualisation, development, product analysis, execution and presentation of products. Application of clothing, textile and consumer knowledge by utilising a CAD-program for planning and assembling apparel. 
    Marketing aspects: Small business marketing and management, economic and strategic decisions regarding a clothing small business as well as the development of new clothing products, bearing in mind the needs of the selected target market, financial aspects and overall business planning 
    Assignments are based on the themes covered in the module. The UN sustainable development goals #8, 11&12 are addressed during the module and all projects are focused on responsible consumption and production, community engagement and economic growth.

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  • Module content:

    During the first to fourth years of study students must complete a total of 480 hours experiential training in the industry to develop practical and occupational skills, participate in community engagement and provide service learning. This is equal to 3 weeks x 40 hours (120 hours) per year, according to requirements as determine by the head of department. These "credits" include evidence of experiential training, service learning and community engagment during the four years of the study programme and must be successfully completed together with a complete portfolio before the degree will be conferred

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  • Module content:

    New developments that address the impact of textiles on the environment and sustainability. Focus is directed toward the UN sustainable development goal #12 through assignments that include principles of life cycle assessment, reusability as well as open- and closed loop recycling of textile and apparel products.

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  • Module content:

    Clothing textiles and textile products from a marketing and consumer perspective. Practical project: Project to assess performance properties of textiles for specific end-use by using laboratory tests. A written report of the results is also required.

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  • Module content:

    Research methodology. Planning, executing and reporting a research project in clothing retail management; food retail management, hospitality management or culinary science.

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The information published here is subject to change and may be amended after the publication of this information. The General Regulations (G Regulations) apply to all faculties of the University of Pretoria. It is expected of students to familiarise themselves well with these regulations as well as with the information contained in the General Rules section. Ignorance concerning these regulations and rules will not be accepted as an excuse for any transgression.

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