Minor in Retail Management

Why Study Retailing as a Minor?

Retailing is one of the most important industries in the Northwest. Many prominent national retailers are headquartered in the Pacific Northwest (e.g., Costco, Starbucks, Union Bay, Eddie Bauer, REI, Zumiez, Nordstrom, and Sur la Table), and, our region is a leader in the area of online/technology retailing (e.g., Amazon, Coinstar, and Microsoft Stores). Engagement with this key industry through this program positions students to become leaders in the retail industry.

Who Can Obtain a Retail Minor?

All UW Bothell non-business majors may earn a Minor in Retail Management. Non-business students enrolled at UW Seattle and UW Tacoma are welcome. Interested students should discuss the feasibility of completing this minor with their major program advisor.

Program Requirements

Prospective students must have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.7 to be eligible. Before taking retail minor classes, students must complete these courses-

  • B BUS 201 – Introduction to Business — minimum grade of 2.7 required.
  • BBUS 300 – Management of Organizations/Teamwork Skills
  • BBUS 320 – Marketing Management

Students may take MGMT 300: Leadership and Organizational Behavior and/or MKTG 301: Marketing Concepts, at the UW Seattle campus to satisfy the requirements of B BUS 300 and B BUS 320, respectively. The UW Seattle campus courses are four credits each. Students who take one of these courses at Seattle will complete the minor with 29 credits; students who take both of these courses at UW Seattle will complete the minor with 28 credits.

After completion of these courses, these courses must be taken to obtain the retail management minor:

  • BBUS 445 – Merchandise Acquisition
  • BBUS 446 – Strategic Retail Promotion
  • BBUS 447 – Retail Operations and Supply Chain Management
  • BBUS 448 – Retail Technology and Leadership

Internship

Retail students are encouraged to take an internship.

Applying to the Minor

To apply, complete a “Change of Major or Minor” form with your major program advisor. Your major program advisor will confirm that you meet the prerequisites of the minor, approve the “Change of Major or Minor” form to add the minor to your declared major(s) and minor(s), and send the approved form to the Registrar at your campus with a copy to the School of Business (box 358533).

Once the approved “Change of Major or Minor” form is processed by the Registrar, a School of Business advisor will send an e-mail confirming your enrollment in the Retail Management minor and providing additional information regarding the minor.

You can make an appointment with a School of Business advisor to discuss the Minor in Retail Management. Please consult with your major advisor prior to meeting the advisor from the School of Business.

Registering for Classes

Students who have been accepted into the Retail Management minor will be able to register for Retail Management courses starting Registration Period 2. However, students not in the UW Bothell Business program will need the assistance of a School of Business advisor to register for 300/400 Retail Management courses. Minor students should contact uwbadvis@uw.edu to get help registering for a course that requires an add code.

Graduating with a Minor

When applying for graduation, the student’s major program advisor will list the minor requirements on the graduation application. Upon graduation, the minor will be indicated on the student’s transcript, but will not appear on the diploma.

Educational Values

What We Want to See in our Students

  • Analytical rigor
  • Critical thinking
  • Written and oral communication
  • Ethical orientation
  • Work ethic
  • Engagement with business community