Columbus College of Art & Design launches new first-of-its-kind graduate program in retail design - PRNewswire

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COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Retail is not dead; it's at a crossroads, and Columbus College of Art & Design (CCAD) plans to prepare leaders who can reenvision the industry's future and solve some of its biggest challenges through a new graduate program. CCAD's Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Retail Design launches in January 2022 and is the first of its kind in the nation.

The flexible program, which allows students to enroll full- or part-time and in-person or synchronously online from anywhere, was developed for retail designers, entrepreneurs, visual merchandisers, design strategists, omnichannel specialists, environmental branders, and other retail professionals.

"CCAD is thrilled to launch this groundbreaking new graduate program, which draws together a trifecta of expertise—CCAD as a generator of creative innovators and the engine of Columbus' creative economy; Columbus itself as a nationally-recognized hub for retail and distribution expertise and experiment; and a program Advisory Board of local and national leaders in retail design who will steer the program's curriculum and connect with its students," says Dr. Jennifer Schlueter, Dean of Graduate Studies at CCAD. "This program could only happen at CCAD, and we are excited to lead with a graduate program that will articulate the future of retail design, filling a niche in training that is consumer-centric and channel-agnostic."

Jeni Britton Bauer, Founder and COO of Columbus-based Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams and an Advisory Board Member for the MPS program, says retail is booming in the U.S., but it's not the retail of the past.

"People are looking for alignment with the brands they interact with," says Britton Bauer. "Companies have to mean something to their customers, not just sell stuff. It's a complex and emotional customer journey that takes place in many realms—online, in store, at home. And it takes new thinking and training to get it right. CCAD has put together a group of intrepid thinkers and doers in this industry with the goal to be a national leader in Retail Design for now and the future."

To learn more about CCAD's MPS in Retail Design, which is currently pending Higher Learning Commission approval and launches in January 2022, visit ccad.edu/mpsretail.

SOURCE Columbus College of Art & Design