Program Description

Graduate study in the department leads to a Master of Science in Design, Housing and Merchandising or a Doctor of Philosophy in Human Environmental Science. The plan of study at the M.S. level includes a minimum of 30-33 credit hours consisting of design, housing, and/or merchandising courses plus supporting coursework in related subjects, statistics, and research methods. Thesis or coursework only options are available.

At the Ph.D. level, emphasis is on the attainment of competencies rather than on completion of a specific number of credits; however, a minimum of 60 semester hours beyond the M.S. degree is required. The Ph.D. program has a strong research component and requires a dissertation of all candidates.

Students in the graduate program usually investigate design, housing, and merchandising from the following perspectives:

• Development and evaluation of new products
• Consumer/supplier behavior
• Business development and management
• Interrelationships between humans and their apparel/interior environment

Admission Requirements

Admission to the M.S. program requires a Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution with a preferred undergraduate scholastic average of B or above, submission of an application form, three letters of recommendation, a 2-3 page statement of background and professional goals, and a complete transcript. International students must earn at least a 213 (computer score or 550 paper score) on the TOEFL exam. Applications may be submitted at any time. However, for financial support, Feb 15th is the deadline for priority consideration. If the undergraduate degree is not in the area of specialization chosen for the graduate degree, specific undergraduate courses in design, housing, and/or merchandising will be required as prerequisites. The GRE or GMAT must be taken and scores delivered to DHM before enrolling in the second semester of study.

Admission to the Ph.D. program requires submission of an application form, three letters of recommendation, an example of technical writing, a 2-3 page statement of background and professional goals, and complete transcripts to the Graduate College. International students must earn a 213 (computer score or 550 paper score) on the TOEFL exam. Applications may be submitted at any time. However, for financial support, Feb 15th is the deadline for priority consideration. The GRE or GMAT must be taken and scores delivered to DHM before enrolling in the second semester of study. Admission to the program is based upon evidence that the applicant has demonstrated superior scholarly achievement and has the potential for successfully completing a doctoral program. The student should have a Master's degree in design, housing and merchandising or in a closely related area from a college or university of recognized standing.

Since the ability to complete well written technical papers is necessary for successful completion of the graduate program, students may need to complete course work in technical writing. Analytical writing scores below 4.0 on the GRE or GMAT will result in requirement of writing course work.

Contact Information

For program inquiries, contact Byoungho Jin, Ph.D.,
For application process and other inquiries, contact Ms. Susan Brock
Department of Design, Housing & Merchandising
431 Human Envirionmental Sciences
Stillwater, OK 74078
Tel: 405-744-5035
Fax: 405-744-6910
Web: http://ches.okstate.edu/dhm/