In addition to gaining knowledge through many majors in schools across Penn, there are two specific areas of study that have complementary coursework which is relevant for students interested in retail. One is a secondary concentration specifically focused on retail and the other is a minor in consumer psychology.

Secondary Concentration in Retailing

The secondary concentration in retailing provides an interdisciplinary overview of the retailing industry, combining courses in core retailing skills with industry-relevant electives from Wharton and the College of Arts & Sciences. Retailing cannot be a student’s only concentration at Wharton; students must have declared a primary concentration.

Four course units (cu’s) are required for the secondary concentration, based on the following framework:

• Retailing Core Component (1.0 cu): Introductory courses in retailing and retail supply chain management;
• Marketing Component (1.0 cu): Selected from retail-relevant courses in marketing;
• Operations Component (1.0 cu): Selected from retail-relevant courses in Management, OIDD, real estate and transportation;
• Design Component (1.0 cu): Selected from retail-relevant courses in architecture, communications, OIDD, urban studies and visual studies.

Consumer Psychology Minor

The Consumer Psychology minor is a university minor between the Marketing Department in the Wharton School and the Psychology Department in the College of Arts and Sciences. This minor is not intended for Marketing Majors of Wharton.

Its goal is to promote the link between experimental psychology and marketing. Only with knowledge of consumer psychology can you properly connect a corporate strategy with consumers.

To fulfill the Minor in Consumer Psychology, students must complete

• The statistics requirement.
• Four courses from the Psychology Department in the College
• Four credit units from the Marketing Department in Wharton

Both College and Wharton requirements will consist of core courses along and a set of elective courses. College students who wish to minor in Consumer Psychology must count two of the four required psychology courses towards only the Consumer Psychology minor (and towards no other major or minor).