Highlights

Wade College offers students the opportunity to learn in the heart of the merchandising and design industries. The college is part of the Dallas Market Center, the world's largest wholesale merchandising and design complex. The Dallas Market Center is a 6.9 million square-foot complex consisting of four buildings. The complex consists of the Trade Mart, Market Hall, the International Floral Design Center, and the World Trade Center. Students have access to a complex that hosts over fifty wholesale markets a year.

Because Wade College is affiliated with the Dallas Market Center, students at Wade College have the opportunity to network with industry professionals, work in showrooms on a daily basis, and work the wholesale markets, thus gaining priceless industry experience. Many students make connections that allow them to travel to other markets around the country as well as enter permanent employment once they graduate.

At Wade College, every student, regardless of specialty, has access to every course and every facility. Classrooms are spacious. Student-to-instructor ratio is about thirteen to one, and the student-to-computer ratio is about four to one. Wade College uses state-of-the-art equipment including multimedia-equipped classrooms, a fashion design studio, an interior design studio, an art studio, and two computer labs, including one dedicated to graphic design. Various other equipment and support materials are available for the art, fashion, design, and interior design studio courses.

University Attributes

Wade College is a specialized college that offers dual major Associate of Arts and Bachelor of Arts degrees in Merchandising and Design. The educational program emphasizes the importance of both general education and specialized study. General education in fine art, humanities, social science, behavioral science, mathematics, and other subjects helps students prepare for careers in the visual fields while also helping them to broaden their perspectives. Complemented by the design and merchandising programs at the college, courses in general studies help students develop the analytical, written, mathematical, communication, business, and presentation skills necessary to bridge their specialized fields of study with the demands of the larger world of business and industry. Specialized study in graphic design, fashion design, interior design, and merchandise marketing at the associate-degree level and merchandise management at the baccalaureate-degree level helps students develop professional skills required to advance in their career field.

Class sizes at Wade College are small. Individual attention to students is prized. This allows instructors to emphasize maximum student participation while promoting an active student/instructor relationship. The professional credentials of the faculty and the diversity of the student body promote exposure to and appreciation of different cultural and ethnic backgrounds. In addition, comprehensive student services are offered in the areas of college-sponsored housing, financial aid, employment and job training, student workshops, clubs and activities, advising, and graduate placement. Student needs are given high priority.

One of the key objectives of the college is to render its graduates with credentials suitable for immediate employment and rapid advancement. To that end, Wade College selects a faculty with the academic credentials and work-related experience to assure quality education. They represent the college's sincere commitment to student success. Moreover, the curriculum is constantly examined and revised to assure students receive current and meaningful instruction, and the location of the college within the Dallas Market Center offers students the opportunity to witness and become a part of the merchandising and design industries while they are still in school.

Degrees Available

• Bachelors

Degree Level

Bachelors Degree (Undergraduate)

Subject Areas

Experience Required

no

Wade College's Mission Statement

Wade College is a privately sponsored college offering associate and bachelor degree programs in merchandising and design. The college is a teaching institution that emphasizes specialized professional study and the liberal arts. Wade College exists and operates to provide its diverse student population with the skills and knowledge to be a productive part of American society. It further seeks to provide them with an enriching cultural, moral, economic, and social experience. The college is committed to serving the changing requirements of the merchandising and design fields and preparing its student for excellence in their career fields by providing knowledgeable faculty, continually updated curriculum, and modern facilities. The purpose of Wade College is to offer programs of instruction that are designed to allow students to: (1) Develop the competencies necessary for immediate employment and career advancement in their chosen fields. (2) Continue and complete a formal education in graduate colleges and universities, if so desired. (3) Develop intellectual, humanitarian, and leadership skills that will advance their potential for success. (4) Engage in continual self-improvement.