A Degree in Luxury is Being Launched攻读奢侈品牌的学位刚刚推出

In a so-called age of austerity you might not expect a university to be offering a degree in luxury.

However, this autumn the International University of Monaco is launching a master's degree in luxuryretail management.

The degree is a far cry from the student stereotype of debt and dingy flats, and will follow a syllabus looking at designer products, private jets and yachts.

The course has been developed in collaboration withdesignerbrands such as Gucci and Ralph Lauren. The 35 students will learn about how to sell lavish goods and runluxury boutiques.

Despite Europe's current financial troubles, the university says the course has been developed in response to a demand for staff who specialise in the luxury market.

A spokeswoman for the university says, "Gone are the days when it was easy to sell luxury goods based on the allure of the brand alone." The university also says that the course will teach students how to offer people an exceptional shopping experience "in which consumers develop long-lasting and emotional ties with the brand".

However, before you start applying to live the high life it is important to point out that students will be learning about, rather than enjoying, the world of opulent brands.

The degree is in a country associated with wealth and extravagance, but the International University of Monaco is not the first to offer a degree in luxury retail.

High-end London department store Harrods, known for its designer products, announced earlier this year that it would be offering an undergraduate degree in retailing for its own staff. The famous London store believes it will reap the rewards from a university training programme.

So that is one Harrods product that tourists won't be able to take home - a university degree.

• luxury [´lʌkʃəri]   n.奢侈(品)；享受   (初中英语单词)
• international [,intə´næʃənəl]   a.国际的，世界的   (初中英语单词)
• financial [fi´nænʃəl]   a.金融的，财政的   (初中英语单词)
• emotional [i´məuʃənəl]   a.易动感情的；情感的   (初中英语单词)
• learning [´lə:niŋ]   n.学习；学问；知识   (初中英语单词)
• wealth [welθ]   n.财富，财产   (初中英语单词)
• so-called [´sou ´kɔ:ld]   a.所谓的，号称的   (高中英语单词)
• offering [´ɔfəriŋ]   n.提供；礼物；捐献   (高中英语单词)
• response [ri´spɔns]   n.回答；响应   (高中英语单词)
• retail [´ri:teil, ri´teil]   n.&a.&v.零售(商品的)   (英语四级单词)
• lavish [´læviʃ]   a.慷慨的；浪费的   (英语四级单词)
• exceptional [ik´sepʃənəl]   a.异常的，特别的   (英语四级单词)
• extravagance [iks´trævigəns]   n.奢侈；极端   (英语四级单词)
• designer [di´zainə]   n.设计者   (英语六级单词)
• allure [ə´ljuə, ə´lur]   vt.诱惑；吸引   (英语六级单词)