COURSE CURRICULUM

The Consumer Sciences major is designed to prepare students for professional roles in financial services, consumer advocacy, marketing, public policy, and related fields by building a strong understanding of how individuals and families make decisions in economic and social environments. All students in the major complete a set of core courses totaling 21 hours that focus on key areas such as resource management, personal financial planning, consumer decision-making, conflict resolution, marketing principles, consumer protection, and statistical analysis. These courses develop both analytical and applied skills needed to understand consumer behavior and financial systems, while ensuring students can interpret data and make informed decisions in real-world contexts. Beyond the core, students may pursue either a flexible general Consumer Sciences track or a specialized concentration. The general track requires additional junior- and senior-level coursework and electives, bringing the total major requirements to 48 hours, allowing students to tailor their studies to personal interests or double major requirements. The Family Financial Planning and Counseling concentration expands the curriculum to 53 hours and prepares students for careers in financial advising and counseling by focusing on topics such as investment planning, insurance, retirement strategies, tax planning, estate planning, financial psychology, and client counseling. This concentration also includes applied tools like spreadsheets and case study work to prepare students for professional certification pathways and real client interaction. The Consumer Affairs concentration totals 48 hours and emphasizes consumer economics, communication, marketing, policy, and research methods. It prepares students for careers in government agencies, corporate consumer relations, nonprofit organizations, and research roles by strengthening their ability to analyze markets and communicate consumer-focused insights. Across all pathways, a minimum grade of C- is required in major and concentration courses, ensuring academic competency and professional readiness for careers involving consumer-focused decision-making and analysis.