The Master of Science in Consumer Sciences is a 30-credit-hour degree program that offers advanced study in two complementary concentration areas.
Consumer Economics Concentration
The Consumer Economics concentration offers an applied microeconomics approach to understanding consumers in home, policy, and market environments. This concentration prepares students to continue study in a doctoral program or employment in a research-oriented setting investigating consumer decision-making, personal finance, and related family and consumer policy. This research-oriented concentration requires the successful completion of a thesis.
Family Financial Planning and Counseling Concentration
The Family Financial Planning and Counseling concentration focuses on the knowledge and skills necessary for a career in financial planning and related careers. The curriculum fulfills the educational requirements to sit for the CFP® certification exam that leads to the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification registered with the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. Students who successfully complete the concentration may sit for the CFP® certification exam that leads to the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification. The concentration also fulfills the educational requirements to sit for the Accredited Financial Counselor® exam offered by the Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education®. Successful completion of a capstone project, practicum, or portfolio is required.
Admissions
See the Admission Criteria section of this catalog for more information.
Curricular Requirements
| Consumer Sciences, MS | Hours |
| CSM 555 or | Research Methods and Analysis | 3 |
| CSM 560 | Finan Plan Case Study Capstone |
| BER 540 or | Statistical Methods In Educ | 3 |
| CSM 558 | Spreadsheets in Fin. Decisions |
| BER 640 or | Adv Statistical Methods in Ed | 3 |
| CSM 554 | Personal Income Tax Mgt Plang |
| Total Hours | 30 |
Consumer Economics Concentration
| Code and Title | Hours |
| CSM 599 | Thesis Research | 6 |
| Consumer Protection | |
| Public Policy | |
| Consumer Mgt Quality Assurance | |
| Consumr Qual Mgt Facilitn Skil | |
| Consumer Quality Mgt Systems | |
| Customer Service Management | |
| Conflict Resolution Workplace | |
| Consumer Economics | |
| Consumer Demographics | |
| E-Commerce@Ches | |
| Principled Negotiation | |
| Total Hours | 30 |
Family Financial Planning and Counseling Concentration
| Code and Title | Hours |
| CSM 500 | Personal Insurance Plan & Mgt | 3 |
| CSM 504 | Personal Investment Plan & Mgt | 3 |
| CSM 510 | Pers Retire Plan Empl Benefits | 3 |
| CSM 520 | Personal Estate Planning | 3 |
| CSM 535 | Psychology Of Money | 3 |
| CSM 559 | Techniques of Counseling in Consumer Sciences | 3 |
| 3 |
| Total Hours | 30 |
Transfer Credit
See the Master's Degree Academic Policies section of this catalog for more information.
Accelerated Master’s Program
See the Accelerated Master's Degree Academic Policies section of this catalog for more information.
Comprehensive Exam/Capstone
See the Master's Degree Academic Policies section of this catalog for more information.
Fieldwork/Practicum/Internship
See the Master's Degree Academic Policies section of this catalog for more information.
Plan I: Thesis
The Consumer Economics Concentration requires completion of a thesis (Plan I). Upon admission to the M.S. program in Consumer Sciences, students are assigned an interim advisor (i.e., program coordinator or program director). The interim advisor will assist the student in the evaluation of previous work and selection of coursework. Students identify a permanent master’s program advisor no later than the end of the first year of study for Consumer Economics concentration and end of the first semester of study for FFPC concentration. Advisors help students plan a course of study and research or professional internship experiences. Students should consult their advisor at least once per semester to review their progress. Students pursuing the Consumer Economics Concentration will select a thesis advisor who will assist in the formulation of the thesis committee. A student’s advisor may also serve as their thesis advisor.
See the Master's Degree Academic Policies section of this catalog for more information.
Plan II: Non-Thesis
The Family Financial Planning and Counseling Concentration is a Plan II program. As such, no thesis is required. Instead, Plan II students complete a supervised practicum or a capstone project.
See the Master's Degree Academic Policies section of this catalog for more information.
Time Limits for Degree Completion Requirements
See the Master's Degree Academic Policies section of this catalog for more information.
Student Progress Requirement
See the Master's Degree Academic Policies section of this catalog for more information.
Academic Misconduct Information
See the Academic Misconduct section of this catalog for more information.
Withdrawals and Leave of Absence Information
See the Withdrawals and Leave of Absence section of this catalog for more information.
Academic Grievances Information
See the Academic Grievance Procedures section of this catalog for more information.
Grades and Academic Standing
See the Grades and Academic Standing section of this catalog for more information.
Graduate School Deadlines Information
See the Graduate School Deadline page for more information.
Application for Graduation Information
See the Application for Graduation section of this catalog for more information.
A limited number of graduate assistantships and graduate school fellowships are available. The number of assistantships available varies each year. Graduate assistants must be available in-person approximately 20 hours/week. These assistantships are awarded on a competitive basis. Graduate assistants may be asked to assist with teaching, research, and service missions of the academic unit to which they are assigned. The application for Graduate Assistantship should be submitted before January 15 of each year for full consideration. For more information on the Financial Support, contact the Department of Consumer Sciences Graduate Coordinator.
Further financial assistant information is available at https://catalog.ua.edu/graduate/about/general-information/financial-assistance/index.html
