MS, Financial Planning, Housing & Consumer Economics

Degree Program Summary:

The department offers both a M.S. and a Ph.D. degree. The graduate program provides in-depth study in either consumer and family economics or housing within a broader, interdisciplinary context. Coursework is centered in the department but draws upon offerings from across the college and throughout the university.

The Department of Housing and Financial Planning, Housing and Consumer Economics (FHCE) offers graduate programs leading to the Master of Science, the Master of Science Non-Thesis and the Doctor of Philosophy degrees. The graduate program provides in-depth study in consumer economics, family financial planning, or housing within a broader, interdisciplinary context. Course work is centered in the department, but draws upon offerings from across the college and throughout the university. The interdisciplinary nature of the materials makes these related offerings essential.

The past several decades have witnessed dramatic changes in the family economic system, the consumer’s orientation to the marketplace and the issue of family shelter. The tremendous increase in female labor force participation, for example, has made management within the family more important and has redefined many traditional consumer roles. Technological changes have transformed the marketplace and, in the case of housing, opened new options to consumers.

All of this means that the subject areas contained in the department are more important than ever. There is an increasing need for individuals who understand these changes and can relate them to situations in education, the business world and the public sector. It is the objective of this program to prepare specialists to meet that need.

Graduate students enrolled in the M.S. program select a concentration in Consumer and Family Economics, Financial Planning, or Housing as a focus of their course work and research. Students also choose between two tracks associated with the M.S. degree: one track requires a thesis and is good preparation for those who wish to pursue doctoral studies as well as those who will be in positions requiring them to understand and transmit research findings; the other track is a non-thesis option and is designed for students who wish to pursue professional careers in financial services, particularly as financial planners. Most students complete either program in four semesters.