CONSUMER SCIENCES (CSM)

Professor Milla D. Boschung, Department Head
Office: 212 Adams Hall

CSM 201 Individual and Family Resource Management. Three hours.

Management of human, material, and environmental resources to accomplish value-based goals. Highlights importance of decision making to achieve satisfaction and improve quality of life across the family life cycle. Offered in the fall semester.

CSM 204 Introduction to Personal Financial Planning. Three hours.

The course presents financial planning within the context of the family life cycle and the consumer decision-making framework. It provides an overview of topics such as family financial goal setting, budgeting, risk management, savings, and investments.

CSM 240 Household Equipment. Three hours.

Principles of selection, use, and care of household equipment. CSM 240 is a consumer-oriented course that emphasizes how to make wise purchasing decisions. Offered irregularly.

CSM 304 Intermediate Topics in Personal Financial Planning. Three hours.

Prerequisite: CSM 204 or permission of the instructor.

Fundamentals of personal and family insurance protection, employee benefits, and retirement planning. May be repeated once for a total of 6 hours.

CSM 390 Field Experience. One to six hours.

Prerequisites: Junior or senior standing in the department and/or permission of the department head.

Supervised experiences in the areas of consumer affairs or family financial planning with government, business, or industry.

CSM 401 Consumer Protection. Three hours.

For juniors and seniors only. Laws and agencies affecting the consumer's well-being, sources of consumer information, discussion of current consumer issues. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course.

CSM 403 Consumer Economics. Three hours.

Prerequisites: EC 110 and EC 111.

The role of the consumer in the economy. Economic analysis of market and nonmarket consumption activities, incorporating relevant social, psychological, political, and ecological considerations. Offered in the spring semester.

CSM 404 Advanced Topics in Personal Financial Planning. Three hours.

Prerequisite: CSM 204 or permission of the instructor.

Concepts and methods as related to family investments and estate planning. May be repeated once for a total of 6 hours.

CSM 405 Public Policy: Family and Community Resources. Three hours.

Identification of resources available to families in and out of their immediate environment. The course includes an externship with a community service agency. Offered in the spring semester.

CSM 425 Consumer Conflict Resolution. Three hours.

A study of the various techniques of conflict resolution in consumer affairs.

CSM 430 Family and Consumer Law. Three hours.

The study of family and consumer law in specific issues of marriage, parent-child relationships, divorce, and the economic consequences of divorce, as well as consumerism and a general understanding of legal terms, resources, the legal system, and adversarial proceedings.

CSM 441 Consumer Communications. Three hours.

Prerequisite: Open only to students in the College of Human Environmental Sciences.

Principles, methods, techniques, and resources used in developing, presenting, and evaluating a complete consumer communication program. Writing proficiency and use of the computer are required for a passing grade in this course.

CSM 445 Microcomputers in Consumer Services. Three hours.

Prerequisite: Open only to students in the College of Human Environmental Sciences.

Encompasses the collection of technical skills and scientific methodologies which can be used to create computer-based solutions to real problems encountered in consumer services.

CSM 460 Personal Financial Planning and Counseling Techniques. Three hours.

Prerequisites: CSM 204, CSM 304, and CSM 404.

Focuses on the development of skills required to gather adequate and accurate financial information, to analyze financial situations, and to devise effective solutions for financial problems. Includes evaluation of the role and usefulness of computer software in financial advising. Offered in the spring semester.

CSM 475 Home-Based Business. Three hours.

A study of home-based businesses taught from the perspective of theory and application in family resource management.

CSM 490:491:492:493 Directed Individual Studies. One to three hours.

Prerequisite: Permission of the department chairperson.

Open to qualified undergraduates with a grade point average of 2.0 or higher. Individualized work may be selected in the areas of consumer affairs, consumer economics, and financial planning and counseling.