The M.S. degree requires a minimum of 30 credits. Required course work includes core departmental courses, economics, statistics, research methods, and elective courses in students' area of interest.
The Ph.D. degree requires a minimum of 32 credits of graduate work beyond the M.S. degree is required. Required credits come from Consumer Science departmental courses, advanced statistics and research methods, a 10-credit minor, electives in the student's area of interest, and a minimum of 3 research and dissertation credits.
The core department courses are:
748 The Economic Organization of the Household. 3 cr. Applies intermediate microeconomic theory to analyze household resource allocation decisions. Surveys current household economic decision theories and models. Life cycle analysis of goods and service consumption, intrahousehold paid work, household production and leisure time allocation, household decisions about fertility, marriage and divorce. P: Grad st & intermed microeconomics or cons inst. This course is offered every alternate spring that 901 is not offered.
901 Graduate Special Topics in Consumer Science. 1-3 cr. Special topics in consumer science graduate studies. This course is offered every alternate spring that 748 is offered.
960 Seminar in Consumer Research. 1-3 cr. The identification of concepts, frameworks and theories used in consumer research. An introduction to and critique of selected topical areas of consumer research. P: Grad st or cons inst. cr. P: cons inst. This course is offered every fall.