DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER SCIENCES

Overview of the department

The mission of the Department of Consumer Sciences is to provide strong undergraduate and graduate programs in the industry. Further, the department strives to contribute to the generation of new knowledge in the area of consumer sciences and to apply this knowledge to improving the quality of life of individuals, families, and communities in the State of Alabama and the region. 

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Academics

Undergraduate Programs

The Department of Consumer Sciences prepares students for leadership roles in business, government, and non-profit settings through two concentrations: Consumer Affairs and Family Financial Planning and Counseling. Consumer sciences students have interests in personal finance, consumer behavior, marketing, public policy, and related fields that require the expertise of professionals who understand the role consumers play in today’s markets. Students who successfully complete required coursework may be eligible to sit for two professional certifications: The Accredited Financial Counselor® (AFC) exam offered by the Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education®, and the CFP® certification exam that leads to the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification registered with the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc.

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Graduate Programs

The Department of Consumer Sciences offers a M.S. in Consumer Sciences with two concentration areas: Consumer Economics and Family Financial Planning and Counseling. Each can be completed with 30 credits. Students who successfully complete required coursework may be eligible to sit for two professional certifications: The Accredited Financial Counselor® (AFC) exam offered by the Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education®, and the CFP® certification exam that leads to the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification registered with the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. We also offer 15-credit graduate certificate in Conflict Resolution.

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Distance Education

To learn more about courses offered through distance education, contact Bama By Distance (bamabydistance.ua.edu) at (205) 348-0089 or 1-800-467-0227 or email at uadistance@ua.edu.

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Student Services

I found my home in the financial planning program. I feel confident about the future because my professors prepared me for my career.

-- future graduate, 2015

Advising

Advising is an important part of your progress toward a degree. Please make an appointment with your advisor and be prepared for advising.

Organizations

Participation in student organizations is an important part of professional development.

Professional Links

National and international associations help students stay abreast of current information.

Program Goals

Understanding the goals of our programs is an integral to academic success.

Students Information

Current Students

At the College of Human Environmental Sciences, our students are first and foremost. We are committed to the success of all of our students.

The College offers ten undergraduate majors that help students reach their professional goals. The CHES Office of Student Services, located in 101 Doster Hall, is committed to helping students have a successful and rewarding college experience. Please let us know how we can help.

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CHES Advising

Advising is an important part of your progress toward a degree. Please carefully review all of the advising information on your department's website before making an appointment with your advisor; only then will you be prepared for advising.

For your advising appointment, do NOT miss or be late. Prepare a schedule using Schedule Builder located in myBama. Check sheets for each major are available in 101 Doster Hall or you may download them here.

If you would like to change your major, you may do so via myBama under the Student tab. Registration times are based on earned hours only. This does not include course work in which you are currently enrolled. See Academic Calendar for more information.

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Student Organizations

For more information, please visit the Student Organizations page.

Athletic Training
Athletic Training Student Association (ATSA)

Clothing, Textiles, & Interior Design
American Society of Interior Designers (ASID)
International Interior Design Association (IIDA)
Student Merchandising and Design Association

Consumer Sciences
Capstone Financial Planning Association (FPA)

General Studies in HES
CHES Ambassadors
Council of Presidents
Mable Adams Society
Phi Upsilon Omicron (Phi U)

Human Development & Family Studies
Capstone Association for Young Children (CCAAYC)
Association of Child Life

Human Nutrition & Hospitality Management
Student Dietetic Association (SDA)
Hotel And Restaurant And Convention Association (HARACA)

Public Health
Eta Sigma Gamma

Transfer Students

The Alabama Articulation and General Studies Committee (AGSC) was created in an effort to improve and monitor the transfer of course work between public institutions in the state. If you are considering a transfer, use the approved transfer guide:

Apparel and Textile Design
Athletic Training
Consumer Sciences
Early Child Development
Food and Nutrition
General Studies
Human Development and Family Studies
Interior Design
Public Health
Hospitality Management

Failure to follow the requirements on the approved transfer guide may result in loss of course credit upon transfer.

Transfer Assistance and Area V Information
STARS/AGSC Transfer Guide
Undergraduate Admissions
Student Financial Aid

For assistance, contact Jennifer Humber at jhumber@ches.ua.edu

CHES Connect

The College of Human Environmental Sciences embraces the web’s ability to connect CHES with our students, faculty and staff, alumni, supporters, and prospective students. Part of that initiative is to offer new ways for our audience to interact with us on the web via the use of some of the most popular social networking tools on the web: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Vimeo, and iTunes U.

Now you can get the latest information, connect with CHES and with other students, alumni and staff, interact with great streaming video content, and more. Add CHES to your social networking tools and help create a community of CHES supporters.

IT Services

The College of Human Environmental Sciences has three instructional computer labs and one open computer lab, which provide supervised environments where students may gain knowledge and experience in computer applications. The labs also supply CHES faculty with state of the art computer facilities and training to aid teaching and research activities.

HES Open Computer Lab:
135 Adams Hall Hours: Monday – Thursday 8:30am – 11pm
Friday 8am – 5pm
Sunday 2pm – 10pm

*The lab is monitored by student lab assistants to help students and faculty with troubleshooting general software and general hardware problems. The student lab assistants will not do computer projects for other students. All students are expected to do their own work and learn how to use the various software programs on their own.

Instructional Computer Labs include:
203 Child Development Resources
119 East Annex
304 Doster Hall

*Instructional computer lab hours depend upon specific course meeting days/times.

Transient Students

Current UA students wishing to take courses at another university or community college will need to complete a transient letter to give to that respective institution.

Please follow these steps to generate a letter of transiency:

1. In myBama, click the “Student” tab.
2. Under Banner Self-Service, click the link “Letter of Transiency.”
3. Choose the term, state, and school (institution). Verify the institution address is correct.
4. Click the “Select Transfer Courses” to proceed to the next screen.
5. In the left column of the Transfer Corse Selection, choose the desired course and click “>” to move the course(s) into the right column.

Note: Before selecting your course(s), use the Course Equivalencies Table at the bottom of the "Select Transfer Courses" page to make sure you choose the correct course. Be certain your desired course actually has a UA equivalent. After using the tables, if you are still uncertain, please visit the Transfer Course Equivalency Homepage at https://ssb.ua.edu/pls/PROD/rtstreq.P_Searchtype.

1. Once you have chosen your course(s), click “continue” to proceed to the final screen.
2. After verifying that your information is correct, click “Generate Transient Letter.”
3. Print a copy of this generated letter for your records and a copy to send to the institution. (Check with the respective institution for transient letter delivery options.)