Students learn to formulate and deliver a well-informed point of
view on emerging issues related to the economic life of the
American family, with an emphasis on well-being and the drivers of
well-being.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students: Graduate students will prepare an 8- to 10-page paper that
addresses an important phenomenon related to consumer well-being,
reviews the extant literature on the topic, identifies a gap in
that literature, and proposes a study to fill the identified gap
along with a discussion of the value of the project.
Athena Title
Consumer Well-Being
Equivalent Courses
Not open to students with credit in FHCE 4100S or FHCE 6100S
Prerequisite
(FHCE 2100 or FHCE 2100E or FHCE 2100H) and (FHCE 3150 or FHCE 3150E)
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall and spring
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Student learning Outcomes
Students will examine existing knowledge on various topics related to well-being and develop their own points of view on the topics.
Students will analyze a given situation or current event to identify opportunities to improve well-being.
Students will present and justify a POV to others who might be important in bringing your vision to life.
Students will define possible strategies for improving the economic life of a single household or for a community or society in general.
Students will evaluate the quality of information, research, and arguments being made on this subject today through a more holistic lens.
Students will articulate the work being done in the area of well-being and the different perspectives held from economic, sociological, and psychological perspectives.
Students will use evidence from a variety of sources to inform and support their points of view.
Students will present their points of view to their peers who rate their ability to communicate effectively.
Topical Outline
Course Overview
Team Strengths
The Status of the American Household
Financial Wellness
Financial Well-Being
Financial Vulnerability
Normative Views
The Psychology of Scarcity
The Drivers of Financial Wellness
The Influence of Structural Factors (Policy, Choice Environments)
The Role of Agency (Motivation, Personality, Behaviors)
The Role of Financial Literacy (Knowledge, Skill, Self-Efficacy)
Structuration Theory (How Structure and Agency Interact)
Addressing Structural Challenges to Financial Wellness
Addressing Agentic Challenges to Financial Wellness
A Global View of Poverty
Institutional Competencies Learning Outcomes
Analytical Thinking
The ability to reason, interpret, analyze, and solve problems from a wide array of authentic contexts.
Critical Thinking
The ability to pursue and comprehensively evaluate information before accepting or establishing a conclusion, decision, or action.
