Consumer Affairs Major - Consumer Services Management Specialization

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Program Coordinator/Contact
Lorna Saboe-Wounded Head, Program Leader
Department of Consumer Sciences
Wagner Hall 229
605-688-5196
E-mail: Lorna.WoundedHead@sdstate.edu
www.sdstate.edu/cs
Click here for additional information.

Program Information
Students majoring in Consumer Affairs who pursue the Consumer Services Management specialization are usually interested in marketing, communication, human development, planning principles and working with individuals to develop personal management skills. Required courses for the Consumer Services Management specialization focus on the application of resource management concepts for families of varying structures, consumer rights and responsibilities, consumer behavior in making decisions, the impact of the marketplace on problem solving and implementation strategies for working with diverse audiences.

Completion of the Consumer Affairs major and Consumer Services Management specialization prepares students to engage in a variety of careers such as: management of non-profit organizations, management of retail businesses, Extension, credit/financial counseling, human resources, marketing and sales.

Academic Requirements
A grade of “C” or better is required for all courses with a CA prefix. An 8-week full time internship is a requirement that is usually completed during the summer between the Junior and Senior year.

Course Delivery Format
Students learn through lecture, laboratory, and hands-on learning experiences.

Requirements for Consumer Affairs Major - Consumer Services Management Specialization: 120 Credits

Bachelor of Science

System General Education Requirements*: 30

Goal #1 Written Communication:
ENGL 101
and
ENGL 201
Credits: 6
Goal #2 Oral Communication:
SPCM 101
Credits: 3
Goal #3 Social Sciences/Diversity:
ECON 202
and
PSYC 101
or
SOC 100
Credits: 6
Goal #4 Arts and Humanities/Diversity
Credits: 6
Goal #5 Mathematics:
MATH 102
Credits: 3
Goal #6 Natural Sciences
Credits: 6

Major Requirement Credits: 43

Consumer Affairs Core Requirements: 28

CA 150 - Introduction to Consumer Affairs Credits: 2
CA 230 - Consumer Behavior Credits: 3
CA 289 - Consumers in the Market Credits: 3
CA 340 - Work Family Interface (AW) Credits: 3
CA 345 - Foundations in Financial Management Credits: 3
CA 412 - Emerging Issues in Consumer Affairs Credits: 2
CA 430 - Consumer Decision Making Credits: 3
CA 487 - Transition to the Professional World Credits: 2
CA 490 - Seminar Credits: 1
CA 494 - Internship Credits: 3
HDFS 241 - Family Relations Credits: 3

Consumer Services Management Specialization Requirements: 15

BADM 350 - Legal Environment of Business (COM) Credits: 3
BADM 360 - Organization and Management (COM) Credits: 3
CA 442 - Family Resource Management Lab Credits: 3
FCSE 421 - Adult Education Credits: 3
HMGT 355 - Events and Facilities Administration Credits: 3

Electives: 33-34

Total Required Credits: 120

Curriculum Notes

* The 30 credit Board of Regents System General Education Requirements (SGRs) must be completed as part of a student’s first 64 credits.

** South Dakota State University has a 5 credit Institutional Graduation Requirement (IGRs).

(G) Globalization Requirement.

(AW) Advanced Writing Requirement.

Students must take the proficiency examination after completing 48 credits. English 101, and a course in each of the General Education areas of social science, mathematics, natural science, and humanities and arts must be taken prior to taking this exam.