Programs in consumer economics teach people to observe public buying patterns of products and services. Students learn to predict outcomes of buying behavior and price changes. They also learn research methods for collecting data.

The love of money may be the root of all evil, but that's no excuse to ignore our finances. Consumer debt is growing, as are the costs of education and healthcare. This gives us more reasons than ever for learning how to make smart financial choice in our lives.

What kind of choices do we have to make? We have to figure out how to handle debt and credit, how to choose insurance policies, and how save and invest our money. We also have to think about retirement plans.

For some people, the thought of confronting these issues is scary. But other people may enjoy thinking about finances. If you have a head for numbers, enjoy the process of analysis and problem-solving, and love to help people, consumer economics may be the program for you.

As a student in this program, you learn to think about financial well-being from the point of view of families and consumers. In order to do this, you first learn basic economic and business principles. And to take economics and business courses, you also need to study math and statistics.

After learning the basics, you apply this knowledge to learning about consumer welfare. This means that you study ways to identify and analyze the needs, problems, and behavior of consumers and families. You also study the ways that corporations and businesses serve (or don't serve) their consumers. And because economics is affected by factors such as politics, psychology, and history, you take courses in these subjects as well.

As you might imagine, learning about consumer economics prepares you for a wide range of jobs. You could study to become a certified financial planner (C.F.P.) for families and other consumers. You could work in social services, advocating policies that support consumers. You could work in retail, managing a business based on what you've learned about consumer interests and needs. These are just a few of the many career possibilities you would have.

About 30 schools offer programs in consumer economics. You can earn a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree. A bachelor's degree typically takes about four years of full-time study after high school. A master's degree usually takes six to seven years, and a doctoral degree generally takes ten to eleven.