The programs in consumer sciences provide students with unique opportunities for careers in industries that provide goods and services, ranging from financial planners to merchandisers in retail or wholesale settings, to hotel and restaurant managers.

The programs encompass product and service knowledge; the study of people who produce and distribute products and services, as well as the study of the people who use them; and the processes involved from conception to consumption. Programs in the department focus on the enhancement of consumer, individual and family well-being.