Earn your degree from a name you know and rise with the Tide!
Through the bachelor's or master's in Consumer Sciences, you'll learn how people relate to their families, work and communities through their finances. Use this knowledge to help clients make educated financial decisions.
Completion of the bachelor's or master's program fulfills the educational requirement to sit for both the CFP Certification Examination that leads to the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification and the Accredited Financial Counselor® exam, which is offered through the Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education®.
Select from the options below to learn more about each program.
BS in HES, Consumer Sciences, concentration in Family Financial Planning and Counseling
Through 120 credit hours of coursework, students develop an informed perspective on personal finance to guide investment planning, insurance management, personal retirement and other areas of financial planning.
MS in Consumer Sciences, concentration in Family Financial Planning and Counseling
In 30 credit hours focused on investment planning, retirement planning, estate planning, counseling skills and more, students gain advanced knowledge for careers in financial counseling.
The Family Financial Planning and Counseling Concentration coursework fulfills the educational requirements to sit for the CFP® certification exam that leads to the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification registered with the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. The Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the marks CFP®, Certified Financial Planner™ and CFP (with flame logo) ®, which it awards to individuals who successfully complete initial and ongoing certification requirements. The University of Alabama does not certify individuals to use the CFP®, Certified Financial Planner™ and CFP (with flame logo) ® certification marks. Only the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc., grants CFP certification to those persons who, in addition to completing an educational requirement such as this CFP Board Registered Program, have met ethics, experience, and examination requirements.
Premium Degree Programs at a Practical Price
UA Online students benefit from the distance learning tuition rate, passing along the savings of technology-enabled education, and it’s the same rate regardless of state residency! You’re also eligible for financial aid and scholarships to help pay for your education. Many of our programs are top ranked by U.S. News & World Report and others, so you get a world-class education with a tuition rate that fits your budget.
Your First Class Can Be Free!
To help you get started, we offer tuition grant programs that cover the cost of your first class.
Build on Bama
The Build on Bama tuition grant is for UA alumni or anyone who has been referred by a graduate of one of our online programs.
Bama Link
The Bama Link tuition grant is for faculty, staff and students of Alabama community colleges or other select out-of-state community colleges.
Back to Bama
The Back to Bama tuition grant is for former UA students who left UA more than a year ago without graduating.
For each grant, you must be in your first semester of one of our online programs and apply for the grant by the deadline, in addition to meeting the grant-specific requirements.
We also offer scholarships through UA specifically reserved for distance students. For more information about all of these opportunities, please visit our scholarships and grants page.
The Same Degree
A degree earned online from UA is identical to one earned on our main campus! The online format allows you the flexibility to meet life's other demands while you complete your degree. Graduates of our online programs are invited to participate in the same commencement ceremonies as main campus students.
Prestigious
Join a community of legends and legends-in-the-making when you earn a degree from The University of Alabama. With graduates around the globe, the University has a robust alumni network who will greet you with that familiar "Roll Tide" when they find out you're part of the family.
Military Friendly
The University of Alabama is a Top 10 Tier 1 Research Institution Military Friendly® School and unlimited Yellow Ribbon school. We are proud to have served thousands of active military, reservists, veterans and their families from every branch, and we look forward to continuing to partner with this esteemed group as they seek to advance their education.
Round-the-Clock Technology Support
Our students have access to 24/7 tech support. We recognize that many of our students are balancing the demands of career and family alongside their schoolwork. We want you to feel confident in your ability to complete coursework and submit assignments anytime, around your busy schedule.
Personalized Support From Application to Graduation
Throughout your experience with UA Online, you will have access to personalized support — from an admissions counselor who’s an expert on the application process to a student success coach who will encourage you and connect you to resources to help you succeed.
Ready to talk to us? Fill out the information request form at the top of this page, and one of our admissions counselors will reach out to you to schedule a chat!
You Decide the Timeline
With few exceptions, our online degree programs are available in a work-at-your-own-pace format. Within each course, assignment deadlines vary, but you get to decide how many courses you want to take each semester to complete your degree. Undergraduate degree program completion times depend on how many hours you transfer in, but most students finish in three to six years. Most of our master’s programs can be completed in one to three years and doctoral programs in three to six years, according to your desired pace.
Ready to get started? Apply now!
Ready to talk to us? Fill out the information request form at the top of this page, and one of our admissions counselors will reach out to schedule a chat!
