FSOS2222

FSOS 2222 is a seven-week (B-term) course that illustrates the core concepts of financial decision-making for the college student—an individual whose knowledge and experience is shaped by their family of origin, their cultural and community experiences, and their own financial goals.

There are two goals embedded in this applied class: 1) Illuminating how students’ everyday contexts interact with core financial decision-making principles, and 2) unmasking the often-hidden aspects of the American financial system. These goals will be achieved by using case studies as a starting point to both seek information on the rules and regulations that impact financial decision-making while also provoking reflection on how individual, family, and community assets inform the important decisions that students make in their past, present, and future financial journeys.

The case studies used throughout the class are drawn from the lives of contemporary college students and reflect the complexity of the emerging adulthood experience: gaining financial independence from their family of origin and engaging with unfamiliar financial systems while still being connected to their families and communities. At the end of the course, students will have a better understanding of how to navigate financial systems, define financial wellness on their own terms, and develop a roadmap that will assist them on their own financial journey throughout college and beyond.
Students will analyze a total of seven case studies. Through a combination of in-class, small group, and individual problem-solving experiences, students will explore and apply the content learned in class to discover the connections between financial-decision making and financial wellness. Each of the case studies is designed to emphasize the following core components of good financial decision-making:

1) Recognizing and resolving the influences of financial socializing agents (family, community, culture)
2) Navigating the rules and responsibilities of dominant-culture financial systems and your role within them
3) Identifying personal goals and planning for financial wellness for college and beyond

In-class activities and homework assignments will be designed to provide students the opportunity to “learn by doing.” For the final project, students will demonstrate the transfer of knowledge to skills by preparing their own case study (see assignments for more information).

Periodic Fall, Spring & Summer