Prepare for your career in an applied professional setting with a non-thesis master’s degree.
If your plans include a career in an applied setting, one of our Master's of Science non-thesis programs may be right for you. Instead of writing a thesis, you will complete a culminating project such as a capstone course, an internship, a research project, or a study away experience to help prepare you for your applied professional career.
We offer five M.S.-NT degree emphases; FHCE advisors and faculty can help you decide which option is right for you.
Applied Consumer Analytics
You will acquire the analytical skills needed to transform data into practical information for use in organizational and policy decisions. Consumer and policy analysts are in demand by private, public, and non-profit organizations. The professional master’s emphasis in Applied Consumer Analytics will prepare you to:
- Convert complex data and findings into understandable tables, graphs, and written reports using the latest software
- Gather data about consumers, policies, and market conditions using the empirical research process
- Analyze data through mathematical models
- Inform consumer policy and evaluate the impact of policies on consumer welfare
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Community Development
This emphasis provides interdisciplinary coursework that links conceptual knowledge with practical experience, As a graduate of this emphasis, you will be qualified to work in careers that influence the social, economic, cultural, and political forces affecting the well-being of people living in community settings. You can focus on:
- Housing
- Community health
- Sustainability
- Inequality, social change and justice
Consumer Economics
This emphasis will prepare you to work in a consumer policy-related career. You have the flexibility to select courses in policy, economics, advocacy, and the legislative process. You will develop your expertise in:
- Consumer decision making
- Consumer policy analysis
- Methods used by research analysts
Upon completion you will have a refined understanding of the challenges and opportunities that face consumers in increasingly complex economic and political environments.
Financial Planning
This emphasis will develop your expertise in financial planning practice and prepare you to be a client-focused financial planner. After completion of the professional master’s emphasis in Financial Planning you will be prepared to:
- Help people create and manage wealth
- Counsel others on tax matters
- Teach others about personal finance
- Advise others on transferring wealth
- Research investment opportunities
Upon completion of this concentration you will be prepared to sit for the Certified Financial PlannerTM examination.
Financial Planning classes are also offered online.
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The CFP(R) exam pass rate for UGA financial planning graduates is about 60%, which is slightly above the national average. In 2017, 24 students sat for the exam. We do not require our students to take the CFP(R) exam. Unless the student provides permission, the CFP(R) Board does not provide information about individual students.
Housing Management and Policy
This emphasis blends social and behavioral sciences, public policy, planning, management and economics. You can tailor your coursework to focus in:
- Residential real estate
- Private and public sector housing
- Data analytics
- Community development
- Local and federal housing-related public policy