The Financial Literacy minor serves as a complement to most
academic programs across campus.
Program completion = 18 hours.
The required 12-hour core offers courses of study focusing on family financial management and well-being of individuals and families. The mission of the Financial Literacy Minor at Eastern Illinois University is to develop skills in students and prepare them to educate individuals and families in budgeting and debt management. US human services and government programs and resources designed to improve the quality of life for individuals and families throughout the lifespan are examined.
Students may select an additional 6 hours of study from a variety of courses that include topics related to housing, risk and insurance, family stress and resilience, addictions and the family, consumer issues, nutrition, and poverty.
The Financial Literacy Minor is housed in the Department of Human Services. The minor drawsfrom a variety of disciplines to offer students the coursework needed to provide individuals and families with tools to encourage budget and debt management. Money is the #1 reason for divorce and family conflict. Financial literacy empowers individuals to make sound financial decisions that are beneficial in addressing budget problems and promoting conflict resolution. The Financial Literacy Minor is a great program to complement any EIU major!
The Department of Human Services prepares students to empower individuals across the lifespan, strengthen families, promote community prosperity, and advocate for intersectional social justice in our globally diverse society through high-impact experiential learning and innovative research and scholarship.
Dr. Linda Simpson has taught HSL 2300G, Personal Budgeting and Debt Management for over twenty years at EIU and developed and delivers the curriculum for HSL 4770, Family Budgeting and Debt Management and HSL 4775 Human Services Programs and Resource Management. All three courses are Financial Literacy Minor core requirements. Dr. Simpson firmly believes that a strong foundation in overall money and debt management as well as effective program/resource navigation are key to building strong families and communities.
Dr. Michael Gillespie is an Associate Professor in Sociology and the instructor for SOC 4131, Sociology of Poverty and Social Welfare, a course SELECT for the Financial Literacy Minor. His expertise and research in the areas of poverty, inequality, and food insecurity provides students a breadth of knowledge in the understanding of and strategies in working with at-risk populations.
"Before I was completed with my master’s degree, I decided I would start applying to different openings. Within weeks I was interviewing and before I was even completed with my degree, I had been offered my first job as a Personal Finance Counselor. After several rewarding years of helping consumers regain control of their finances and live more financially responsible lives, I decided I wanted to see what other employment opportunities were available."
Jackie See (2012)"For the past 6 years I have worked in the financial aid department for online universities and am currently a Student Finance Manager for Colorado Technical University Online. With the knowledge I gained at EIU, I have become an experienced professional with a combination of communication, organization, customer service and leadership skills. I currently use these skills to ensure the timely delivery and accurate implementation of financial aid."
Marissa Smith (2013)"I am a Psychology major with a minor in Financial Literacy. What I appreciate the most about the minor is that I can learn so many things that are relevant to my personal life such as obtaining loans, credit, calculating interest rates, and overall money management. I now know how to properly allocate money based on my personal spending patterns when I get my paychecks. I believe that this minor will give me further knowledge to help build wealth as I start my career within the Psychology field. Poor money management can lead to debt that can cause both health and emotional issues so I know it will be an awesome addition to my career to have a knowledge in budgeting and debt management when working with future clients."
Maya Nelson (2021)"The Financial Literacy Minor is an excellent program that promotes financial readiness and prepares you with a knowledge base that can help with many future fields. As someone hoping to get into the Human Services field, I found that a financial literacy minor would be extremely useful for helping individuals and families who may be struggling financially, or just have general questions about specific financial topics. The minor has personally helped me create and actually follow a budget, which previously had been difficult for me, as well as financially plan for the future."
Courtney Castilla (2021)"The Financial Literacy Minor is a great opportunity to learn more about the critical skills that are important in life. It is important that you get a head start on learning money and debt management concepts for a successful financial future. Not to mention, you can share these key skills and tips with those close to you. I hope you will consider joining us as you plan a successful financial future."
Nicole Brown (2021)“I added the Financial Literacy Minor to my academic program as a second semester junior and was still able to graduate on time! I have been able to complete the additional degree with ease and support from our faculty in the HSPA program. I quickly learned that adding this to my degree has presented many opportunities for me and my future career and has made me more marketable in the workforce. I have had employers ask about the program and what I gained from it, and the answer is simple, the financial literacy minor has prepared me to become a more competent professional, not only in human services, but in all aspects of life. I now understand how to set myself and future clients up for financial success. As I start to apply for full time positions after college, my Financial Literacy Minor has caught the attention of many potential employers. I am so thankful for the opportunities EIU and the HSPA program presents to me!”
Karen Gonski (2022)Department of Human Services
Klehm Hall 2014
600 Lincoln Ave.
Charleston, IL 61920
217-581-6076
hsl@eiu.edu