The Consumer Science Major at Seoul National University seeks to explore theories and practices needed for the enhancement of consumer welfare and development of healthy consumer culture. Consumer Studies aims to contribute to improving the quality of consumer life by creating new economic values and improving the consumption environment based on understanding consumer behaviors and consumption.

Humans, more than ever, have begun to think, live, and be discussed in consumers’ prospective. Moreover, in the modern era, the value of consumption itself has expanded to vast areas of social life, interpersonal relations, and even human perceptions and image making, other than mere tools to fulfil personal desires. That is, consumers have gained attention in almost every field of human life and are emerging as subjects of various topics.

We strive to provide education and research that enhances the consumer life efficiency and consumer welfare through (a) perceiving the importance of consumer and the role of households, (b) studying the decision making process related to acquisition of income, rational distribution, management, and usage of consumer resources, and (c) finding solutions to consumer problems occurred during these processes.

Also, as the Consumer Science Major seeks ways to improve various aspects of the life of consumers, the areas of study cover broad range of topics related to consumers as the main subject. The undergraduate and graduate curriculum provides courses on Consumer Behavior, Personal Finance, Consumer Policies, Consumer Education and Culture, Consumer Information & Distribution, Consumer Welfare and so on. Through our program, students are trained to understand the consumer decision making process and learn how consumers rationally and effectively acquire resources or implement various management strategies. Students also gain a foundation to identify and develop diverse solutions for problems encountered by consumers in the market such as consumer’s compensation for loss or damage, information protection, and proper education to cope with numerous consumer problems occurring inside the society.

The Department of Consumer Science offers both Master’s and Doctoral programs that train students to positively contribute to the enhancement of consumer welfare within the global economy. The graduate program trains researchers and prepares students to pursue careers in academic arenas, government agencies, and research facilities in public and private sectors. Many of the graduates are hired in a variety of professions in the field of business or consumer affairs including corporate planning, advertising, marketing and other consumer affairs.

Through these trainings, we investigate consumer’s economic and socio-psychological behaviors that could suggest directions to rational consumer decision making, resource management, and enhancement of consumer competence. We also cultivate professionals who could contribute to the construction of successful public and educational policies that could enhance the general consumption environment.