The School of Human Ecology
Group of BadgerSense peer educators, wearing UW–Madison shirts, smiling and making a

Badger$ense

Badger$ense Financial Life Skills program offers for-credit courses, workshops and peer-to-peer, professional experience managing finances.

The Badger$ense Financial Life Skills program (formerly known as Financial Life Skills), as part of the Wisconsin Financial Capabilities Initiative, started in 2014 to provide students across UW with unique and innovative opportunities to learn about managing their finances. The program is offered by the Consumer Science department in the School of Human Ecology, with generous startup support from UW Credit Union and the UW Provost’s Office.

Badger$ense features:

  • For-credit courses to assist students in managing their finances both in school and in the “real world”
  • Custom-tailored financial workshops for student groups and clubs
  • Individual financial consultations with our highly trained Badger$ense Peer Educators and Coaches

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Peer Educators and Coaches

Badger$ense Peer Educators and Coaches are made up of Personal Finance students who have taken Consumer Science 355, Financial Coaching, and Consumer Science 275, Introduction to Consumer Finance.

  • offer one-on-one consultations with students in the Financial Life Skills for-credit courses and current UW students on basic financial matters
  • assist instructors in running and managing the Badger$ense Financial Life Skills for-credit courses
  • lead workshops for student groups across campus.

Each Personal Finance student receives experience as a Peer Educator or Coach at some point in their academic studies to hone their interpersonal and leadership skills with the goal of serving the UW-Madison campus community.

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Financial Life Skills Courses

The Badger$ense Financial Life Skills coursework is comprised of two one-credit classes that furnish undergraduate students the knowledge and tools they need to successfully manage their personal finances during and after college. These comprehensive online courses include multimedia lectures and practical application exercises and discussions. Students get the opportunity to create a personal financial plan, including long and short-term goals for financial security.

Badger$ense Financial Life Skills utilizes Badger$ense Peer Educators and Coaches alongside consumer finance professionals to furnish students with a high-engagement experience. In the classroom, these professionals direct instruction and discussions, and Badger$ense Peer Educators assist by leading small pods of five to seven students.

About the Courses

Freshman and Sophomores: Consumer Science 111 for Undergraduates

  • Financial value and empowerment
  • Your mind and money
  • Budgets and savings
  • Banking
  • Credit cards and loans
  • Insurance basics
  • Taxes
  • Investment basics

Juniors and Seniors: Consumer Science 321 for Life After Graduation

  • Money, habits and attitudes
  • Managing debt
  • Your future paycheck and taxes
  • Employer provided benefits
  • Retirement and investing
  • Housing and autos
  • Insurance
  • Major life event

Instructors

Badger$ense Financial Life Skills is taught by experienced consumer finance professionals. Many are Certified Financial Planners (CFPs), financial advisors, or academics who have a high degree of training working with individuals and families.