Smith Brings Personal Finance Courses to Campus

In January 2023, the Smith School launched two new personal finance courses. Each one-credit, five-week course is offered online and open to all University of Maryland students.

Personal Financial Success During College is designed for students who are new to the university and maybe living on their own or making their own financial decisions for the first time. The topics covered include: budgeting, managing consumer and educational debt, developing savings, and preparing a federal tax return.

Personal Financial Success After College is designed for students who are about to graduate and embark on their first full-time professional job. The topics covered include financial and retirement planning, renting vs. owning, insurance, and repaying educational debt.

Both courses were developed and are taught by Michael McMillan, a CFA and CPA who is an associate clinical professor in the department of Accounting and Information Assurance.

“I wanted to really focus on topics that students could immediately relate to and benefit from,” said Michael McMillan, a CFA and CPA who is teaching the courses. He is an associate clinical professor in the department of Accounting and Information Assurance.

“One of the biggest reasons students drop out of college or have a negative college experience is due to money and not managing it correctly,” he said. “Teaching students how to responsibly manage their money, borrow and save, and plan for the future will not only ensure their economic well-being, it will also increase retention and graduation rates.”