Department of Family and Consumer Sciences
Chair: Cheryl L. Atkinson
Program Leaders: Bernestine B. McGee, Cheria Lane, Jung-Im Seo
Professors: Cheryl Atkinson, Bernestine McGee,
Associate Professors: Cheria Lane
Assistant Professor: Jung-Im Seo, Samii Kennedy-Benson; Kenyetta Nelson-Smith, Melissa Johnson, Sungpo Yi
Adjunct Instructors: Keisha Ceasar, Glenda Johnson, Monica McDaniels, Gillian D. Sims, Oscar Udoh, Brenda Williams
Administrative Assistant: Deirdra B. Ricard
Family and Consumer Sciences has areas of concentration in Apparel Merchandising and Textiles, Child Development and Family Life, Human Nutrition and Food; which has three tracks: Nutrition, Health and Wellness; Culinary Management; and Nutrition and Health Informatics. The mission of the Department is to improve the well-being of individuals, families, and communities through quality teaching; scholarly activity that is relevant to the needs of the state’s citizenry; and outreach. The Department uses an integrative approach to teaching, research, and service to accomplish its mission.
The degree program is designed to prepare men and women for leadership, scholarship, and service in the areas of specific and applied knowledge in Family and Consumer Sciences disciplines that ensure success in a variety of professions and in graduate school. The degree is conferred upon completion of a minimum of 120 hours of coursework.
The undergraduate program is a candidate for accreditation by the Council for Accreditation of the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (CA-AAFCS). The Dietetic Internship is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND), of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND).
Subject matter areas include culinary management, nutrition, human growth and child and family studies, textiles, fashion merchandising, family management, family relationships and consumer education. The curriculum provides a general education component and a common body of knowledge in Family and Consumer Sciences and family systems theory. Each area of specialization requires an internship, a practicum or field experience, designed to provide pre-professional, on- the-job experiences for students. Research and public service activities of the Department serve to support and supplement the instructional program.
Graduates will demonstrate evidence of oral and written communication skills, readiness for graduate or professional schools, computer literacy, proficiency in qualitative and quantitative computation skills, and competencies in a chosen area of study that provide the opportunity for gainful employment.
Internship, Practicum or Field Experience
The Department of Family and Consumer Sciences requires all majors to complete an internship, a practicum or field experience. The Department maintains linkages with businesses, cooperative extension services, hospitals, community and public health agencies, food service establishments, retailers, nursery schools, day care centers, kindergartens, and various federal agencies to provide student internships and practical training.
Dietetic Internship
The Dietetic Internship is a post-baccalaureate, two-semester program that incorporates the Standards for Internship Programs in Nutrition and Dietetics of the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND). Students apply for a limited number of slots. Upon completion of the program, students are eligible to complete the Registration Examination to become a Registered Dietitian.
Minor Option
The areas of specialization in Family and Consumer Sciences each offer a minor option. This can be earned in conjunction with a major degree and allows an individual to specialize in an academic area and gain a competitive advantage for tomorrow’s workforce.
Requirements for Minors in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences
- A minor in Apparel Merchandising and Textiles requires a minimum of 18 credit hours and may be selected from the following courses: FCSC-250, 302, 304, 307, 309, 340, 351, 352, 405, 412, 442, 444 and 454. A grade of C or better is required in all courses toward the minor.
- A minor in Child Development and Family Life can be selected from the following courses: FCSC-315, 375, 433, 470, 479, 490, and 492. This option requires a minimum 18 credit hours of core courses with a grade of C or better in all course attempted.
- A minor in Nutrition, Health and Wellness requires a minimum of 18 credit hours of subject matter courses with a grade of C or better in all required courses. The required 18 hours in Human Nutrition and Food include FCSC-220, 332 or 230, 336, 338, 439, and 495.
- A minor in Culinary/Food Management requires a minimum of 19 credit hours of subject matter courses with a grade of C or better in all required courses. The required 19 hours in culinary management include FCSC-220, 322, 346, 425, 450, and 480.
Admission Requirements
Admission is open to students who have successfully completed the required credit hours and courses to transfer to a senior college with a minimum grade point average of 2.00.
Degree Requirements
Requirements and procedures for admission, retention, and graduation are the same in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences as for the University. A Bachelor of Science degree in Family and Consumer Sciences will be awarded to the student who has satisfactorily completed the minimum 120 hours of course work for the selected concentration.