Family & Consumer Sciences

The Family & Consumer Sciences track prepares students for a variety of careers in human services and education such as domestic violence shelters, non-profit work, marriage and family counseling, retirement and adult care, early childhood education, after-school programs, and secondary education. Special Note: this track does not include courses for teacher licensure

Course Descriptions

Required Courses

FAM 133: The Contemporary Family

To define the contemporary family including historical, social, cultural, and systems issues. Addressing relational, life courses, diversity, and social policy in defining a contemporary family in today’s society and how it can impact service delivery.

FAM 325: Parent-Child Relationships Across the Lifespan

This course is designed to familiarize students with theoretical, contemporary, and practical issues related to the parent-child relationships across generations. Students will be encouraged to think critically, integrate previous personal and academic knowledge with the content of the course, to learn from each other, and to examine their own paradigm as it relates to their parenting beliefs and skills.

IS 490: Special Studies: Dress & Humanity

This course explores the relationship between dress and humanity. Discussions of history as it relates to dress, culture, and the influence dress have in today’s society are investigated. Topics include textiles, fashion, art, design, and sustainability.

UNST 475: Dollars and Sense

This practical course will review the effect a personal philosophy on money, the influence of societal expectations, and the management of personal finances have on all aspects of life when it comes to securing the “American Dream.” Students will learn real-life skills in the areas of eliminating debt, creating a budget, understanding investments and insurance, saving money, planning for retirement, shopping for a house, and other topics dealing with financial issues faced in daily life.

Select from 2 courses/6 credits

ECED 304: Diversity in ECED

This course guides students in critically examining their own perspectives regarding diversity, seeks to expand students’ awareness and understanding of individuals and groups representing differences, and explores pedagogical issues and practices essential for embracing the whole community of learners and families.

EXED 200: Foundations of Exceptional Education

This course is designed to support the study of the historical perspectives, models, theories, philosophies, and trends that provide the basis for exceptional education practice. The status of persons with exceptional learning needs (ELNs), legislative and judicial mandates and current regulation related to individuals with ELNs, and the ‘rights and responsibilities’ of various stakeholders as they relate to exceptionality will be stressed. The role of culture, environment, family, and exceptionality will be explored.

IS 300: Sponsored Learning

A structured learning activity related to a student’s area of study and sponsored by an employer, volunteer agency, or other appropriate organization.

LTLE 370: Instructional Technology

Principles and procedures of a teaching/learning process designed to provide reliable, effective instruction to learners through the systematic application of instructional technology. Includes selecting, producing, evaluating, and utilizing non-print media and equipment for application to the instructional process.

LTLE 372: Visual Literacy

This foundational course will cultivate the ability to evaluate and create conceptual visual representations. Students will practice the necessary critical attitude, principles, tools, and feedback to develop their own high-quality graphics for learning and performance. Topics also include the impact of visual literacy on the learning process related to instructional design, instructional technology, and information presentation.

LTLE 385: Foundations of Instructional Design

The purpose of this course is to apply instructional theory to the creation of instructional sound education programs and materials.

MGT 305: Management & Organizational Behavior

This course is the study of management functions, decision processes, and human behavior in business organizations. Ethical and political considerations are addressed, as are behavioral science research and its applicability to understanding organizational behavior.

MGT 405: Special Topics- Intro to Entrepreneurship

This course gives a broad overview of the field of entrepreneurship—it’s like a Golden Corral where we get to savor a little of a lot. First, we study what entrepreneurs do, how they think, and creative ideas (Week 1). Then we focus on the planning (Week 2), and then funding and legal issues (Week 3) of new businesses. Finally, we end by looking at organizing and growing a business (Week 4).

MGT 405: Special Topics- Designing Your Business Venture

This is a practical course focused on helping you experience some of the steps in building a startup venture. While you do not have to actually start a business, at the end of this course you will have studied and practiced some important startup activities. Because you can only experience so much in a limited time, you will also benefit from reading about the experiences of others in the class.

SCOM 245: Signs, Symbols and Social Interaction

The study of verbal and nonverbal communication as used in human interaction. Consideration is given to the function of symbolic systems in self-concept development, the structuring of reality, and social discourse. Attention is directed toward the use of signs and symbols by different ethnic groups, genders, age groups, and geographic groups.

SCOM 331: Communication and Conflict

Consideration of theories of conflict emerging from the communication discipline and application to different forms of conflict at all levels of human interaction. An examination of communication and varied responses to conflict in diverse situations. Emphasis on competencies required for successful management, intervention, and transformation of conflict.

SOWK 340: Violence in Families

Examination of violence in the family, including spouse, sibling, elder, and child abuse. Studies the social and cultural patterns and etiology of family violence. Examines programs and services for the abused and the abuser including shelters, support systems, and counseling.

SOWK 387: Working with Teens

Survey of physical, psychological, and social theories of adolescent development. Examination of service delivery issues in working with teenagers. Investigation of topical areas of relevance to working with adolescents, including depression, suicide, eating disorders, sexuality, abuse and neglect, runaways, depression, suicide, and substance abuse.