2010-2011 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
    Mar 28, 2024  
2010-2011 Undergraduate Catalog [Archived]

Family and Consumer Sciences


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Chairperson: Dr. Frederica L. Kramer
Department Office: Family and Consumer Sciences Building, room 112
Web site: http://indstate.edu/fcs
E-mail: fkramer@isugw.indstate.edu

The Department of Family and Consumer Sciences prepares students for professional careers in a variety of family and consumer sciences areas. Course work in the department emphasizes critical thinking and problem solving, and teaches students how to influence the psychosocial, physical, and economic well-being of individuals and families in a changing global community. All majors offer experiential learning through internships and clinical experiences. All programs are accredited by the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences.  Additional accreditations are located under each academic degree program.

In support of the liberal arts and sciences mission of the college and Indiana State University, the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences also participates in the General Education Program, Women’s Studies Program, and the American Humanics Certificate Program.


ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

Degree Programs

Majors in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences may earn a bachelor of science degree. Candidates for the bachelor of science degree must successfully complete the University requirement of a minimum of 124 credit hours, including General Education course work, as well as specific requirements for the departmental major.

Opportunities for specialization in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences include the following:

Family and Consumer Sciences Education: The Family and Consumer Sciences Education Program is accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), Indiana Department of Education, Division of Professional Standards, and the North Central Association for Schools and Colleges (NCA). Completion of this major qualifies students to teach family and consumer sciences at the middle, junior high, and high school levels, as well as in non-school settings such as the Cooperative Extension Service, community and family service agencies, government agencies, and wellness programs. In addition, students are qualified to teach and coordinate programs that prepare high school students to enter the workforce in family and consumer sciences-related occupations.

General Family and Consumer Sciences: This major often serves as an addition to majors in communication, social work, nursing, or health and human performance. Course requirements for this major are drawn from all the family and consumer sciences areas. The flexibility available in the selection of electives allows students to achieve depth in one area by careful selection of courses.

Human Development and Family Studies: Students in this program acquire a thorough understanding of lifespan development and family functioning. The classes explore means of dealing with real life problems faced by children and families throughout the lifespan. Field experience in a center or agency is required. Graduates may find employment in Headstart, social service agencies, family crisis centers, extension services, parent education programs, senior citizen centers, foster care, runaway centers, hospitals, adoption agencies, and family planning organizations.

Food and Nutrition: Option A, the Coordinated Program in Dietetics, is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetic Education of the American Dietetic Association.  Graduates are eligible to take the national examination to earn registered dietitian (RD) credentials, and are qualified for entry-level dietetics positions in acute care facilities, long-term care facilities, community agencies, and food services. Option B, food service management, prepares students for managerial positions in food services. The food and nutrition minor is appropriate for students majoring in the sciences, physical education, health-related professions, or business.

Interior Design: The Interior Design Program is accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) (2004-2010), National Association of Schools of Art and Design (2000-2010), and the National Kitchen and Bath Association (2000-2009).  This major provides academic preparation for the professional interior designer, which is the first component  in the process of formal education and work experience needed for satisfactory completion of the National Council for Interior Design Qualification Examination. Interior designers commonly find employment with architectural and design firms, historic preservation organizations, museums/galleries, manufacturers, retailers, and other corporations. Students with specialized skills are eligible for employment as CAD specialists, ADA compliance consultants, design journalists, or product designers.

Textiles, Apparel, and Merchandising: The Textiles, Apparel, and Merchandising Program concentrates on preparing students for careers in apparel merchandising. This major is the entry to a career in retailing, one of the fastest growing fields in the United States, and offers the chance to work in an ever-changing and challenging profession. Retailing requires a keen interest in merchandise and an understanding of the world of fashion, as well as business and organizational skills. The program offers students opportunities to learn about functions of retailing, cultural aspects of clothing, analysis of ready-to-wear quality, textiles, history of costume, trends in retailing, global marketing, and principles of design. Careers in apparel merchandising may include assistant buyer or retail buyer; retail management; showroom sales or sales representative; advertising, journalism, or photography as these relate to the apparel industry; visual merchandiser; special events coordinator; fashion promotion; or personal shopper.


Departmental Opportunities

Advising is an important part of family and consumer sciences programs, and majors and minors are encouraged to maintain regular contact with their advisors and to work with their advisors prior to registration each semester. Students who do so are more likely to meet their goals and achieve academic success. Students can find their assigned advisors by consulting the College of Arts and Sciences, the department, or their DARS.

Most classes in the department are housed in the Family and Consumer Sciences Building, which also contains specialized laboratories for foods and nutrition, apparel and textiles, and a discipline specific studio for interior design. All faculty offices are also located in the building.

Student professional organizations include the Preprofessional/Graduate Student section of the Indiana Association of Family and Consumer Sciences and the Alpha Phi Chapter of Phi Upsilon Omicron, a national honor society in family and consumer sciences. Interior design majors may become members of Interior Designers Embrace Amplification composed of student chapters of the American Society of Interior Designers, the International Interior Design Association, and the National Kitchen and Bath Association. The Food and Nutrition Student Organization is open to majors and minors in the food and nutrition area, as well as other students interested in nutrition issues. Textiles, apparel, and merchandising majors and minors may join the Fashion Merchandising Association.


TEACHING CURRICULA

Students pursuing a teaching degree should be thoroughly familiar with the requirements for admission to the Teacher Education Program and the teaching curriculum. Refer to the College of Education and the Department of Curriculum, Instruction, and Media Technology sections in this Catalog. The Family and Consumer Sciences Education Program is accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education, Indiana Department of Education, Division of Professional Standards, and the North Central Association for Schools and Colleges. A student who desires licensure as a family and consumer sciences teacher should contact the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences during the first semester in his or her educational career at Indiana State University. At that time an advisor will be appointed to furnish assistance throughout the student’s undergraduate career. Once in the Teacher Education Program, the student will be pursuing a bachelor’s degree from Indiana State University and licensure as a teacher of family and consumer sciences. When selecting  General Education courses, students are urged to consider post-baccalaureate plans.

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