Department of Family & Consumer Sciences

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The mission of the department of Family & Consumer Sciences (FCS) is to prepare graduates to become leaders and advocates who enhance the quality of life of individuals, families, and communities. Graduates accomplish this through careers in education, health care, business and industry, and social/human service.

Graduates from the programs in the department of FCS are in great demand in many career sectors dedicated to educating people to improve the status of their health, resources, relationships, family and community.

The department offers a bachelor of science degree with majors in health education & promotion or nutritional sciences a bachelor of arts in general studies: family & consumer sciences or general studies: food management.

The coordinated program in nutrition and dietetics (CP) is offered in an accelerated format (BS in dietetics plus an MA in health advancement and promotion) or a graduate only format (for graduates of ACEND accredited DPD programs). The MA is also offered as a standalone master’s for non-CP students.

The FCS department also offers minors in food management, health & wellness, and nutrition.

Common Strengths of Programs

The educational experiences of all programs focus on values, interrelationships of people with their environment, cultural diversity, and the management of resources in preparing students to assist others in meeting the challenges of their physical, social, educational, economic, and community environments.

All students completing a major in the department participate in the following synthesizing courses and experiences:

• Career seminars that allow students to survey professional development practices in their respective field, including learning strategies for developing one’s career path.
• A course that examines the historical and philosophical foundations of family and consumer sciences public policy initiatives, and the role of professional advocacy in promoting the common good.
• Field-based experiences (practicum, internship, and service-learning) to provide students with the opportunity to integrate theory with practice and explore a range of possibilities for professional practice. The metropolitan St. Louis area provides a wealth of opportunities for such field-based experiences.

Students are encouraged to become members of the Student Association of Family & Consumer Sciences. They may also become members of associations related to their area of specialization such as the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and Society for Public Health Education. These experiences provide students with leadership development and professional networking opportunities at the local, state, and national levels.

Faculty

Academic Policies and Regulations

For detailed information on academic policies and regulations, please refer to the graduate program information section in this catalog.

Dual Undergraduate/Graduate Enrollment

For detailed information on dual enrollment, please refer to the graduate program information section in this catalog.  Accelerated master’s information can be found in the Dietetics, B.S.  and the Health Advancement and Promotion, M.A.  portions of the catalog.

Programs

• Dietetics, B.S.
• General Studies, Family & Consumer Sciences, B.A.
• General Studies, Food Management Emphasis, B.A.
• Health Education & Promotion, B.S.
• Nutritional Sciences, B.S.

• Food Management Minor
• Health and Wellness Minor
• Nutrition Minor

• Health Advancement and Promotion, M.A.

Return to: College of Education and Allied Health Professions