Family, Consumer, and Human Development
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Programs & Majors
Undergraduate Programs
The Family, Consumer, and Human Development Department offers undergraduate programs in Family, Consumer, and Human Development; Family and Consumer Sciences; and Early Childhood Education. All programs are designed to prepare students for successful careers serving individuals and families across the life span. Through classroom study and applied experiences, majors study how human development, family relationships, family economics, and consumer issues affect the individual and family.
Faculty members provide instruction and practicum supervision to prepare students to meet the needs of the people they will serve in their future careers. Students are then prepared to work in agencies and organizations serving individuals from infancy through later life, as well as families and consumers in many settings.
Student majors in Family, Consumer, and Human Development are required to complete a practicum experience, which is arranged with the department practicum coordinator. Types of practicum sites include state agencies, hospitals, preschools and child care centers, nursing homes, senior citizen centers, parenting programs, detention centers, crisis intervention programs, public schools, Head Start programs, and after-school programs, as well as financial institutions, credit counseling services, and housing services. Practicum experience in the Deaf Education and Human Development emphases includes the Adele and Dale Young Child Development Laboratory setting. Students majoring in Early Childhood Education complete a formal internship in the Adele and Dale Young Child Development Laboratory and in primary school grades.
Majors in Family, Consumer, and Human Development (FCHD), Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS), and Early Childhood Education (ECE), receive the necessary preparation for graduate study in a family, consumer, and human development related field or employment. Early Childhood Education majors acquire a teaching license so they can teach in grades K-3 in the public schools.
In addition to preparation for advanced study or job opportunities, FCHD majors receive increased knowledge and skills in topics which will enhance their personal and family lives.
Undergraduate Majors
Family, Consumer, and Human Development, BA
Family, Consumer, and Human Development, BS
Emphases:
Family and Community Services
Child Development
Deaf Education
Family Finance
Early Childhood Education, BA
Early Childhood Education, BS
Emphases:
Language Arts
Social Studies
Mathematics/General Science
General Science
Fine Arts
Art
Music
Physical Education
Health/Wellness/Nutrition
Foreign Language
School Library Media
English as a Second Language
Family and Consumer Sciences, BA
Family and Consumer Sciences, BS
Family Life Studies, BS (online)
Graduate Programs
Graduate Programs
Graduate students receive a strong research and theoretical base in family relationships, consumer sciences, and human development. In addition to the core courses required for each of the specializations, students have the opportunity to achieve their program goals with a wide range of other graduate courses in the department, as well as designated courses in related programs at USU. Graduate students also engage in independent study, practica, and other specialized professional experiences that help them to acquire specific skills.
The department provides advanced graduate education and training for students to (1) establish the professional competency necessary for employment in research, teaching, marriage and family therapy, extension, and administration; (2) develop skills necessary for agency administration in the field of family and child care services; (3) receive clinical training in marriage and family therapy; (4) develop the skills for supervisory responsibilities in child development laboratories, childcare facilities, and adolescent programs; and (5) develop the skills and expertise to work in financial and consumer services agencies and organizations.
Graduate Degrees
MS in Family, Consumer, and Human Development
Master of Family and Human Development (MFHD)
Master of Marriage and Family Therapy (MMFT)
PhD in Family and Human Development
Gerontology Certificate Program
Gerontology Certificate Program
The Gerontology Certificate Program at Utah State University is administered through the Department of Family, Consumer, and Human Development, and is open to all majors. Students preparing for careers in the field of aging complete selected aging-related coursework, including a supervised field practicum in a gerontological setting. For a list of requirements for this interdisciplinary certificate, contact the department. A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required for the Gerontology Certificate.