College of Family and Consumer Sciences

www.fcs.iastate.edu/

Carol B. Meeks, Dean
Beverly J. Crabtree, Emeritus Dean
Ruth E. Deacon, Emeritus Dean
JaneAnn Stout, Associate Dean
Suzanne Hendrich, Associate Dean
Mary Winter, Associate Dean

Departments of the College
Apparel, Educational Studies, and Hospitality Management
Food Science and Human Nutrition
Human Development and Family Studies

The College of Family and Consumer Sciences (CFCS) is committed to advancing the well-being of families, consumers, and related business organizations through the creation, application, and dissemination of knowledge.

These objectives are accomplished by fostering a supportive community committed to optimizing student learning, promoting high quality scholarship that addresses important issues for individuals, families, communities, and related business organizations, and engaging key constituents and partners in addressing needs of families, communities, societies, and related business organizations around the world.

The fields of study encompassed by the College are represented within the departments described above. The College faculty and staff work to create and communicate knowledge not only in a given field, but to combine that knowledge into an integrated whole. Each part of that whole is needed to achieve the goal of enhancing quality of life for all people.

Students in CFCS learn how to contribute to the well-being of society through a variety of careers. At the baccalaureate level, students are prepared to become family and consumer sciences educators, early childhood educators, childcare providers, housing specialists, personal financial managers, apparel designers, merchandisers and entrepreneurs; also restaurant, hotel and institution managers; food scientists, dietitians and nutritionists.

They also are prepared to pursue postbaccalaureate education at other institutions in such areas as social work, law, medicine or other health care professions. In addition, the College offers masters and doctorate programs in each department.

Graduates are prepared for careers as researchers, educators, marriage and family therapists, or upper level managers and administrators in professional fields.

Faculty and staff members of the College of Family and Consumer Sciences aspire to create personal well-being. There is a strong committment to a love of learning and to nurturing students through rigorous and dynamic curricula. Extensive extracurricular opportunities, both local and international, for the personal and professional development of students are provided. These commitments are the foundation for becoming the best FCS College in the nation.

College of Family and Consumer Sciences
Undergraduate Core Curriculum
Graduates of the College of Family and Consumer Sciences will demonstrate professional and personal competencies in concepts fundamental to the College's mission. These core concepts serve as a unifying focus for students in the College.

The following two core concepts are interdisciplinary in nature; competencies will be assessed by designated outcomes in courses within each major in the College.

Critical Thinking: Demonstrate the ability to evaluate information based on science and moral reasoning. Apply critical thinking skills in making value-based decisions, forming public policy, and showing civic responsibility as consumers and providers of goods and services necessary to meet the basic life needs of the individual, family, and community.

Interpersonal Communication: Demonstrate the ability to communicate appropriately and effectively as Family and Consumer Sciences professionals and members of the global community while respecting diversity and enhancing the dignity of others.

The above two interdisciplinary concepts are integral to the following three discipline-based concepts. Competencies in these three concepts will be demonstrated by satisfactory completion of approved course work in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences. Two of the three concept requirements must be fulfilled using courses outside the student's major department.

Family: Demonstrate knowledge about the family in society and its development, diverse nature, and role in nurturing children, youth, and adults as they grow and change.

Human Nutrition: Demonstrate abilities to make optimal decisions for human health through nutrition and to evaluate nutrition information based on science and moral reasoning.

Consumer Sciences: Demonstrate knowledge about issues facing individuals, families, and communities related to choices by consumers and/or providers regarding at least one of the following human needs: clothing, education, family economics, hospitality services, and housing.

Accreditation
All degree programs in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences are accredited by the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS). Accreditation includes commitment to self-regulation, ongoing self-study, peer and external evaluation, and regular review by the Council for Accreditation for the AAFCS. These accreditation activities ensure that graduates of the College of Family and Consumer Sciences have had educational experiences of high quality and relevance as judged against nationally accepted standards.

Throughout the United States, only a small number of colleges and universities offering bachelors degrees in Family and Consumer Sciences meet the high standards of the AAFCS accreditation.

In addition to the College accreditation, the following program-specific accreditation/registrations have been attained by Departments within the College:

Department of Apparel, Educational Studies, and Hospitality Management:
Family and Consumer Sciences Education Teacher Licensure Program is licensed by the Iowa Department of Education and the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners.

Hotel, Restaurant, and Institution Management is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration, the accrediting agency of the International Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education.

Production focus of the Apparel Merchandising, Design, and Production major is endorsed by the American Apparel and Footwear Association.

Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition:
Food Science and Technology is approved by the Institute of Food Technologists. The Dietetics Internship has initial accreditation and the Didactic Program in Dietetics is currently granted approval status by the Commission on Accreditation/Approval for Dietetics Education of The American Dietetic Association, 216 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 60606-6995, 312/899-4876.

Department of Human Development and Family Studies:
The Child Development Laboratory School is accredited by the National Academy for Early Childhood Programs and licensed by the Iowa Department of Human Services; Early Childhood, Birth-Grade 3 is approved by the Iowa Department of Education; Early Childhood Education-Unified is approved by the Iowa Department of Education; Marital and Family Therapy (Ph.D. only) is approved by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education.

Curricula in Family and Consumer Sciences
The College of Family and Consumer Sciences is fully accredited by the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences Council for Accreditation. The curricula are planned to meet a variety of academic interests, abilities, and goals of the student. Each curriculum requires depth in a discipline. Breadth is acquired through general education, the College core, and careful use of electives.

Apparel Merchandising, Design, and Production—Options: Merchandising; Design; Production
Child, Adult, and Family Services—Options: Child Programs; Youth Programs; Adult Programs; Family Programs; Policy and Advocacy
Dietetics
Early Childhood Education
Family and Consumer Sciences Education and Studies—Options: Teacher Licensure; Educational Services; General Studies
Family Resource Management and Consumer Sciences—Options: Family Resource Management and Consumer Sciences; Family Financial Counseling
Food Science—Options: Food Science and Technology; Consumer Food Science; Food Science and Industry
Hotel, Restaurant, and Institution Management
Housing and the Near Environment
Nutritional Science

Minors
Minors are available to all Iowa State students including family and consumer sciences majors. Minors consist of at least 15 credits and are available in the following areas:
Apparel Merchandising, Design, and
Production
Child, Adult, and Family Services
Educational Services in Family and Consumer Sciences
Family Resource Management and Consumer Sciences
Food Safety (interdepartmental minor)
Gerontology (interdisciplinary minor)
Hotel, Restaurant, and Institution
Management
Housing and the Near Environment
Nutrition
See Index for minor requirements for specific departments and programs.

Special Interest Programs
International and Cross Cultural Programs
Study abroad opportunities are available and encouraged through the College of Family and Consumer Sciences to broaden international and cross-cultural perspectives. Scholarships and other forms of financial assistance are available which provide partial support for students studying abroad. The College has established programs with Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, Scotland; University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand; and the International College of Hospitality Administration, Brig, Switzerland. Students also study at the London College of Fashion, London, England; Paris American Academy, Paris, France; and participate in group study abroad programs to Europe, Africa, Costa Rica, Peru, and Mexico. Other opportunities may be developed through consultation with the associate dean of undergraduate programs and the student’s adviser; for example, students have acquired internships and studied in such countries as Kenya, Spain, Puerto Rico, Ireland, Guatemala, Switzerland, England, Australia, Germany, and France. Faculty members bring diversity and global perspectives to instruction and research through their work in India, South Korea, Central and South America, Pakistan, Africa, and Europe.

Honors Program
High achieving students, with a grade point average of above 3.35, are invited to apply to the Honors Program. Honors students are encouraged to develop a creative program of study expanding their interests while meeting individual educational objectives. Students in the Honors Program also participate in University Honors Seminars and complete an honors project. For further information, contact the College Honors Committee or academic adviser. Also see Index, Honors Program.

Dietetics Internship (DI)
This postbaccalaureate program, administered by the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, has initial accreditation from the American Dietetic Association (ADA). The purpose of the program is to enable those who meet the academic requirements of the ADA to obtain at least 900 hours of practice supervised by registered dietitians in medical nutrition therapy, community nutrition, and foodservice management to meet ADA performance requirements for entry level dietitians.

Students who satisfactorily complete the DI will be eligible to take the national registration examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.

Information for Prospective Students
Open Option Status
The College of Family and Consumer Sciences offers an open option for entering students who have not selected a specific area of study. Family and Consumer Sciences Orientation (FCEdS 110) helps students explore the opportunities available. Program planning information can be obtained from general college advisers.

Secondary School Preparation
Preparation required for admission is: 4 years English/language arts; 3 years mathematics; 3 years science; 2 years social studies.

Advising System
Each student in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences works closely with an academic adviser. Freshmen are advised by general college advisers. After the freshman year, each student is assigned an adviser in the department of the chosen curriculum. Freshmen students in Food Science and Human Nutrition are advised by a departmental adviser. The adviser assists the student in making adjustments to the university and provides information and guidance on course work, opportunities for professional and personal development and career choices.

Planned Transfer Programs
By careful planning with the College of Family and Consumer Sciences Academic Programs Office, students may begin their education at another college, then transfer their courses to a curriculum within the College of Family and Consumer Sciences with maximum efficiency in meeting the degree requirements. The College has developed program-to-program transfer plans with community colleges in Iowa and surrounding states. In addition, personalized plans may be developed for students attending other colleges. For more information, call 1-800-522-0683 or contact the associate dean for undergraduate programs, College of Family and Consumer Sciences, 124 MacKay, Iowa State University.

Families Extension
Students may prepare for a career in the Cooperative Extension Service by enrolling in any curriculum in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences that provides them with a broad subject matter base for conducting educational programs for families. Advice on choice of courses should be sought from the Family and Consumer Sciences Education and Studies program, the associate dean and director of Iowa State University Extension to Families programs, the director of Iowa State University Extension to Youth and 4-H programs, or the Extension Human Resources office.

Preparation for Graduate Study
Students considering graduate studies should gain background knowledge in basic subjects related to their area of interest. Undergraduate mathematics, statistics, and research methods courses are useful as preparation for advanced study in graduate school. Upon completion of graduate programs, students are qualified for leadership positions in public and private institutions and for teaching, research, and extension positions in colleges and universities.

Professional Career and Employment Opportunities in Family and Consumer Sciences
Employment of Family and Consumer Sciences graduates remains at a high level. The flexibility of College of Family and Consumer Sciences programs allows for a wide range of career opportunities in diverse areas such as government, industry, education, health and human services, business, extension, and community agencies, locally, nationally, and internationally. A few examples of the positions in these various fields are: dietitian; housing specialist; vocational family and consumer sciences teacher; infant, preschool, or special education teacher; hotel, club, or restaurant manager; financial counselor; apparel merchandiser, designer, or production specialist; food or textile researcher; food scientist; nutrition scientist; sales representative; early childhood educator; consumer product specialist; and supervisor for a human service agency.

Students may prepare for professional programs such as medicine, law, or health administration while pursuing a B.S. degree. The strength of the College programs lies in the capacity to enhance the graduate's ability to develop and deliver products, programs, or services to families and consumers, as well as to strengthen the communication and leadership skills needed in representing the interests of families and consumers.

General Education
Each department within the College requires students to select and/or elect courses to fulfill a specific number of credits in prescribed areas.