Graduate Programs

The Department of Family and Consumer Sciences offers a Master of Science or Master of Arts degree in Family and Consumer Sciences. The degree program is designed for professionals seeking advanced study in one of the specialty areas of family and consumer sciences.

The program allows an emphasis in:

The program is recommended for students whose undergraduate degree is also in Family and Consumer Sciences. It is less appropriate for students with undergraduate degrees in more specific areas (such as a B.A. in Apparel, Merchandizing, and Design).

We also offer a combined Master's degree and Dietetic Internship Program for those students seeking to become Registered Dietitians.

The Food, Nutrition and Dietetics sequence specializes in dietetics rather than nutritional science or food science. Students with a previous bachelor's degree may earn a master's degree in Family and Consumer Sciences while completing the coursework required to be eligible for an ACEND-accredited dietetic internship. The required dietetics courses generally include 20 semester hours of courses that can be applied to a master's degree; however, this may not be the best option. Other options for taking the required dietetics courses are to enroll for a second bachelor's degree or as a graduate student-at-large. All of these options are explained more fully in the Steps to Becoming a R.D.

Degree Options

Students may choose one of the following options to complete their M.S. or M.A in Family and Consumer Sciences.

Thesis Option

The Thesis Option is a 32-semester-hour program which includes a thesis. The 32-hour program requires at least 15 semester hours numbered 400 and above and at least 16 hours in family and consumer sciences.

Course Work Option

The Course Work Option is a 39-semester-hour program of course work only. The 39-hour program requires at least 18 semester hours in courses numbered 400 or above and at least 20 hours in family and consumer sciences.

Core Courses

For both the 32-hour program and 39-hour program, students must complete the following departmental core courses:

FCS 401: Theories and Contemporary Issues in Family and Consumer Sciences
FCS 445: Statistics in Applied Science and Technology
FCS 497: Introduction to Research Methodology