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Department of Family and Consumer Sciences

BA in Family and Consumer Sciences | BS in Family Consumer Sciences | BS in Family and Consumer Sciences - Teacher Certification | BA in Family and Consumer Sciences - Fashion Merchandising | BS in Family and Consumer Sciences - Fashion Merchandising | BA in Family and Consumer Sciences - Food Service Management | BS in Family and Consumer Sciences - Food Service Management | BS in Family and Consumer Sciences - Food Science and Nutrition | BA in Family and Consumer Sciences - Interior Design | BS in Family and Consumer Sciences - Interior Design | Course Descriptions


Chair: Janis H. White (936)-294-1184

Faculty: Shelby Brock, Valencia Browning-Keen, Laura Burleson, Ryan Fenley, Heather Frazier, Harriet Griggs, James Landa, Penelope Meyers

Information: familyandconsumersciences@shsu.edu; (936) 294-1242; Box 2177 SHSU, 1700 University Ave., Huntsville, TX 77341-2177

Website: www.shsu.edu/~hec_www/

Mission

The Department of Family and Consumer Sciences is dedicated to providing students with intellectual and professional skills relating to family and individual needs. The curriculum aims to provide students with the breadth and depth of competencies needed within the various professional fields associated with the department as they enter a global marketplace. 

Academic Programs

Highlights

  • 100% pass rate for Teacher Certification students taking the content area exam
  • Food Science and Nutrition Program accredited by The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
  • Dietetic Internship Program available for qualified FSN graduates (leads to R.D. credential)
  • Interior Design Program accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation
  • Kappa Omicron Nu Honor Society for Family and Consumer Sciences (Kappa Alpha Phi Chapter)

Suggested Minors

  • Programs in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences do NOT require a minor; courses required by the accredited programs essentially constitute a minor for those programs. However, a minor may be elected for any program, in keeping with student career goals. Students graduating with a degree in the DPD program (Food Science and Nutrition) have minored in Chemistry, Mass Communication, Psychology, and other areas. Students majoring in Fashion Merchandising, Food Service Management, and General Family and Consumer Sciences (without teacher certification) commonly minor in General Business Administration, Marketing, or Management. Interior Design majors often minor in Industrial Technology (several options) or General Business Administration. Students who are pursuing the BS in Family and Consumer Sciences with the Teacher Certification Option must take all courses required by the College of Education for certification and may also pursue a minor area of study.

Career Opportunities

For the following program areas, employment opportunities include but are not limited to:

  • Family and Consumer Sciences (general)
    • sales representative for consumer products
    • AgriLife extension agent
    • consumer specialist
    • event planner
    • retail merchandiser for interior furnishings
  • Family and Consumer Sciences with certification
    • FCS secondary teacher
    • AgriLife extension agent
  • Fashion Merchandising
    • retail store manager
    • retail apparel buyer
    • visual display specialist
    • merchandiser for a line
    • sales representative for a line
  • Food Science and Nutrition
    • Registered Dietitian (with required post-graduate internship)
      • clinical settings
      • wellness
      • community
      • administrative
      • public health
      • corporate in food manufacturing, food distribution, other
      • food service/nutrition director for hospitals, schools
      • nutritional consultant to sports teams, gyms, corporate executives, food companies, cruise lines, spas
      • food scientist
      • sports nutritionist
      • food stylist
      • non-profit community nutrition programs (USDA, WIC)
      • spokesperson for food councils (wheat, rice, beef, etc.)
  • Food Service Management
    • restaurant manager
    • food service director for hospitals, schools
    • food production developer
  • Interior Design
    • residential designer
    • commercial designer
    • restaurant designer
    • office designer
    • retail designer
    • model home designer
    • space planner
    • set stylist
    • product representative to the interior design industry

Students have multiple opportunities to learn about careers associated with their degree programs, including Saturdays@Sam (one each fall and spring semester), SAM Center advising, advising within the department, career fairs sponsored by Career Services, and guest speakers and field trips sponsored through classes and pre-professional student organizations.

Upon completion of a bachelor’s degree, qualified students may choose to apply for admission to one of the Graduate programs in Family and Consumer Sciences. Refer to the Graduate Catalog for more details.

Student Organizations

  • American Society of Interior Designers: student chapter
  • Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers Association of Texas: student section
  • Fashion Merchandising Club
  • Kappa Omicron Nu, Kappa Alpha Phi Chapter (honor society for Family and Consumer Sciences)
  • Sam Houston Student Dietetic Association
  • Student Event Planner Association

Internships and Study Abroad

All students who complete programs in Fashion Merchandising, Food Service Management, General Family and Consumer Sciences (without teacher certification), and Interior Design must complete a supervised internship (FACS 4369) of at least 300 supervised clock hours as a requirement for graduation. Students are given leads for securing internship opportunities, but part of the internship experience is the securing of a suitable position. Students in the General FCS program pursuing the Teacher Certification option are required to complete a semester of student teaching through the College of Education.

Students majoring in Food Science and Nutrition are required to complete a number of shadowing hours in several junior- and senior-level courses to complete knowledge requirements of The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (i.e., FACS 3445, FACS 4360, and FACS 4361).

Students have the opportunity to travel to Europe to study the works and lives of chemists and their influence on our world, especially in the area of textiles, food sciences, and nutrition. This program is offered in cooperation with the Department of Chemistry (FACS 3350).

Scholarships

Competitive scholarships and awards are given annually to full-time students of at least junior standing majoring in one of the program areas in Family and Consumer Sciences. (Award recipients must be enrolled at Sam Houston State University for a minimum of one semester as a full-time student, must have completed 12 hours in FACS, and must be following the curriculum of a program major within the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences with full-time student status.)

  • Ashley K. Greene Family Scholarship (Fashion Merchandising Majors Only)
  • Drs. Robert (Bob) and Mary Barnes Harris Endowed Scholarship (Teacher Certification Majors Only)
  • Elmadel Driscoll Robinson Home Economics Endowed Scholarship
  • Family and Consumer Sciences Memorial Endowed Scholarship
  • Fray Stallings Wells Endowed Scholarship
  • J. E. “Bo” Crews Retailing Award (Fashion Merchandising Majors Only)
  • Keener Family Scholarship in Family and Consumer Sciences
  • Lynch Family Endowed Scholarship
  • Mattie Bea Prather Medford Family and Consumer Sciences Endowed Scholarship
  • Rachel Mary Prather Allen Family and Consumer Sciences Endowed Scholarship
  • Wiley G. and Marian Boyd McDonald Endowed Scholarship

Many other scholarship opportunities are available, including those based on academic record of the incoming student. Many organizations at the national, state, and local level, including professional organizations and corporations, offer scholarships for specific majors within the department. Students should check specific criteria required by these organizations. Brochures and information concerning the department and scholarships may be obtained by writing: Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, Box 2177, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas 77341-2177 or e-mail your request to familyandconsumersciences@shsu.edu. Website: www.shsu.edu/~hec_www/.

Program Specific Requirements

Most degree programs within the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences require completion of two core courses, FACS 2368 Consumer Education and FACS 4362 Presentation Techniques. Students have multiple opportunities to learn about degree requirements through the admission and advising process, including Saturdays@Sam (one each fall and spring semester), SAM Center advising, advising within the department, and advising through career fairs sponsored by Career Services at SHSU.

Curriculum

Bachelor of Science, Major in Family and Consumer Science With Teacher Certification

3 Digit to 4 Digit Crosswalk

Bachelor of Arts, Major in Family and Consumer Sciences (General)

3 Digit to 4 Digit Crosswalk

Bachelor of Science, Major in Family and Consumer Sciences (General)

3 Digit to 4 Digit Crosswalk

Bachelor of Arts, Major in Fashion Merchandising

3 Digit to 4 Digit Crosswalk

Bachelor of Science, Major in Fashion Merchandising

3 Digit to 4 Digit Crosswalk

Bachelor of Science, Major in Food Science and Nutrition

3 Digit to 4 Digit Crosswalk

Bachelor of Arts, Major in Food Service Management

3 Digit to 4 Digit Crosswalk

Bachelor of Science, Major in Food Service Management

3 Digit to 4 Digit Crosswalk

Bachelor of Arts, Major in Interior Design

3 Digit to 4 Digit Crosswalk

Bachelor of Science, Major in Interior Design

3 Digit to 4 Digit Crosswalk

Minor in Family and Consumer Sciences

A minor in Family and Consumer Sciences (18 hours) is available. The minor requires the completion of one core course (FACS 2368 or FACS 4362) and can be tailored so that the remainder of courses come from a specific program area (fashion merchandising, food science and nutrition, food service management, general family and consumer sciences, or interior design). Six (6) of the 18 hours must be advanced.


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