About the Department

The Department of Family Consumer Science is committed to training professionals to promote the wellbeing of individuals and families. The Department offers a Bachelor of Science degree with options (majors) in four areas:

• Dietetics, which is nationally recognized and accredited by the American Dietetics Association and provides the academic training required to become a Registered Dietitian.
• Child Development and Family Studies, which is approved by the National Council on Family Relations which allows graduates to become Certified Family Life Educators.
• Family Consumer Science Education, which is approved by the Minnesota Department of Education which allows graduates to be licensed to teach FCS in grades 5–12.
• Foods and Nutrition, a broad major which prepares graduates to work as foodservice managers, extension educators, or food researchers.

The Department also offers a flexible minor that is a good complement to numerous majors. People choosing an FCS minor may select one of three emphases:

• Consumer Studies
• Child Development and Family Studies 
• Foods and Nutrition

FCS students gain:

• academic training in their chosen majors.
• practical experiences in areas such as food preparation, clothing construction, nutrition assessment, family life and parenting education, and child development and child care.
• hands–on experience in areas such as family life and parenting education, child care and education, and work with individuals and families through a variety of internship experiences.

The diverse careers in the field share the central focus of serving the needs of families and consumers. Graduates are prepared for careers such as clinical dietitians, wellness nutritionists, foodservice managers, FCS middle school and secondary school teachers, human services professionals, child protection workers, mental health practitioners, group home directors, youth home directors, family life and parenting educators, extension specialists, training specialists, consumer service specialists and managers in business and industry.

Graduates work in a variety of settings including hospitals, medical clinics, nursing homes, health clubs, private practice, schools and other educational settings, group homes, day care, head start, government programs, restaurants and other foodservice facilities, and food companies.

This website is designed to help you learn more about the Department of Family Consumer Science and its programs. By clicking on the appropriate buttons, you will be able to get more details about the majors and minors in the department and learn more about the faculty and staff. You will also get information about how to contact the department or any of the faculty and staff. Thanks again for visiting our Web site. I hope we will be able to serve you in the near future.

Department of Family Consumer Science Mission Statement 

The mission of the Department of Family Consumer Science is to promote the well-being of people and the enrichment of quality environments, and to prepare men and women to assume essential professional roles in a rapidly changing, culturally diverse, global society.