Family and Consumer Sciences

Family and Consumer Sciences encompasses the study of the relationships among people and their personal environments. The department focuses on the impact of the physical, biological, social and economic environments on human behavior and development. Students who major in Family and Consumer Sciences learn to improve the quality of life for individuals, families and communities by providing practical solutions to problems involving food science and nutrition, apparel and interior design, child rearing and family relations, and family and consumer economics.

Students select from six areas of study: Apparel Design and Merchandising; Consumer Affairs; Family and Consumer Sciences Education; Family Studies; Interior Design; and Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Science. All Family and Consumer Sciences majors take five core courses that include concepts common to all specializations, as well as courses in their options. The department offers experiential learning opportunities through its lab and studio courses and the Child and Family Studies Laboratory, the Consumer Resource Center and the Marilyn Magaram Center for Food Science, Nutrition and Dietetics. All Family and Consumer Sciences majors gain practical experience through internships in professional settings. Students gain leadership skills through the Student Association of Family and Consumer Sciences and the Kappa Omicron Nu national honor society.

A. Core Courses Required of All Options (14 units)

FCS 170 Creative Expression in Family and Consumer Sciences (2)
FCS 232 Individual and Family Development (3)
FCS 320 Family Resource Management (3)
FCS 380 Family and Consumer Sciences Foundations and Research (3)
FCS 491A/B or C Family and Consumer Sciences Projects (3)
or FCS 494/FCS 494I Academic Internship and Evaluation (2/1)

B. Family Studies Option

1. Required Option Courses (22 units)

2. Patterns: Select Pattern A or B

Pattern A: Childcare and Administration (21 units)

FCS 234 The Child in the Family and Community (3)
FCS 335 Prenatal and Infant Development (3)
FCS 433 Administration of Children’s Programs (3)
FCS 434 Supervision of Child Development Personnel (3)
FCS 435 Advanced Topics in Administration of Children’s Programs (3)

Choose two of the following courses (6 units)

AAS 450 Asian American Child and the Schools (3)
AFRS 420 The Black Child (3)
ART 383/L Art in Early Childhood and Lab (2/1)
CADV 452 Child Advocacy (3)
CD 361 Language Development in Children (3)
CHS 416 Children’s Songs and Games (3)
CHS 430 The Chicana/o Child (3)
ENGL 428 Children’s Literature (3)
MUS 362/L Music for Early Childhood and Lab (3)
RTM 305 Dynamics of Early Childhood Play (3)
SPED 400 Developmental Differences and Implications in Special Education (3)

Pattern B: Family Services Pattern (21 units)

FCS 300 Family and Community Services (3)
FCS 426 Issues of Contemporary and Future Families (3)
FCS 438 Adolescents in the Family Context (3)
FCS 441 Human Sexuality (3)
FCS 485 Family Resiliency (3)

Choose 6 units of upper division courses related to major with FCS advisor approval (suggested courses follow):

3. General Education (48 units)

Undergraduate students must complete 48 units of General Education as described in this Catalog, including 3 units of coursework meeting the Ethnic Studies (ES) graduation requirement.

9 units are satisfied by the following courses in the major: FCS 340 and PSY 150 satisfy D1 Social Sciences; and FCS 330 satisfies E Lifelong Learning and fulfills the Information Competence requirement.

If taken, FCS 323 satisfies B5 Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning.

Total Units in the Major/Option: 57

General Education Units: 39

Additional Units: 24

Total Units for the B.S. Degree: 120