Improving Lives, Inspiring Leaders. The Department of Family and Consumer Sciences develops scholars and leaders who apply a Christian worldview to improve the quality of life and human experience by advancing knowledge related to nutrition, the built environment, apparel, child development and family relationships. Curriculum and research in these areas address the interplay of physiological, sociological, emotional and spiritual factors that impact human health and behavior both individually and within the context of diverse families and communities.
Cutting edge research projects keep our courses fresh and relevant to current issues facing families and professionals. Students in our programs prepare for numerous career options including registered dietitian, nutritionist, food service manager, child life specialists, child care director, family services coordinator, interior designer, fashion designer, fashion stylist, and retail buyer, merchandiser or manager.
Our department values the role of experiential learning, requiring most students to complete an internship or practicum before graduation. Sometimes, the best opportunities are in other states or countries, but financial concerns can prevent students from seeking those opportunities. We also provide discipline specific study abroad and mission trips for students. Scholarships designated for student internships or international experiences give more students the ability to take advantage of these opportunities.
As we have grown in our curricular offerings as well as in our research focus, our facilities needs have also expanded. Your contributions can assist with projects on the horizon including:
- Development of an accessible kitchen unit in our experimental foods lab,
- Expansion of the Piper Center for Family Studies and Child Development,
- Development of an interview space for individual and focus group research,
- Conversion of apparel labs to industrial machines for apparel assembly, and
- Development of a lab for testing interior textiles and other interior surfaces.
