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  FCSE Admission Requirement and Curriculum

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A. Educational Objectives of the Program

The degree will involve a minimum of two years with 30-32 credit hours of advanced and seminar-style coursework. Family and Consumer Sciences Education provides graduates with competencies needed to teach young people about family life, work life, interpersonal communication, practical knowledge, and vocational preparation. Graduates from this program will develop the knowledge needed to teach young people how to balance personal, home, family and work lives; acquire marketable skills to be successful in life management, employment, and career development; promote optimal nutrition and wellness; and manage resources to meet the material needs of individuals and families.
 
Teaching Certification:
Students seeking teacher certification must meet all requirements outlined by the Department of Education. Graduate students may obtain a teaching certificate in Family and Consumer Sciences by completing coursework that meets the Delaware standards for teacher certification. The Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher Certification qualifies individuals to teach all family and consumer sciences courses offered in Delaware Elementary, Secondary schools.  
 
B. Program Requirement and Curriculum
 

For admission to the MS degree program in FCSE, applicants are required to have completed a B.S. degree in family and consumer science education or a related field. Preference will be given to applicants who are certified teachers of Family and Consumer Sciences.  Prospective graduate students must have a minimum of 2.75 overall undergraduate GPA in their undergraduate work and taken the GRE. Students who have not taken the GRE will be given probational admission. Students on probational admission must complete admission requirements on/or before the end of the first semester. All applicants are required to:
1.  Posess a baccalaureate degree
2.  Complete an application for admission
3.  Submit official transcript(s)
4.  Submit GRE scores
5.  Submit a resume  
6.  Submit two letters of recommendation to the Office of Graduate School and copies to the Chairperson of the Department of Human Ecology 
7.  The TOEFL test must be taken if the earned baccalaureate degree is from a non-English speaking country
The Department of Human Ecology's graduate committee will review student application materials and make recommendations for acceptance into the FCSE program. Admission to a graduate degree program requires both the recommendation of the department and the Graduate School.
 
Degree Requirement:
Students admitted into the FCSE program are required to complete at least 30 hours of graduate level course work for a Thesis Option or 32 credit hours for a Non-Thesis Option. Required coursework includes: 1) Curriculum Development, 2) Educational Leadership, and 3) Statistics and Research Methods. A master's degree of Family and Consumer Sciences Education is conferred upon completion of course work, maintaining a minimum GPA of 3.00 and completing a thesis or passing a written and oral comprehensive examination.
 
M.S. Thesis Option:
Candidates selecting a thesis option must develop a thesis topic, prepare a research prospectus and submit to a thesis committee for approval. Prior to graduation, a candidate must conduct research work, collect and analyze data, and write results and present to the thesis committee for an oral examination, which will consist principally of a defense of the thesis. After the thesis has been read and approved by the thesis committee, it must be submitted to the dean of the College and finally to the dean of the Graduate School. A majority of the student's thesis committee must approve the thesis and its defense. If approval is denied, the candidate will not be recommended for graduation. In this event, the student may be reexamined at a later period as determined by the thesis committee.
 
M.S. Non-Thesis Option:
Candidates selecting a non-thesis option are required to take a comprehensive written and oral examination. Candidates are also required to write a comprehensive term paper on a topic related to Family and Consumer Science. The examination will be administered each spring semester and during the first summer session each year. To be eligible to take the examination, the student must be within six (6) hours or less of completing degree requirements at the end of semester in which the comprehensive examination is scheduled.
 
Non-Degree Option:
This option provides opportunities for FCS professionals who are seeking graduate course work for their professional growth.
 
Required Course Work:
Students enrolled in the FCSE graduate program are required to complete a minimum of 30 credit hours for the Thesis Option or 33 credit hours for Non-Thesis option.  Required coursework includes: 1) curriculum development, 2) educational leadership, and 3) statistics and research methods. In addition to these required courses, students may focus on an individualized area of interest through the selection of courses within and outside of the department.  Students must complete at least 18 credit hours in Family and Consumer Sciences courses offered in the Department of Human Ecology. This may include the 6 semester hours for thesis. The remaining semester hours could be completed outside of the department.  
 
Students must complete graduate level course work in one of the following areas (6 credits) with the approval of an advisor: 
 
  1. Family and Consumer Sciences
  2. Food and Nutritional Science
  3. Textiles and Apparel Studies
 
Requirements:
  1. Total hours required: a minimum of 30 credit hours for Thesis option or 33 credit hours for Non-Thesis option. All coursework must be above 500-level.
  2. Transfer Credits: a minimum of 6 credit hours may be transferred into the program from another accredited institution of higher learning. For credits to be transferred: 1) the course curriculum must have covered material equivalent to that of the substituted course within the program, 2) the student must have earned a minimum grade of “B” for the course, and 3) the course must be approved by the student’s Advisory Committee.
  3. Departmental Seminar: students are required to take 2 credit hours of departmental seminar.
  4. Candidates selecting a thesis option must develop a thesis topic, prepare a research prospectus and submit to a thesis committee for approval. Prior to graduation, a candidate must conduct research work, collect and analyze data, and write results and present to the Thesis Committee for an oral examination, which will consist principally of a defense of the thesis. A minimum of 6 credit hours are required for Thesis research.
  5. Candidates selecting a non-thesis option are required to take a comprehensive written and oral examination. Candidates are also required to write a comprehensive term paper on a topic related to Family and Consumer Science.
C. Program Management
 
Thesis/Advisory Committee: Students admitted into the program must have an Advisor who will serve as the Chairperson of the Thesis/Advisory Committee. A student’s Academic Advisor, in consultation with the student, must select an Advisory Committee during the last week of the first semester and no later than the first month of the second semester. The Thesis/Advisory Committee must be approved by the department chairperson and the Graduate School. The Advisory Committee should consist of a minimum of three graduate faculty members, and one of the members must be from another department.
 
Thesis/Advisory Committee Responsibility: The responsibility of this Committee is to guide a student’s research work and proofread thesis, evaluate academic performance and conduct appropriate examination.
 
Time Limit for Completion of Degree: It is expected that this program will take two-three years.    
 
D. Curriculum



 
E. Course Descriptions

HMEC-503 (TAS)Fundamentals of Fashion Industry.  3 credits
Fashion with an emphasis on various product categories. Concentration on fashion innovation, the role of designers, trends in fashion, and the power of fashion in society. Identification of components in apparel assembly and a structural approach to evaluating apparel quality.
 
HMEC-505 (TAS) Product Development in the Textile and Apparel Industries.  3 credits
Study of product development methods and core functions of this process. The principles discussed in this course can be used in the development of all types of products. This course is specifically designed to focus on products that utilize textiles.
 
HMEC-507 (TAS) Fashion Promotion and Visual Merchandising.  3 credits
Overview of promotion practices in the apparel design, product development, manufacturing, and retail merchandising environment, including promotion planning and budgeting, special event organization, advertising, public relations, publicity, fashion show production, and visual merchandising.

HMEC-508 (FCSE) Current Problems and Trends in Family & Consumer Sciences.  3 credits
Readings and discussion of selected classic studies and recent developments in the field of family studies, education, clothing, textiles and merchandising. Implications for teachers, extension workers and others.
 
HMEC-509 (TAS) Economics of Apparel and Textile Industries.  3 credits
Factors affecting the production, distribution, and consumption of apparel and textile products; the role of the apparel and textile industries in the national economy.
 
HMEC-510 (FNS) Issues in Eating Disorders/Obesity & Health Problems.  3 credits
Interdisciplinary examination of eating disorders within the social and family context. Body image, self-esteem, cultural context, appropriate exercise and nutrition, human development, family science theory, family stress, child abuse, and interventions. Issues related to prevention, intervention, and genetics/physiology.
 
HMEC-513 (FCSE) Theory & Practice for Web-Based Instruction in Education.  3 credits
Theory and application of design and development principles unique to Career and Technical Education (CTE) web-based course content. Focuses on development of knowledge and skills needed to engage in planning, management, assessment, and effective delivery of CTE web-based instruction and learning.
 
HMEC-515 (FCSE) Family Economic Issues and Resource Management.  3 credits
Personal and family management, including value orientation, decision making, and developing and using resources. Evaluate Family decision making processes involved and the role of housing. Emphasis is on interrelationships among decisions and the links between economic and social issues.
 
HMEC-522 (FNS) Food and Nutrition Education Methods.  3 credits
Philosophy, principles, methods, and materials involved in nutrition education. Application of nutrition knowledge and skills in the development, delivery, and evaluation of nutrition education curriculum and programs in schools and communities is emphasized.
Non-traditional format: Lecture and online.
 
HMEC-524 (FNS) Managing School Nutrition Programs.  3 credits
Principles of managing school nutrition programs, including federal, state, and local regulations; planning appealing and nutritious meals for children; budget management; human resources management; organizational leadership; marketing and communications; planning, assessment, and evaluation of programs.
 
HMEC-551 (FCSE) Family Financial Counseling.  3 credits 
Indicators, causes, and impact of family financial problems on the family's well-being. Topics covered include credit difficulties, repossessions, liens, garnishments, and bankruptcy. Non-traditional format: Students are required to work on a regular basis with families in financial difficulty.
 
HMEC-561 (FCSE) Curriculum Development & Evaluation in Fam. & Con. Sci.  3 credits
Principles of curriculum development involving theoretical and philosophical concepts with emphasis on Family and Consumer Sciences programs including elementary, secondary, continuing education, and college. The analysis and development of curriculum and methods of teaching FCS in the context of the National Standards for FCS Students, the National Standards for Teachers of FCS and the standards for the state in which the candidate will teach. This course will include learners and the learning environment; program leadership; beginning instructional strategies; curriculum development; integration of technology in the FCS classroom; and assessment.
 
HMEC-603 (TAS) Global Sourcing of Apparel and Textile Products.  3 credits 
The theory and practice of the global sourcing, manufacturing, and distribution of apparel and textile products. Understand the basic concepts and strategies unique to the retail industries of countries around the world. Emphasis placed on successful retail organizations and structures, merchandising and organization of market resources in apparel and textiles.

EDUC-611 Theories And Practices of Exceptionalities. 3 credits
This course is designed to identify exceptional learners and provide an understanding of their educational needs.  Specific teaching techniques will be explored, as well as principles and practices of program development.   
 
EDUC-614 (ED) Human Growth and Development.  3 credits
Educational implications of human development over the life-span are examined.  Students will survey research with special attention to the applications to teaching and developmentally appropriate school programs.  
 
HMEC-620 (FCSE) Issues of Ethnically Diverse students in Fam & Con. Sci.  2 credits
Influences of culture and ethnicity on family dynamics and child development on Family and Consumer Science programs. Historical, social, economic, political, and environmental factors that impact family processes and child bearing practices of ethnically diverse groups will be examined. Professional skills for effectively interacting with and serving culturally diverse populations.
 
HMEC-621 (FCSE) Statistics & Research Methods in FCS.  3 credits
Analysis and interpretation of research in family consumer sciences. Examination of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. Emphasis is placed on theory development, research design, and data analysis. 
 
HMEC-622 (FCSE) Theories and Methods of Instruction in FCS.  3 credits
This course is a study of educational theories as applied to curriculum and instruction in Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) with emphasis on current trends and the identification of the instructional process, organizing operations and skills for teaching FCS.  
 
HMEC-631 (FCSE) Evaluation in Family and Consumer Sciences Education.  2 credits
Methods of evaluation. Relationship to curriculum. Selection, construction, and use of evaluation devices for family and consumer sciences programs.
 
EDUC-640 (ED). Diversity in Education.  3 credits
This course explores the use of knowledge about culture in the schooling process. It presents specific teaching strategies, classroom management techniques and communication strategies that have proven effective with culturally diverse student populations. Students explore ways to identify and alleviate negative bias and prejudice in teaching materials, assessment instruments, school practices and school organization.  
 
HMEC-661 (FCSE) Research Seminar in FCSE.  1-3 credits
Repeatable for maximum 3 hours credit. Critical evaluation of research literature, research paradigms, future research needs, and research design/methodology in FCSE. Development of research skills necessary to identify an appropriate thesis topic and prepare the prospectus.
 
HMEC-700 (FCSE). Master's Thesis.  1-6 credits
Repeatable for maximum 6 hours credit. Thesis writing under the direction of the major professor. Non-traditional format: Independent research and thesis preparation.

 

 

For more information, contact:

Samuel Besong Ph.D.
Chair, Department of Human Ecology
(302) 857-6440