University of Wisconsin Stout | Wisconsin's Polytechnic University

Family connections are oftentimes the most important – and complex – relationships in people's lives. How families operate within our communities and our economy is an important area of study and education. If you're interested family dynamics and consumer behaviors –  and would like to teach others – then this is the major for you.

The Family and Consumer Sciences Education (FCSE) program is focused on families, work, and their interrelationships in a diverse global society. As a part of the FCSE program, you'll study:

• Family strength, diversity and vitality across the lifespan
• Personal, social and material resources that meet human needs
• Consumer roles and responsibilities
• Balancing personal, family and work lives
• Home and community settings and technologies that support individuals and families
• Policies that support individuals, families and communities

As a family and consumer science major, you'll be part of one of the largest programs in the U.S. UW-Stout graduates are known nationally and internationally for their ability and leadership.

Rewarding Careers

Upon completion of the bachelor's degree program, you'll be able to be certified to teach Family and Consumer Education in grades K-12. Most graduates teach at the middle and high school levels, since the demand for teachers in this field currently exceeds the supply. Other choices include writing Family and Consumer Education textbooks, working in county or state extension positions, or serving as specialized consultants to State Departments of Education.

Family and consumer science teachers at the middle and high school level instruct students about:

• Nutrition and food preparation
• Interpersonal relationships
• Human development
• Child care and parenting
• Family relationships
• Textiles and apparel construction
• Home environments
• Financial management
• Consumer purchasing
• Resource management

Graduates from 2011-12 achieved a 100 percent employment rate.

Enjoying Student Life

The program allows you to be professionally involved right away as a freshman. You can participate in professional organizations including the Stout Family and Consumer Sciences Association, Student Wisconsin Education Association, and student government.

Preparing for UW-Stout
We encourage you to take college preparatory courses in English, math, and science, as well as courses in family life and consumer education. These courses will provide a strong foundation for your college work. Strengthen your background by:

• Participating in FCCLA, 4-H or other youth organizations
• Working with children in day care centers, camps or classrooms
• Volunteering with the elderly and diverse populations
• Helping teachers and children as a teaching assistant, or tutoring younger students
• Reading about what is happening to families and education in the newspaper
• Working in food service
• Searching the Internet for information about children, families, nutrition and consumer issues

Starting Out

You'll begin your college career by taking a mix of general education and major studies courses. Courses like English Composition, Human Biology, Physiology and Anatomy, Exploring Technology, Psychology, College Math and Speech are typical selections for beginning students. Major studies courses that are taken include Individual and Family Relationships, Nutrition for Healthy Living, Foods, Consumer Economics, Teaching Methods in FCSE, and Family Resource Management. All beginning students should take Introduction to Family and Consumer Sciences Education.