Welcome to the Master of Science in Family Studies and Human Development (MSFSHD) at the University of Wisconsin Stout. You have chosen a program that is geared towards flexibility for the students. We focus on human development across the lifespan with an emphasis on family system processes and relationships.
The newly developed program, formally the Masters in Home Economics program, is the product of collaboration among many College of Human Development faculty. The program was designed to primarily be a summer program that gives students the opportunity to learn in a cohort format. Cohort groups learn together as they complete six required courses. Two courses are offered each summer for three consecutive summers. Classes will meet for two weeks, one course in the morning and one in the afternoon. The other part of the program is made up of 9-13 elective credits, which are chosen by the student to fit their interests and career goals and can be completed during summer school sessions or during the semesters. The last component is a two or six credit research option.
Our goal is to provide each student with career preparation techniques by challenging them to develop leadership skills that can be applied in various FSHD careers. The program is designed to offer students skills in conducting independent and creative research. Through the exploration of various FSHD related pieces of literature, we motivate students to apply this knowledge to practical, theoretical, and academic problems.
Another great source of information that students gain from this program is the previous knowledge that all of their fellow students bring to the program. Through working in a cohort program, students are able to get to know each other well and learn so much through experiencing all of the main courses together. The faculty challenges all students to take a deep look at their beliefs, values, and ideas about human development and family studies and student perspectives may change as they learn from their peerís past experiences.
I hope that you find our program one of great interest. Please feel free to address any concerns or questions to me. I would be happy to assist you in any way that I can.
Best Wishes,
Dale Hawley, Ph.D.
Program Director