The Child Development and Family Studies curriculum provides a broad background in general home economics. The focus of the emphasis is on individuals, relationships, and families throughout their life cycles. This is a field of study which analyzes relationships as they develop and change within the family as well as relationships between the family and the larger community. A major in Family and Consumer Studies with an emphasis in Child Development and Family Studies can lead to work for a state agency as a caseworker assessing the needs of young children and families at-risk and referring them to specific people or programs for help. Options include work in a community or family child care center or in a hospital child care program helping ill children adjust to their surroundings. Many times people with degrees in this area find themselves working with an adoption of foster care agency, an alcohol treatment center, a crisis intervention service, a community corrections program, or a family planning agency, all of which impact the family. Other potential positions are as a youth worker with a children's home, community outreach program, city parks and recreation department or as a caregiver/advocate for the elderly in senior citizen centers or healthcare facilities. There is a growing demand for individuals trained to work with families and/or people who need help. The demand for graduates with these people-oriented skills is expected to increase in the near future. Whether you work with senior citizens, adults, adolescents, or young children, the choice is up to you. In order to do so and be effective, however, you have to be self-motivated and creative and, above all, you have to like and respect people. Representative Job Titles *Child care worker/administrator *Youth worker or counselor *Family planning specialist *Social worker/case worker *Program director/administrator, senior citizens programs *Crisis intervention worker *Corporate family relations consultant *Child life specialist *Child and family political advocate *Family life educator Potential Employers *child care centers/programs *Department of Human Services *social service agencies *family planning agencies *government agencies *crisis centers *large and small businesses and corporations (banks, insurance              companies, retail businesses, etc.) *healthcare facilities for the elderly *hospitals/healthcare agencies Competencies To earn a degree in Family and Consumer Studies with an emphasis in Child Development and Family Studies, you will need to develop knowledge in a number of areas. Knowledge of Child Development and Family Studies *An understanding of the history and current status of families *An understanding of how human relationships are initiated and how they  change over time *An awareness of the unique aspects of premarital, marital, sexual, and  parental relationships and roles *An ability to identify and utilize effective communication skills in  interpersonal and work relationships *A knowledge of human development (infancy through adulthood) *An ability to plan, implement, and evaluate programs which affect  families and individuals *An awareness of family needs and priorities, legislative issues, and  government policies affecting families Knowledge of Human Sciences *An ability to apply human sciences background to family and child  issues *An understanding of the importance of environmental factors such as  nutrition, social and physical surroundings, and financial resource  management to the successful functioning of families *A willingness to increase knowledge and skills through training,  advanced education, workshops and seminars *An ability to present information and to perform in a career with a  degree of professionalism appropriate to the position *An ability to communicate effectively with clients and co-workers in an  area of expertise Educational Information MTSU offers a Bachelor of Science Degree in Family and Consumer Studies with an emphasis in Child Development and Family Studies. In addition to a broad education, the courses required for this degree provide you with a total perspective on family life from resource management, nutrition, and design to relationships, child development, families in later life, and parenting. A particularly attractive aspect of this emphasis is its flexibility. It is possible to select a minor in psychology, sociology, gerontology, mass communications, social work, or business administration to further meet academic and occupational goals. In addition to the required courses for this degree, there is an opportunity to select electives from a variety of courses. It's easy to see that with the help of an advisor and some careful planning, a program can be tailored to suit the career interests of the individual student. No matter what minor or electives you choose, your program will have a strong professional orientation. You will gain practical experience working with children in the Department's child development laboratories and you have the opportunity to obtain actual work experiences (called internships) in your area of interest. In both instances, you have the unique opportunity to apply classroom information and theory to real life situations. These experiences combined with a competent and caring faculty will help you develop your potential and achieve your professional goals. For more information Call or write: Human Sciences Department Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37132 (615) 898-2884 For admissions information call or write: Office of Admissions Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37132 (615) 898-2111