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Consumer Education
Would you like to teach people the skills needed to function better in today's world? With its broad background in human sciences and a focus on education, that's just one of the areas the MTSU Family and Consumer Sciences Education program includes. Among the subjects program graduates may teach are personal finance, child development and parenting, nutrition and food management, fashion design, and interior design. Graduates are qualified to teach grades 5 through 12 and also have skills that qualify them for working in businesses and governmental agencies.
Becoming global citizens
Earning a bachelor's degree in Family and Consumer Sciences Education can lead to jobs anywhere in the world. Projections indicate 50 percent of all graduates in all fields nationwide will work for an international company in the U.S. or abroad by 2020. Many 21st-century career talents—employability (social and technical skills), communication, ability to be a team member, and liking to lead and/or teach—are acquired while studying and working in the field and can be transferred globally to help shape your future.
A passion for teaching
Small-town girl Heather Baker's (B.S. '11) love of travel has led her to the family and consumer sciences education classroom at A.C. Reynolds High School in Asheville, N.C. Her hobbies range from reading and writing to cooking and yoga, but her passion lies within education. An eye-opening study abroad teaching experience at Victoria Girls' High School in Grahamstown, South Africa, provided Heather an opportunity to teach child development and also offer assistance after school with students' homework. This international experience rekindled her spirit and tugged at her heart, showing her education was the path she needed to pursue.
Searching for a career in consumer education? Numerous options are available. Examples include
- Adult education instructor
- After-school care director
- Aging services director
- Business and industry public affairs specialist/director
- Consumer and product specialist
- Cooperative extension agent/director
- Entrepreneur
- Head Start teacher/program director
- Parent resource center director
- Peace Corps/VISTA member
- Secondary school teacher
- Work-life specialists
- Youth development specialists
Employers of MTSU alumni include
- 71st High School, Greensboro, N.C.
- A.C. Reynolds High School, Asheville, N.C.
- Blackman High School, Murfreesboro, Tenn.
- Cousins Middle School, Cousins, Ga.
- Eagle River High School, Eagle River, Alaska
- Oxon Hill High School, Oxon Hill, Md.
- Pittsylvania High School, Pittsylvania, Va.
- Riverdale High School, Murfreesboro, Tenn.
- Shelbyville Central High School, Shelbyville, Tenn.
- Siegel High School, Murfreesboro, Tenn.
- The Kroger Co., Memphis, Tenn.
- UT Extension Service, Davidson County
- UT Extension Service, Rutherford County
- UT Extension Service, Van Buren, Washington, and Wayne counties
- Warren County High School, McMinnville, Tenn.
Dr. Sandra Poirier
Professor
sandra.poirier@mtsu.edu
Office | Room 120, Ellington Human Sciences Annex (EHSA)
Mail | MTSU Box 86, Murfreesboro, TN 37132
Specialties
Family & Consumer Studies
Degree
Ed.D., Florida International University (1998)
M.S., University of Arizona (1978)
B.S., Florida State University (1968)
A student in Family and Consumer Sciences Education, one of two concentrations under the Family and Consumer Studies major, may earn a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree. The other concentration, Child Development and Family Studies, also leads to a B.S. The former is geared toward preparation for teaching; the latter is geared toward preparation for working in a variety of settings.
Optional add-on endorsements to Family and Consumer Sciences Education are offered in Early Childhood Care and Services, Clothing Management Production, and Food Production and Management Services.
Other majors in the Department of Human Sciences leading to a B.S. are Textiles, Merchandising, and Design with two concentrations: Apparel Design or Fashion Merchandising; Interior Design; and Nutrition and Food Science, with concentrations in Nutrition and Food Science or Dietetics.
Undergraduate minors include Nutrition and Food Sciences; Textiles, Merchandising, and Design; and Human Sciences.An academic map is a suggested four-year schedule of courses based on degree requirements
in the undergraduate catalog. This sample schedule serves as a general guideline to
help build a full schedule each term. Milestones, courses, and special requirements
necessary for timely progress to complete a major are designated to keep you on track
to graduate in four years. Missing milestones could delay your program.
This map based on the 2013-2014 undergraduate catalog is not a substitute for academic
advisement - contact your advisor if you have any questions about scheduling or about
your degree requirements. Also see the current undergraduate catalog (catalog.mtsu.edu) for a complete list of requirements and electives.Note: Requirements are continually under revision, and there is no guarantee they
will not be changed or revoked; contact the department and/or program area for current
information.
You may choose to attend a summer term to reduce your load during fall or spring terms
but still stay on track to graduate in four years (see below). NOTE: Learning Support
courses will alter the sequences on this map.
Consumer Education Academic Map
Department of Human Sciences
Middle Tennessee State University | Murfreesboro
Suggested Fall/Spring and Summer/Fall/Spring Four-Year Schedule
Refer to www.mtsu.edu/scholarships/ for information regarding use of the Lottery Scholarship for the summer term.
Click here for printer friendly academic map.
| FRESHMAN FALL | FRESHMAN SPRING | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Course | Hours | Milestones/Notes | Course | Hours | Milestones/Notes | |
| HSC 1010 | 1 | TXMD 2180/2181 | 3 | |||
| NFS 1240 | 3 | FCSE 2510 | 3 | Offered spring only | ||
| ENGL 1010 (Comm) | 3 | Must earn C- or higher | ENGL 1020 (Comm) | 3 | Must earn C- or higher | |
| Nat Sci (Rubric 1) | 4 | Nat Sci (Rubric 2) | 4 | |||
| FCSE 1400* | 3 | Fall and summer only | HIST 2010, HIST 2020, or HIST 2030 | 3 | ||
| *pending approval | ||||||
| SUBTOTAL | 14 | SUBTOTAL | 16 | |||
| SOPHOMORE FALL | SOPHOMORE SPRING | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COMM 2200 ( Comm) | 3 | YOED 2500 | 3 | Prereq: See catalog | ||
| TXMD 3200 | 3 | Soc/Beh Sci (Rubric 2) | 3 | |||
| CDFS 3340, SOC 3151, or PSYC 2130 (RODP) | 3 | Hum/FA (Rubric 1) | 3 | |||
| Soc/Beh Sci (Rubric 1) | 3 | 2.75 GPA at 45 hours; PRAXIS 1*; complete Ready to Teach packet | Hum/FA (Rubric 2) | 3 | ||
| ENGL 2020, ENGL 2030, or HUM 2610 (Hum/FA) | 3 | HIST 2010, HIST 2020, or HIST 2030 | 3 | |||
| *Students with an ACT score > 22 or a SAT score of 1020 do not need to take the PRAXIS I test. | MATH (Math) | 3 | ||||
| SUBTOTAL | 15 | SUBTOTAL | 18 | |||
| JUNIOR FALL | JUNIOR SPRING | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NFS 3200/NFS 3201 | 3 | HSC 3430 | 3 | |||
| CDFS 4340 | 3 | HSC 4420 | 3 | |||
| FCSE 3510 | 3 | CDFS 4350 | 3 | |||
| YOED 3000 | 3 | YOED 3300 | 3 | |||
| HSC 3020 or COMM 3560 | 3 | IDES 4620 | 3 | |||
| HSC 4000 | 1 | |||||
| SUBTOTAL | 15 | SUBTOTAL | 16 | |||
| SENIOR FALL | SENIOR SPRING | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YOED 4020 (Residency I) | 6 | YOED 4400 (Residency II) | 12 | |||
| CDFS 3320 | 3 | |||||
| HLTH 4360, HLTH 4390, NFS 3100, or NFS 3210 | 3 | |||||
| HSC 4410 | 3 | |||||
| SUBTOTAL | 15 | SUBTOTAL | 12 | |||
TOTAL HOURS IN PROGRAM: 121
| FRESHMAN FALL | FRESHMAN SPRING | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Course | Hours | Course | Hours | |||
| HSC 1010 | 1 | TXMD 2180/2181 | 3 | |||
| NFS 1240 | 3 | FCSE 2510 | 3 | |||
| ENGL 1010 (Comm) | 3 | ENGL 1020 (Comm) | 3 | |||
| Nat Sci (Rubric 1) | 4 | Nat Sci (Rubric 2) | 4 | |||
| FCSE 1400* | 3 | HIST 2010, HIST 2020, or HIST 2030 | 3 | |||
| *pending approval | ||||||
| SUBTOTAL | 14 | SUBTOTAL | 16 | |||
| FRESHMAN SUMMER | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Select a general education course from above or FCSE 1400. | Select a general education course from above. | |||||
| SOPHOMORE FALL | SOPHOMORE SPRING | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COMM 2200 ( Comm) | 3 | YOED 2500 | 3 | |||
| TXMD 3200 | 3 | Soc/Beh Sci (Rubric 2) | 3 | |||
| CDFS 3340, SOC 3151, or PSYC 2130 (RODP) | 3 | Hum/FA (Rubric 1) | 3 | |||
| Soc/Beh Sci (Rubric 1) | 3 | Hum/FA (Rubric 2) | 3 | |||
| ENGL 2020, ENGL 2030, or HUM 2610 (Hum/FA) | 3 | HIST 2010, HIST 2020, or HIST 2030 | 3 | |||
| *Students with an ACT score > 22 or a SAT score of 1020 do not need to take the PRAXIS I test. | MATH (Math) | 3 | ||||
| SUBTOTAL | 15 | SUBTOTAL | 18 | |||
| SOPHOMORE SUMMER | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Select a general education course from above. | Select a general education course from above. | |||||
| JUNIOR FALL | JUNIOR SPRING | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NFS 3200/NFS 3201 | 3 | HSC 3430 | 3 | |||
| CDFS 4340 | 3 | HSC 4420 | 3 | |||
| FCSE 3510 | 3 | CDFS 4350 | 3 | |||
| YOED 3000 | 3 | YOED 3300 | 3 | |||
| HSC 3020 or COMM 3560 | 3 | IDES 4620 | 3 | |||
| HSC 4000 | 1 | |||||
| SUBTOTAL | 15 | SUBTOTAL | 16 | |||
| JUNIOR SUMMER | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Select YOED 3000 or one of the other courses from above. | Select IDES 4620 or one of the other courses from above. | |||||
| SENIOR FALL | SENIOR SPRING | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YOED 4020 (Residency I) | 6 | YOED 4400 (Residency II) | 12 | |||
| CDFS 3320 | 3 | |||||
| HLTH 4360, HLTH 4390, NFS 3100, or NFS 3210 | 3 | |||||
| HSC 4410 | 3 | |||||
| SUBTOTAL | 15 | SUBTOTAL | 12 | |||
TOTAL HOURS IN PROGRAM: 121
Graduation information may be accessed at www.mtsu.edu/records/grad.php.
Child Development and Family Studies
3 credit hours
(Same as ECE 2350.) Child development theories. Physical, cognitive, psychosocial development of the child, conception to three years of age. Diversity issues affecting development addressed. One hour observation per week required.
4 credit hours
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. A service learning course in which students are trained as certified nurses' assistants (CNAs) including basic care skills as well as interaction with the elderly and their families. Designed to help students assess their level of interest in pursuing careers in working with children and/or the elderly in a medical setting.
3 credit hours
(Same as ECE 3310.) Prerequisite: CDFS 2350 or permission of instructor. Physical, cognitive, psychosocial development of the child, from three years of age through middle childhood. Diversity issues affecting development addressed. One hour observation per week required.
3 credit hours
Family systems, giving consideration to interpersonal relationships. The structure, function, and development of families in a changing society and in relation to other social institutions.
3 credit hours
Skills and knowledge essential to the development and maintenance of interpersonal and work relationships analyzed. Topics focus on self-awareness, communication in various types of relationships, and managing feelings and conflict.
3 credit hours
Emotional, social, physical, and intellectual growth and development of the individual over the life span with a family-oriented emphasis. Not available to Early Childhood Education and/or Family and Consumer Studies: Child Development and Family Studies majors.
3 credit hours
Prerequisites: Junior standing in the CDFS program and approval of the instructor. A prerequisite to HSC 4101 Internship in CDFS. Professional issues of ethics, networking, social change and public policy relating to children and families to be covered in 50-hour seminar format. Also, a site-approved, 100-hour field placement to be completed. Offered Fall only.
3 credit hours
(Same as SOC 4140.) The causes, dynamics, and consequences of violence in the family. Includes the discussion of violence toward children, spouses, dating partners, siblings, and elders. Emphasizes the social conditions which lead to these types of violence.
3 credit hours
In-depth study of physical, intellectual, social, and emotional factors influencing development during adolescence and the reciprocal influences between adolescent development and the family system. Emphasis on the ecological perspective to include the relation between adolescent development, families, and society.
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: CDFS 3320 or permission of instructor. An ecological approach to the study of contemporary issues, problems, questions, and life styles as they relate to families and individuals.
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: CDFS 3320 or permission of instructor. Knowledge of parenting and parent/child interactions and the role of the parent educator from various theoretical and applied perspectives.
3 credit hours
Prerequisites: Human Science majors - CDFS 3320; Sociology majors - SOC 2600 or permission of instructor. Examination of families in later life from an ecological approach with emphasis on family forms and relationships.
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: CDFS 4390 or SOC 2600 or permission of the instructor. A service learning opportunity that provides students with understanding of the concepts and application of aging, families in later life, assessment, and gerontological program planning and implementation. May be repeated with permission of instructor.
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: CDFS 3320 or permission of instructor. An online survey course on family-centered community building (FCCB). Introduces advanced undergraduates to a range of topics, issues, and frameworks. Focused on cohesive, family-centered communities. Offered fall only.
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: CDFS 4710 (with a C- or better) or permission of instructor. A service-learning course based on the application of family-centered community building. Introduces undergraduate students as well as community practitioners to issues and activities intended to help build stronger, more cohesive, and family-centered communities. Offered spring only.
3 credit hours
Prerequisites: CDFS 2350, CDFS 3310, CDFS 3320, CDFS 3390, CDFS 4310, CDFS 4340, CDFS 4350, and CDFS 4390. Addresses concepts of family life education as they apply to the development, implementation, and evaluation of programs. Incorporates developmentally appropriate criteria for individuals and families over the life span.
Family and Consumer Sciences Education
3 credit hours
Provides basic principles and related skills for young adults soon to be involved in making personal financial decisions on their own. Modules focus on key financial concepts that affect individuals and families as responsible economic citizens. Emphasis placed on utilizing personal financial planning tools for effective money management practices throughout the life span.
3 credit hours
Overview of the philosophy, career, federal and state legislation and standards, co-curricular youth programs and curriculum in Family and Consumer Sciences Education. Emphasis on diversity, technology, lifelong learning, and special needs of students.
3 credit hours
Influences on FCSE components of a learning environment, principles of teaching, and curriculum construction; analysis and application of assessment tools and data collection methods for the FCS classroom; and a career management action plan. Community resources and local educators provide mentoring and teaching opportunities in classrooms.
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Directed participation in planned and supervised occupational experiences of 8 hours field experience per week. Must apply previous semester.
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Directed participation in planned and supervised occupational experiences of 8 hours field experience per week. Must apply previous semester.
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Directed participation in planned and supervised occupational experiences of 8 hours field experience per week. Must apply previous semester.
1 to 6 credit hours
Review of recent advances in family and consumer sciences education. Analysis and evaluation of selected topics, materials, and methods in terms of their appropriateness for teaching competencies in family and consumer sciences.
3 credit hours
Review of recent advances in family and consumer sciences education. Analysis and evaluation of selected topics, materials, and methods in terms of their appropriateness for teaching curriculum objectives in home economics.
1 to 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: Permission of department chair. Application of principles and techniques involved in the selection and preparation of effective teaching materials and visual aids.
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Examination and analysis of program development, execution, and evaluation in a selected occupational area.
Contact and Student Information
615-898-2884
Department of Human Sciences
Middle Tennessee State University
MTSU Box 86
1301 East Main Street
Murfreesboro, TN 37132
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Middle Tennessee State University, in its educational programs and activities involving students and employees, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, or age. Furthermore, the university does not discriminate against veterans or individuals with disabilities.
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