Nutrition and Food Science
Make an impact by helping your community gain a better understanding of food and nutrition.
Nutrition and Food Science, Family and Consumer Sciences Community Education Concentration, B.S.
The Family and Consumer Sciences Community Education Concentration in the Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Food Science is offered through the College of Behavioral and Health Science at MTSU. The Family and Consumer Sciences Community Education concentration is designed for students interested in working as a Family and Consumer Sciences or 4-H agent with a county extension office and they should select this concentration. Currently, there is a national need for FCS agents in most states in the US.
News Briefs
Elizabeth Renfro Extension Agent
Elizabeth Renfro has worked with UT Extension since January 2010. She currently is an FCS Extension Agent III in Washington County. In her role, Elizabeth teaches a variety of programs on topics such as home canning, co-parenting after divorce, first-time homebuyers, personal finance, disease management for adults and youth, and countless other life-skills programs. She is also part of many local, regional, state, and national-level advisory boards, coalitions, and associations related to FCS.
Elizabeth attributes her expertise to the FCS classes she took at MTSU combined with her BS degree in Family and Consumer Sciences from New Mexico State University. She also completed a M.S. from MTSU in the Nutrition and Food Science concentration of the MS in Human Sciences. Her thesis dealt with food safety and sanitation.
Students win 1st place at Scholars Week
Congratulations to Elizabeth Skelton, a May 2024 FCS graduate who won 1st place in the undergraduate category at Scholars Week 2023 for the College of Behavioral and Health Sciences. Elizabeth presented the findings from a research grant awarded to the AAFCS student organization. The six workshops, held from February through April 2022, were funded by the American Heart Association and MTSU’s Aramark. The “Healthy Eating for Life” theme focused on nutrition, mental health, and physical fitness.
During the Summer of 2023, Elizabeth completed an internship with UT/TSU Cooperative Extension, resulting in a year-long contractual position with Extension.
News Briefs
Elizabeth Renfro Extension Agent
Elizabeth Renfro has worked with UT Extension since January 2010. She currently is an FCS Extension Agent III in Washington County. In her role, Elizabeth teaches a variety of programs on topics such as home canning, co-parenting after divorce, first-time homebuyers, personal finance, disease management for adults and youth, and countless other life-skills programs. She is also part of many local, regional, state, and national-level advisory boards, coalitions, and associations related to FCS.
Elizabeth attributes her expertise to the FCS classes she took at MTSU combined with her BS degree in Family and Consumer Sciences from New Mexico State University. She also completed a M.S. from MTSU in the Nutrition and Food Science concentration of the MS in Human Sciences. Her thesis dealt with food safety and sanitation.
Students win 1st place at Scholars Week
Congratulations to Elizabeth Skelton, a May 2024 FCS graduate who won 1st place in the undergraduate category at Scholars Week 2023 for the College of Behavioral and Health Sciences. Elizabeth presented the findings from a research grant awarded to the AAFCS student organization. The six workshops, held from February through April 2022, were funded by the American Heart Association and MTSU’s Aramark. The “Healthy Eating for Life” theme focused on nutrition, mental health, and physical fitness.
During the Summer of 2023, Elizabeth completed an internship with UT/TSU Cooperative Extension, resulting in a year-long contractual position with Extension.
Will you get a job with a Family and Consumer Sciences (FSC) degree after graduation?
Yes! There is currently a shortage of FCS Extension Agents and Program Assistants in Tennessee and most other states. Each of the 75 Tennessee counties hires FCS graduates. Additionally, there is a nationwide shortage of FCS teachers in middle and high schools. Please refer to our FCS Secondary Education concentration if your goal is to become an FCS classroom teacher.
Selecting this FCS program is right for you if you are:
- Patient, nurturing, creative, organized, and self-motivated.
- Enjoy flexibility and variety in your work.
- Enjoy helping youth and adults develop essential skills to live and work successfully.
This degree will lead to jobs that have:
- Options to work with different audiences— youth and adults.
- Strong employment outlook.
- Good starting salaries, pay increases, and career advancement.
- Good benefits and retirement plans.
- Excellent professional development opportunities.
- Opportunities to improve the lives of individuals, families, and communities!
For more information about our national FCS association, go to:
American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences
Tennessee State University (TSU) and the University of Tennessee (UT) jointly sponsor Tennessee’s Extension Service. Both offer internship programs for FCS students and full-time careers for our graduates. Each county in Tennessee has a local office with FCS and 4-H Youth Development Extension Agents.
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