Make a Difference Teaching Life Skills
UW-Stout's Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Family & Consumer Sciences Education (FCSE) program is designed for those who desire to educate others about family diversity and vitality, resource management, home environments, textiles and apparel construction, leadership and relationships, and human development and nutrition. This high-demand field offers a wide range of job opportunities in addition to rewarding careers teaching middle and high school students.
100% of Graduates Are Employed or Continuing Education.
Career-Defining Curriculum
With such high demand for family and consumer science graduates in business, extension and social service agencies, our program prepares graduates for a career opportunities inside and outside the classroom, including corporate wellness programming, community education and child, family and consumer advocacy settings. As a family and consumer science major, you'll be part of one of the largest programs in the U.S. and benefit from a broad array of training.
- Family Studies
- Resource Management
- Housing & Interior Design
- Food & Nutrition
- Child Development & Care
- Textiles, Fashion & Clothing Construction
Program Overview
Program Highlights
- 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
"I chose to become a Family & Consumer Sciences teacher because I want to prepare my students with the basic knowledge of highly important skills that they'll be able to use when they enter adulthood. I want my students to be able to look back at my classes and feel that they were more prepared for life."
~ Afton FischerB.S. Family & Consumer Sciences Education
Use the Request Information form to receive a program summary and learn more about the B.S. Family & Consumer Sciences Education.
Request Information
Application
To apply for the on-campus and online B.S. Family & Consumer Sciences Education, you need to apply to UW-Stout.
Financial Aid
Students who are attending another institution, but are planning to receive their degree from UW-Stout, may be eligible to receive aid from UW‐Stout. In these cases, UW‐Stout is considered the Home Institution and the other campus is considered the Visiting Institution.
Transfer Students
Note: When filling out the application form, be sure to make a note in the student comment section that you intend to apply to the "online program."
Note: This program is designed to meet the requirements for licensure in the State of Wisconsin. If you reside outside of Wisconsin, please note that UW-Stout cannot confirm whether this program (or course) meets requirements for professional licensure in your state. Students from other states will need to contact their state regarding licensure requirements. See the following website for additional information.
New First-Year Students
- There are no additional requirements for new first-year students.
Transfer Students
- Earn a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher from the last institution attended.
Students who meet this requirement will be admitted to the university in their chosen Education major. Subsequent acceptance into a teacher education major and enrollment in professional education coursework will require successful completion of Benchmark I requirements. Additional information can be found at the School of Education website.
Students whose cumulative GPA is lower than the 2.75 will be reviewed and considered on a case-by-case basis for admission consideration.
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 include Individual and Family Relationships, Nutrition for Healthy Living, Foods, Consumer Economics, Teaching Methods in FCSE, and Family Resource Management. Beginning students will take Introduction to Family and Consumer Sciences Education.
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.
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
Typical job titles of graduates:
- Teachers in Middle and Junior High Schools
- School-to-Work Coordinator
- Food Service Teacher
- Parent Educator
- Family Life Educator
- Financial Consultant
- Family Living Extension Agent
- 4-H Youth Extension Agent
- Textbook Writer
- Software Developer
- Nutrition Education Consultant
- Family Resource Center Educator
- Product Promotion Specialist
- Interior Designer
- Family Advocate
- Entrepreneur
Advisory Committee Members
| Ann | Etten | FCS Teacher | Chetek-Weyerhaeuser Area School District |
| Afton | Fischer | FCSE student | UW-Stout |
| Katelyn | Hahn | Teacher | Chippewa Falls Middle School Family and Consumer Science |
| Sue | Halama | Adjunct Faculty | UW-Stout |
| Mary | Hopkins-Best | Former college dean | UW-Stout |
| Kayla | Jellison | FCSE student | UW-Stout |
| De'Andre | Jones | Alumni | Student affairs |
| Diane | Klemme | Program Director | |
| Cindy | Quilling | University Supervisor | UW-Stout |
| Diane | Ryberg | FCCLA state supervisor | Wisconsin Department of Public instruction |
| David | Seim | Faculty - Social Sciences | UW-Stout |
| Bethanne | Shriner | UW Faculty | Human Development/Family Studies - UW-Stout |
| Sarah | Sorenson | FCS Teacher | Eau Claire Middle School - Delong |
| Deb | Wesolek | University Supervisor |
