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Family and Consumer Sciences

[1] Objectives

The graduate program in family and consumer sciences leads to the Master of Science degree. The program is designed to serve the needs of qualified students preparing for family and consumer sciences careers in business, education, hospitals, industry, government, or community agencies, or for entering a doctoral program in family and consumer sciences or in a related discipline. A post-baccalaureate Dietetic Internship is also offered.

[2] Dietetic Internship

The Dietetic Internship is a supervised dietetic practice and study program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for the American Dietetics Association. The dietetic internship meets performance requirements for eligibility to write the ADA registration exam to become a registered dietitian. The dietetic internship is to be completed in two summers. Summer I includes eleven weeks of instruction in community nutrition and administrative dietetics. Summer II includes twelve weeks in therapeutic nutrition. Practice sites include various health care facilities in the central Arkansas area.

[2.1] Dietetic Internship Entrance Requirements

  • Baccalaureate degree.
  • Statement of certification regarding completion of American Dietetic Association accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) program.
  • Official transcript(s) of course work from all colleges and universities attended.
  • Minimum of 3.00 GPA (on a 4.00 scale).
  • Work experience in nutrition-related area.
  • Completed dietetic internship application including letter of application and three references postmarked by February 1.

[3] Master of Science Degree

[3.1] Program Admission Requirements

Admission to the MS degree program in family and consumer sciences requires a baccalaureate degree in Family and Consumer Sciences (formerly Home Economics) or an allied area. In addition to entrance requirements for the graduate school, satisfactory scores on the General Section of the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) must be submitted.

[3.2] Degree Requirements

For the MS degree, the student must fulfill one of the following options:

[3.2.1] Thesis Option (30 hours)

Core requirements (9 hours):

FACS 6300 Current Issues in Family and Consumer Sciences (online)
ASTL 6380 Research Methods or HSC 6379 Research in Health (online)
ASTL 6382 Educational Statistics (or substitute research and statistics courses approved by department chair).

Thesis research (6 hours):

FACS 6344 Thesis Research I
FACS 6345 Thesis Research II
The procedures for selecting and writing a thesis will be those prescribed in the current UCA Thesis and Dissertation Preparation Guide, available on-line at https://uca.edu/graduateschool/thesisdissertation/.

Specialization track (12 hours): student will select one of the specialization tracks listed below.

Elective (3 hours): elective in an allied area approved by major advisor.

[3.2.2] Non-Thesis Option (36 hours)

Core requirements (9 hours): same as for thesis option.

Specialization track (15-18 hours): student will select one of the specialization tracks listed below.

Elective (9–12 hours): electives in an allied area approved by major advisor.

[3.2.3] Specialization Tracks

Clothing, Textiles and Fashion (12 hours with thesis, 15-18 hours without thesis):

FACS 5330 Special Topics
FACS 6303 History of Fashion
FACS 6305 Problems in Consumer Textiles (online)
FACS 6306 Clothing Trends (online)
FACS 6309 Consumer Economics (online)
FACS 6320 Directed Study

Nutrition and Foods (12 hours with thesis, 15-18 hours without thesis):

*FACS 5315 Nutrition Services Practicum I
*FACS 5316 Nutrition Services Practicum II
*FACS 5317 Community Nutrition Practicum
*FACS 5318 Clinical Nutrition Practicum
*FACS 5321 Nutritional Services Administration
*FACS 5324 Nutritional Assessment
*FACS 5330 Special Topics (Diabetes Education)
FACS 5375 Nutrition in Exercise & Sports (online)
FACS 6307 Current Findings in Foods (online)
FACS 6308 Trends in Nutrition (online)
FACS 6309 Consumer Economics (online)
*FACS 6313 Diet Therapy
FACS 6320 Directed Study
FACS 6335 Evidence Based Research in Nutrition (online)
NUTR 5325 Medical Nutrition Therapy I
NUTR 5340 Geriatric Nutrition (online)
NUTR 5374 Medical Nutrition Therapy II
NUTR 6330 Metabolic Nutrition (online)
NUTR 6340 Diabetes Medical Nutrition Therapy
NUTR 6345 Pediatric Nutrition (online)
*(Indicates courses included in the dietetic internship program)

General Family and Consumer Sciences (12 hours with thesis, 15-18 hours without thesis): All FACS courses listed in the specialized tracks may be used for the general degree. In addition to the courses listed in the two specialized areas, the following courses may be used as electives in the general track:

FACS 5310 Program Development in Family and Consumer Sciences (online)
FACS 5330 Special Topics
FACS 6310 Advanced Resource Management
FACS 6311Readings in Family Relations (online)
FACS 6312 Readings in Child Development (online)
FACS 6330 Transdisciplinary Assessment of Young Children
FACS 6331Readings in Parent Child Relations (online)
FACS 6332 Readings n Adult Development and Aging (online)
FACS 6341 Housing
FACS 6342 Home Furnishings
FACS 6354 Transdisciplinary Intervention with Young Children

[3.3] Additional Requirements

[3.3.1] MS Thesis Option

After the thesis has been read and approved and before the candidate is recommended to the Dean of the Graduate School for graduation, the candidate will meet with his/her thesis committee for an oral examination, which will consist principally of a defense of the thesis. A majority of the student’s committee must approve the thesis and its defense. If approval is denied, the candidate will not be recommended for graduation. In this event, the student may be re-examined at a later period, no sooner than two months after initial examination.

[3.3.2] MS Non-Thesis Option

The student will be required to pass a written comprehensive examination or a graduate portfolio. The examination will be administered each spring semester and during the first summer session each year. To be eligible to take the examination the student must be within six hours or less of reaching degree requirements upon completion of the semester in which the comprehensive examination is scheduled.

[4] Graduate Courses

[4.1] Courses in Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS)

Follow this link to FACS course descriptions: course link.

[4.2] Courses in Nutrition (NUTR)

Follow this link to NUTR course descriptions: course link.