Are you interested in:

• Making the world a better place
• Improving the quality of life for individuals and families
• Strengthening communities
• Addressing global issues such as poverty, violence, obesity, and food insecurity
• Applying what you have learned to make a difference in the world
• Helping others improve their health and wellness, financial literacy, environments, and relationships
• Studying a variety of subjects in areas such as child development, family relationships, food and nutrition, fashion, interior design, and financial and resource management

Family and consumer sciences majors help individuals and families manage the challenges of living and working in a diverse, global society across the life span. This program focuses on empowering individuals, strengthening families, and enabling communities through teaching, research, and service. The program prepares students to assume professional responsibilities in a variety of career fields such as teaching, business, industry, community agencies, and government, or to enter a graduate program for further study.

Types of jobs:

• Teach family and consumer sciences (7-12)
• Cooperative Extension Agent
• Youth leader such as 4H, YMCA, or YWCA
• After school director
• Nonprofit organizations
• Event planning

Attend graduate school for:

• Family and consumer sciences to teach at higher education institutions
• Pursue further education in one of the specialty areas of family and consumer sciences such as child development, fashion merchandising and design, food and nutrition or interior design.

Options for the major:

• B.S. in family and consumer sciences
• Add 7-12 licensure
• Double major or minor in any additional related area of interest such as psychology, communications, business, professional writing, food and nutrition, fashion merchandising and design and child development.
• Experiential opportunities
  • Internships are among the students first step toward professional development and a plus on a resume. All licensure students complete a supervised internship in Wake County Public Schools
  • Majors without licensure have completed internships at the following:
    • Autism Society of North Carolina
    • Rich Commercial Realty
    • Boys and Girls Club – Raleigh
    • North Carolina Theatre
    • YMCA of the Triangle
    • Expanded Foods & Nutrition Education Program
    • Lung Cancer initiative of North Carolina
    • NC Museum of Natural Sciences
    • NC Museum of History
    • Marbles Kids Museum
    • FIV – Families in Vietnam (children’s orphanage)
  • Study abroad opportunities specific to interior design are the summer program at the Danish Institute for Study Abroad (DIS), Copenhagen, Denmark, and Meredith College programs in Italy and the United Kingdom.
  • Professional opportunities to participate in the Meredith Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, student sections of the North Carolina Association of Family and Consumer Sciences.

Professional associations:

• American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences www.aafcs.org
• Family and Consumer Sciences Education Association www.cwu.edu/family-consumer
• Association for Career and Technical Education www.acteonline.org
• International Federation of Home Economics www.ifhe.org
• Kappa Omicron Nu Honor Society www.kon.org

Career outlook:

Cooperative Extension Service

Additional information:

Meredith’s family and consumer sciences major »

There is a currently a local, state and national shortage of teachers in family and consumer sciences. Our graduates report receiving 10-20 job offers upon graduation.

Family and consumer sciences students are also seeking further coursework through the Raleigh Cooperating Colleges by taking courses in nonprofits at North Carolina State University.

There are scholarships available to family and consumer sciences major based on academic ability and financial need.