About the Family and Consumer Sciences Bachelor’s Program
The family and consumer sciences education program is designed to prepare students for teaching careers in middle and high school family and consumer sciences; adult- and community-based education; Extension Service; educational support services such as curriculum development and media, business, government, human services; and other fields. It includes coursework in all family and consumer sciences content areas and required professional education courses.
The program meets Texas standards for the Family and Consumer Sciences Composite Certificate that qualifies individuals to teach all family and consumer sciences courses offered in Texas secondary schools. Texas has a critical shortage of teachers, and the demand for family and consumer sciences teachers remains strong.
Students seeking teacher certification must meet all requirements outlined in the section of the catalog. Admission requirements include completion of a minimum of 60 semester hours (including current enrollment) with a 2.75 or better overall GPA and college-level skills in reading, oral and written communication, critical thinking, and mathematics. To be recommended for certification, graduates must maintain a 2.75 or better overall GPA and also a 2.75 or better GPA in all professional education courses and in the teaching field. In addition, graduates must complete a fingerprint background check and achieve a satisfactory level of performance on the appropriate examinations prescribed by the State Board for Educator Certification.
Students also may earn the Family and Consumer Sciences Composite Certificate as part of a major in human development and family sciences. A Specialized Family and Consumer Sciences Certificate in Hospitality, Nutrition, and Food Sciences is available as part of a major in nutrition or in restaurant, hotel, and institutional management. For more information, see the catalog sections for the , the , and the . A Specialized Family and Consumer Sciences Certificate in Hospitality, Nutrition, and Food Sciences ( or ) or a can be obtained through the Bachelor of Science in Human Sciences. While FCS teacher certification coursework can be completed through distance education, face-to-face components are required, including clinical field experiences and student teaching. Clinical student teaching must be completed in an accredited Texas school district with a licensed family and consumer sciences teacher who is approved by the FCSE Program for placement supervision.
Family and consumer sciences education students may take online courses through the Texas Family and Consumer Sciences Distance Education Alliance. For more information, see www.fcsalliance.org or contact an FCSE advisor. Permission is required to enroll in these courses.
All teacher certification programs at Texas Tech University are accredited by the Texas Education Agency and the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
Communication Literacy Requirement. Communication literacy in the Bachelor of Science in Family and Consumer Sciences Education degree is evidenced by competence in analytical, aural, interpersonal, oral, written, and visual communication. The B.S. degree will use a sequence of four courses to help students achieve expected communication literacy in this program. The courses should be taken in the sequence indicated to build upon the skills and knowledge acquired in the previous courses. The required communication courses in this degree are , , , .
