The creation and purpose of the Home and Family Department is to help students graduate with degrees in Apparel Entrepreneurship, Child Development, Family & Consumer Sciences, Marriage & Family Studies, Professional Preschool Education (AAS). Each of these branches of the department will be explored in detail.
Apparel Entrepreneurship: The purpose of this degree is to better equip students with the needed skills for today's careers in the apparel design industry. Clothing is one of the top ranking industries in the world and technology has changed the apparel design industry along with every other career. Today's students need to incorporate both business and technology with their training in apparel design. Career opportunities include;
Child Development: The core classes of this major are intended to focus on gaining knowledge about children in their environment, helping children and their families have healthy development, and gain hands-on experience in working with children, families, and agencies that serve children and families. This prepares graduating students for a variety of jobs such as;
In-home Preschool Director/Teacher
Institutional Preschool Director/ Teacher (i.e. Head Start)
At-Risk Child and Youth Steward
Child Care Resource Instructor
After-School Program Director
Extension Agent: Child and Family Care Services (may require additional education)
Other jobs are made available with further education (i.e., Developmental Specialist, Parent & Family Life Educator, Kindergarten Teacher, Child Birthing Educator, Social Worker, Speech Pathologist, Children’s Museum Curator, Child Literacy Specialist, Art/Music, Therapist, Play Therapist, At-risk Child and Youth Counselor, Habitation Interventionist, and Marriage and Family Therapists)
Professional Preschool Education: This is an Associate Degree program, designed to prepare students to work in a child care setting within Child Development, with a specific emphasis on early childhood. Classes within this major are intended to help students learn how to assess child development, develop curriculum, learn skills to work with specific age groups, learn skills in building relationships with children and how to partner with other professions to help families and children (i.e. special needs children). The main source of employment in this career is
Public Preschool Teacher (i.e., Head Start Teacher)
Childcare Teacher
Entrepreneurship Opportunities - Creation of personal-private Preschools
As a final note on this career option is that it is a four semester program, three of which are specifically in-lab practices, with students gaining hands-on experience and learning different levels of responsibility. It is also one of the fastest growing professions, with excellent job outlooks!
Marriage and Family Studies: This aspect of the department is designed to prepare students to understand the dynamics of healthy and strong families and to work in a wide range of human service professions, especially those servicing children and families. The major has a strong applied focus, with students completing a practicum where they develop and implement a family life education program and by completing an internship. The Department of Labor listed the job outlook within the social and human services as growing faster than average, however many of these jobs are entry-level positions. Those seeking a career within this discipline are advised to obtain at least a Master's degree. A few of these career opportunities are:
Education Coordinator
Hospice Administrator
Within the Department of Health and Human Services
Trauma Informed Care Coordinator
Community Representative
Child Development Teacher
Other career options with a Master’s degree or further certification (i.e., Military Family Life Consultant, A Family Life Educator, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and Developmental & Behavioral Specialist).
Family and Consumer Sciences: The Degree of Family and Consumer Sciences Education is a composite major that provides a holistic approach to the study of home and family in preparation to teach. Upon graduation students are secondary education certified to teach FACS in the state of Idaho with an endorsement in Professional Technical education. Students can also work as home economists in business, or continue on to graduate studies to prepare for work as a cooperative extension agent. Core classes within the major are designed to help students engage in classroom activities, home experiences, extracurricular activities, and professional association events, simulated laboratory experiences - particularly in foods, child development, management, nutrition, home decor, clothing, and textiles. They will learn how to conduct field trips, obtain guest speakers, assign individual projects, select and prepare learning aids for classroom use (i.e., textbooks, computer-aided instruction using media, and study guides). In addition, the major will ensure that learning activities from professional technical youth organizations are integrated into classroom instruction. Students will also be instructed in how to prepare lesson plans and teaching activities based on state standards and learn to collaborate with teachers, parents, and the community. Career opportunities include;
CAREERS IN HUMAN SERVICES FOR FAMILIES (I.e., Financial Planning and Counseling, Social Welfare, Rehabilitation, International Development, and Administration of Human Services)
CAREERS IN BUSINESS AND CONSUMER SERVICES (i.e., Fashion Buying and Merchandising, Hospitality Industry, Leisure, Recreation, and Travel, Consumer Affairs, Human Resources Management, Public Relations, and Marketing)
CAREERS IN EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION (i.e., Secondary Education, Occupational Education, Cooperative Extension, and Communications and Journalism)
CAREERS IN DESIGN, THE ARTS, AND SCIENCE (i.e., Housing, Household Equipment and Appliance Technology, and Careers in Government and Public Service with different U.S. Departments)
