Child and Family Studies
Department | Program | Courses
B.A. Degree with a Major in Child and Family Studies, with an Area of Concentration in Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) with Teacher Certification, Grades 5-12
The curriculum in Family and Consumer Sciences with Teacher Certification meets Kentucky teacher certification requirements for teaching in middle and secondary schools. Family and Consumer Sciences teachers in grades 5-12 offer course work in successful living, consumer decision making, foods and nutrition, individual and family relations, child development, parenthood, housing and interior design, resource management, and other related courses. Graduates of this area of concentration also qualify for a wide range of other employment opportunities, such as a cooperative-extension agent, credit counselor, consumer product tester, financial planner, consumer advocate or arbitrator, test-kitchen director, home economist, or a teacher in other post-secondary educational programs. Graduates may pursue graduate study in Family and Consumer Sciences education or in specialized areas of the field, or other related areas.
A major in Child and Family Studies, with an Area of Concentration in Family and Consumer Sciences with Teacher Certification, Grades 5-12, is achieved by completion of the following requirements, in addition to the General Education and electives required for a degree:
Required CFS Core Courses—CFS 130, 145, 207 (also WST), 221, and 441 (which includes the Home Management House as a laboratory component)
Required F&CS with Certification Concentration Courses—CFS 110 (also THR), 115, 237, and 238
Required Distribution Courses —Two (2) courses chosen from CFS 217, 315, 334, 362, 366 (also WST), 186/286/386/486, and 395/495. Both CFS 186/286/386/486 and 395/495 must be approved by the CFS Department for this area of concentration. For each of these courses, only one credit shall count toward the major concentration requirement.
Required Education Courses—EDS 150, 228, 349, and 355; CFS 252 (also EDS); and Professional Year courses EDS 479, 480, 481, and 482.
Required Capstone Course—CFS 480
Exploring the Major—In addition to taking key General Education requirements, students considering this area of concentration should enroll in CFS 130, 145, 207 (also WST), and 221 during their first and second years, if possible. Students seeking Family and Consumer Science certification need to meet with their FCS Education Adviser very early in their college career to select appropriate courses for admission to the teacher education program. Also see Teacher Education Program to follow.
Admission to the Major—Admission into the major requires the following: an overall GPA of 2.0; a successful formal interview and positive recommendation by an assigned CFS faculty member; completion of a handwritten, well-constructed essay explaining why the student wants to become a CFS major; successful performance in at least one completed or in-progress CFS course; and a majority vote of acceptance by the CFS faculty. A student who already has been formally accepted into another major at Berea and wants to transfer to a CFS major must make this request in writing to the Chairperson of the CFS Department. See the “Requirements for Admission to the Teacher Education Program” under Education Studies for that program’s admission requirements, including the minimum overall GPA of 2.5.
Course Sequencing Considerations (in order to complete degree requirements within nin terms)—CFS 130, 145, 207 (also WST), and 221 are prerequisites for upper-level courses and are offered every regular term. Upper-level courses sometimes are offered only once a year, so early curricular planning is very important. During the second year, students should try to take CFS 110 (also THR) and CFS 115. If a student elects to take CFS 395/495 to fulfill a major requirement, the Internship may be completed after the first year is completed, however, the Department recommends that CFS Internships be completed during the junior or senior year. Most CFS Internship placements are during the Short and Summer terms. Students, including with a dual concentration, may use only one department-approved 186/286/386/486 and/or 395/495 to meet a concentration requirement. Also see Teacher Education Program sequencing recommendations below.
Proficiency Requirements for Retention in and Completion of the Major—In addition to completing the core course requirement and specified courses within the area of concentration, each student must satisfy departmental standards for effectiveness in written and oral communication.
Admission to and Completion of the Teacher Education Program—Students are encouraged strongly to take EDS 150 in the second term of the first year, but no later than the first term of the sophomore year. (Multiple sections of EDS 150 are offered each Fall and Spring term.) Those students past their first year (including transfers) will be given priority for registration in EDS 150. Prior to the first day of the EDS 150 class, students must have completed a state criminal records clearance, which takes 6-8 weeks to be processed. Students will learn about this procedure during pre-registration. While taking EDS 150, students will be assigned an Education Studies Adviser. EDS 228 should be taken during the sophomore year. CFS/EDS 252 must be completed either prior to or in the eighth term. EDS 228, 349, and 355 (or approved alternative) must be completed prior to the eighth term. EDS 479 and 480, together with a school practicum of 3-4 hours daily, must be taken in the eighth term. Up to two additional course credits may be taken in the eighth term. Only EDS 481 (1 credit) and 482 (3 credits) may be taken in the ninth term. Throughout their preparation, students seeking teacher certification are expected to seek out rich and substantive experiences with students of the ages they plan to teach beyond those associated with EDS courses. Such activities include SFA-related service work (e.g., One-on-One Tutoring), working with after-school programs, summer camp experiences, and the like. Completion of teacher certification requires nine terms. For further information about the Teacher Education Program, Student Teaching, and Recommendation for Certification, see
“Requirements for all Students Seeking Certification.”
Other Considerations and Recommendations—If the student chooses to complete two Internships or two Special Topics courses, counting one toward each area of concentration, the two courses must be judged qualitatively different by the Department.
Curriculum Guide
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