About Family and Consumer Science

Family and Consumer Sciences is an extension of home economics, which has evolved through the years as a result of today's complex social and economic concerns that people, families, and communities face. One of the main purposes of Family and Consumer Sciences is to prepare students to be responsible citizens and leaders in their homes, communities, and workplaces. Key areas of focus are childcare, financial literacy, resource management, communication, and nutrition. The goal is to encourage adequate nutrition and fitness throughout life, as well as manage resources to meet individual and family material demands.

　　Family and Consumer Sciences professionals provide their services in a variety of sectors. Early childhood, elementary, secondary, college, administrators and managers, human service workers, researchers, community volunteers, businessmen all receive counselling from a Family and Consumer Sciences specialists.

　　

Is Family and Consumer Science right for me?

If you have a passion to help people better their lives, then a career in Family and Consumer Sciences may be the right fit for you. Family and consumer services specialties use their knowledge to help people overcome problems in their daily life. One must have empathy and a passion to assist individuals with their problems to become a family and consumer sciences specialist.

　　Sound scientific understanding is required to grasp the concepts in Family and Consumer Sciences. As you will have to directly interact with people, good communication skills are also required. If this sounds like you, then Family and Consumer Sciences might be the right choice for you.

　　

Study options and costs

　　A bachelor’s program in Family and Consumer Sciences typically takes 4 years to complete in US and costs around $16,930-$26,900 for international students. The undergraduate programme in UK costs approximately £28,555 per year. The cost also depends on your area of specialisation and college you attend. If you wish to advance your career by pursuing a master’s degree, the average tuition fees in the US is $22,994 per year and £23,824 per year in UK.

　　

Future outlook

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual salary of a family and consumer scientist is $72,951. Moreover, the employment size of family and consumer scientists in 2019 alone, was 480,640. This shows that the demand for family and consumer scientists is always on the rise leading to sustainable job opportunities.

　　

Career pathways for Family and Consumer Science graduates

　　

Human Resources Coordinator

　　Human resources professionals are in charge of hiring, screening, interviewing, and placing employees. Other human resources tasks, including as employee relations, compensation and benefits, and training, are frequently delegated to them.

　　

Consumer Consultant

　　Consumer consultants properly resolve customer issues and refunds. They also maintain track of client interactions and ensure that consumers are satisfied, or they refer them to supervisors. They look for ways to upsell other goods and services.

　　

Personal and Family Finance Advisor

　　Financial needs of individuals are assessed by personal and family financial counsellors, who assist them in making decisions on assets (such as stocks and bonds), taxation policies, and insurance. Advisors assist clients in achieving short- and long-term objectives, such as paying of student loans and saving for retirement.