Department of Family Studies and Community Development
The Department of Family Studies and Community Development was founded on the belief that the family is the fundamental unit in contemporary society. Support of healthy family functioning strengthens individual, group, and societal functioning. The department offers the opportunity to study individual and family development, dynamics within families, and the interactions between the family and the larger social context.
The curriculum emphasizes civic engagement through service learning. Service learning involves a process of preparation for community experiences, participation in the community, and integration of the academic preparation and community participation. The integration process involves self-reflection as well as self-discovery, including understanding of values, skills, and content. Community participation is required in several core courses throughout the curriculum.
Undergraduate students major in family and human services. They have a choice of four different tracks within the major: Human Services, Services to Children and Youth, Child Life, and Leadership in the Nonprofit Sector. Family studies graduates have a wide range of career opportunities in school settings, social service agencies, child and adult day-care centers, alcohol and drug abuse treatment centers, child and domestic abuse programs and shelters, hospitals, and other agencies that provide services to individuals and families.
Depending on the course of study, students are prepared for certification in three areas: Family Life Educator, Child Life, and Nonprofit Leadership. The academic coursework also provides the foundation for graduate study in social, behavioral, and health sciences or for advanced professional training in counseling, psychology, social work, law, medicine, and the allied health professions, such as occupational therapy and physical therapy. The department offers several graduate programs.
For students who would like to study families along with their major focus of study, a minor in family studies is offered. This program fits nicely for students studying in health professions, liberal arts, and education.
The department collaborates with community agencies to sponsor workshops and professional and family education. Annual events include a Disability Awareness Workshop, a Supervisor Training Workshop, and a workshop in partnership with The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society on relevant issues for families living with childhood cancer.
Department of Family Studies and Community Development
College of Liberal Arts Building, Suite 2210
Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Phone: 410-704-5851
Fax: 410-704-3612
E-mail: fmst@towson.edu
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