Department of Family Studies and Community Development
Family and Human Services Major
Degree Requirements
All family and human services majors must complete prerequisites, required core courses, and specific courses for their chosen track. Each track also has an internship requirement. Students must maintain a 2.00 GPA or better in all courses required for the major and must meet Towson University requirements for the completion of a Bachelor of Arts or Science degree.
Prerequisites
The following courses are prerequisites for courses required in the family and human services major. The 100 level courses should be taken early in the student's academic studies, and MATH 231, MATH 237, ECON 205, or PSYC 212 must be taken prior to FMST 485.
Course |
Units |
|
Writing for a Liberal Education
Honors Writing Seminar
|
3
|
| PSYC 101 |
Introduction to Psychology |
3 |
| SOCI 101 |
Introduction to Sociology |
3 |
MATH 231
or
MATH 237
or
ECON 205*
or
PSYC 212 |
Basic Statistics
Elementary Biostatistics
Statistics for Business and Economics
Behavioral Statistics |
3
|
| * Required for Leadership in the Nonprofit Sector Track |
Required Courses for the Major (43 units)
Course |
Units |
| FMST 101 |
Introduction to Family Studies |
3 |
| FMST 201 |
Family Resources |
3 |
| FMST 297 |
Preparing Human Service Workers |
3 |
| FMST 301 |
Family Relationships |
3 |
| FMST 302 |
Theories of Family Functioning |
3 |
| FMST 303 |
Trends in Contemporary Family Life |
3 |
FMST 305
or
EDUC 201 |
Parent-Child Relationships Across the Lifespan
The Parenting Process |
3
|
| FMST 380 |
Family Law |
3 |
| FMST 387 |
Community Services for Families |
3 |
| FMST 397 |
Internship in Family Studies |
3 |
| FMST 485 |
Writing and Research Methods in Family Studies |
3 |
| FMST 490 |
Senior Seminar |
4 |
| PSYC 203 |
Human Development |
3 |
| HLTH 220 |
Sexuality in a Diverse Society |
3 |
Family Life Educator Certification
Completion of the required core coursework above prepares the student for provisional certification as a Family Life Educator (CFLE). A student may become fully certified by completing two years of family-life work experience following graduation. The CFLE credential is administered through the National Council on Family Relations.
Electives
Students in tracks other than Child Life may use the following document as a guide when choosing electives.
Track Specific Courses
Human Services Track (22 Units) |
Required Courses (10 Units) |
Units |
| PSYC 205 |
Introduction to the Helping Relationship
|
3 |
| FMST 350 |
Fundamentals of Leadership in the Nonprofit Sector
|
3 |
| FMST 497 |
Advanced Internship in Family Studies & Community Development |
4 (240 Hours) |
| Track Specific Electives (12 Units) |
| Electives shall be selected from the following content areas: psychology, sociology, health science, education, gerontology, and women's studies. Students are encouraged to take a course in small-group dynamics and gerontology. One elective course (3 units) must be at the 300 level or above. Minors in gerontology, sociology, or psychology can be completed with minimal or no additional coursework. Electives must be approved by a family studies adviser or the department chairperson. |
Services to Children and Youth Track (21 Units) |
Required Courses (6 Units) |
Units |
| ECED 201 |
Intervention and the Young Child
|
3 |
| FMST 415 |
Services to Children and Youth
|
3 |
Track Specific Electives (15 Units) |
| Electives shall be selected from the following content areas: education, psychology, sociology, and health science. Three elective courses (9 units) must be at the 300 level or above. Electives must be approved by a department adviser. Please Note: Students in this track cannot take FMST 497 as an elective unless special permission is given by the department chair. |
Please note there are two tracks for Child Life. One is for students who entered Towson
University prior to the 2011-2012 academic year. The other is for students who entered
in academic year 2011-2012. Please refer to the appropriate table to view degree requirements.
Child Life Track (28 Units) |
**For students who entered Towson University prior to the 2011-2012 academic year** |
Required Courses (19 Units) |
Units |
| ECED 201 |
Intervention and the Young Child
|
3 |
OCTH 213
or
PSYC 431 |
Small Group Dynamics
Group Dynamics
|
3
|
| PSYC 205 |
Introduction to the Helping Relationship |
3 |
| FMST 340 |
The Hospitalized Child and Family |
3 |
| FMST 497 |
Advanced Internship in Family Studies & Community Development
|
4 (240 Hours)
|
| GERO 367 |
Sociology of Death, Dying, and Bereavement |
3 |
Required Child and Adolescent Development Courses (9 Units) |
| ECED 315 |
Infant Intervention |
3 |
| PSYC 403 |
Infant and Child Development |
3 |
| PSYC 404 |
Adolescent Psychology |
3 |
Other Recommended Courses |
| FMST 140 |
Medical Terminology for Human Service Workers |
1 |
| FMST 345 Introduction to Art Therapy as additional elective to meet content areas specified by the Child Life Council. |
Introduction to Child Life Track (21 Units) |
**For students who entered Towson University in the 2011-2012 academic year** |
Required Courses (15 Units) |
Units |
| FMST 2XX |
Introduction to Child Life |
3 |
OCTH 213
or
PSYC 431 |
Small Group Dynamics
Group Dynamics
|
3
|
| PSYC 205 |
Introduction to the Helping Relationship |
3 |
| FMST 340 |
The Hospitalized Child and Family |
3 |
| GERO 367 |
Sociology of Death, Dying, and Bereavement |
3 |
Required Child and Adolescent Development Courses (6 Units) |
| PSYC 403 |
Infant and Child Development |
3 |
| PSYC 404 |
Adolescent Psychology |
3 |
Other Recommended Courses |
| FMST 140 |
Medical Terminology for Human Service Workers |
1 |
| ECED 201 |
Intervention and the Young Child |
3 |
| ECED 315 |
Infant Intervention |
3 |
| FMST 345 Introduction to Art Therapy as additional elective to meet content areas specified by the Child Life Council. |
Leadership in the Nonprofit Sector Track (22 Units) |
Required FMST Courses (7 Units) |
Units |
| FMST 350 |
Fundamentals of Leadership in the Nonprofit Sector |
3 |
FMST 497 |
Advanced Internship in Family Studies & Community Development
|
4 (240 Hours)
|
| Required Business and Liberal Arts Courses (12 Units) |
| MCOM 253 |
Principles of Strategic Public Relations and Integrated Communication
|
3 |
| CLST 303 |
Identity and Culture |
3 |
| MKTG 341 |
Principles of Marketing |
3 |
| MNGT 361 |
Principles of Management |
3 |
| Elective (3 Units) |
| Elective approved by advisor (Recommended disciplines: MNGT, MCOM, MKTG) |
3 |
Students who pursue the Leadership in the Nonprofit Sector track, especially those seeking certification from the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance, are encouraged to complete a minor in Business Administration (BUAD) or Business, Communication and the Liberal Arts (BCLA): Nonprofit Leadership Focus.
The required coursework for the BUAD minor includes MKTG 341 and MNGT 361. Nine credits of the BUAD minor would be approved toward the track requirements replacing MCOM 253, CLST 303 and the elective course listed above. Students should note that the BUAD minor requires six additional credits beyond the major requirements. A complete description of the BUAD minor is found under the College of Business and Economics, Business Administration Program.
The BCLA minor is aligned with the certification requirements of the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance. A complete description of the BCLA minor: Nonprofit Leadership Focus can be found in the catalog under the College of Liberal Arts Interdisciplinary Studies Programs. |
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
|
