What you will study
UCM’s Family and Consumer Science Education program will equip you with the latest
teaching practices and have you ready to confidently lead the classroom. Through the
undergraduate program’s coursework, you will be effectively prepared for the state
teacher certification exam.
Coursework for UCM’s modern Family Consumer Science Education degree
Once dubbed “Home Economics,” family and consumer education prepares students for
their future. As an FCS teacher, you’ll equip them with the skills needed to be successful
in college and their careers through collaborative, critical thinking and creative
activities.
Among our most popular courses are:
- Parent-Child Interaction
- Interior Design
- Food Preparation
Our undergraduate program coursework culminates with the Methods of Teaching Career
and Technical Education course, which will provide fun and interesting ways to present
the content — in preparation for student teaching.
Transfer credits to graduate faster
Complete your Family Consumer Science Education degree through a combination of on-campus
courses in Warrensburg and online courses with flexible scheduling options. If you’re
transferring to UCM with an Associate of Arts, another undergraduate degree or college
credits, you could graduate faster. In this case, you’ll likely need only two years
before you’re ready to become an FCS teacher in a high school or middle school classroom.
Excellence in Secondary Education
- Top 15%: Most Focused Colleges for Education (College Factual, 2022)
- One of the Most Focused Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Education (College Factual, 2022)
- One of the Most Focused Colleges for Secondary Education (College Factual, 2022)
- Top 4.5%: Most Popular Colleges for Secondary Education (College Factual, 2022)
- Top 5%: Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Secondary Education (College Factual,
2022)
- Top 10%: Best Value in Education (College Factual, 2021)
Unique learning opportunities in family and consumer education
The journey to complete your Family Consumer Science Education degree includes a variety
of opportunities to enhance your time at the University of Central Missouri, as well
as your career possibilities. Hands-on classroom activities and real-world field experiences
include:
- UCM’s active learning classrooms: Practice your FCS teaching skills in our newly renovated classrooms, equipped with
the latest technology you’ll soon use in your own classroom. Create culinary delights
using new, commercial-quality equipment in UCM’s culinary class, or design patterns
and make garments on equipment updated every two years in our textile courses.
- Field experiences: Observe and co-teach with an FCS teacher in a middle or high school during your sophomore
and junior years. In your senior year, you’ll lead instruction and develop activities
prior to student teaching, helping you be fully prepared for the job ahead.
- Student teaching: Take on the role of an FCS teacher in your final semester. You’ll lead all classroom
activities, while working behind the scenes with the district teacher to develop strategies
for classroom management and instruction.
- Student organizations: Join a student association related to your Secondary Education major for learning
and networking opportunities. Your options include the American Association of Family
and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS), Project CTE and the Student Missouri State Teachers
Association (SMSTA).
We also encourage you to get involved with local chapters of Family, Career and Community
Leaders of America (FCCLA) to prepare you to manage your own school chapter as an
FCS teacher.
What can you do with a Family Consumer Science Education degree from UCM?
UCM’s Family and Consumer Science Education program will not only prepare you for
teaching but also a wide range of career possibilities. You may choose to teach in
a Missouri public high school or middle school, where you may also oversee the FCCLA
student organization. For opportunities outside of Missouri, FCS program faculty can
work with you to transfer your teaching license to another state. You may also consider
a job within a career center or in continuing education.
Whatever your desired path, know that UCM’s Family and Consumer Education graduates
have enjoyed a high job placement rate. Some have even gained employment before finishing
student teaching.
Finding a career in family and consumer science education
Enjoy a working relationship based on respect and understanding with UCM faculty,
who can advise you on your career opportunities. You can also use the interactive
tool below to understand the current job market for an FCS teacher.
Financial assistance options for your Family Consumer Science Education degree
As you make plans to attend the University of Central Missouri, you may be looking
at ways to finance your Family Consumer Science Education degree. We can help. UCM provides details on loans, grants and work study. You may also
qualify to apply for scholarships through UCM or the College of Education.
Scholarships available for Family and Consumer Education majors
Alumni of UCM’s Family Consumer Science Education program have also made available
scholarships to support current students. Among them are:
- Doris Achenbach Sensenich Scholarship in FACS
- Edna Gehlken Undergraduate Scholarship in Home Economics
- Elizabeth Weekley Sutton Scholarship in Family and Consumer Science
- Laura Baker Scholarship
- Rita L. Youmans Scholarship in Home Economics
See if you qualify for these scholarships and others with the .
Meet Alicia B.
BSE Secondary Education - Family Consumer Sciences Teacher Education ’17
“After graduating from UCM’s Family and Consumer Education program, I taught high
school for four years and realized how prepared the program made me. With my UCM advisor
as a role model, I thrived in content and in creating positive student relationships.
I now work in higher education and have incorporated some of the program’s fundamentals.”
Meet Tara V.
BSE Secondary Education - Family Consumer Sciences Teacher Education ’20
“UCM’s Family Consumer Science Education program is the best of the best. The program
coordinator truly models what it means to be a great teacher and mentor. She personally
advises all her students while at UCM and is also available for anything we might
need well beyond those four years. I couldn't imagine a better collegiate experience
than the one I had at UCM!"
Meet Blake R.
BSE Secondary Education - Family Consumer Sciences Teacher Education ’22
“UCM’s Family and Consumer Science Education program is more than just a group of
students with the same major. We have become a little family and are always helping
each other to be successful in and out of the classroom. We have developed true, lifelong
friendships and connections that will continue even after we graduate and go our separate
ways."
Meet Lyndsey H.
BSE Secondary Education - Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher Education ’22
“UCM’s Family Consumer Science Education program has been amazing at helping me feel
comfortable about becoming an educator. I have received plenty of experience in content
areas and have gained skills that I will use daily in my classroom. UCM faculty have
made my classes engaging and relevant. We are always doing fun activities I can apply
in my future classroom!”
Meet Our Faculty
Dr. Krystle Gremaud
Dr. Gremaud, UCM’s Family Consumer Sciences Education program coordinator, knows what
it’s like to be a UCM student and an FCS teacher. Before earning her MS and Ed.S.
at UCM, she served in secondary education for 10 years. This gives her unique insight
into what you’ll experience during and after college, which enables her to provide
the best guidance and support.
Read Dr. Gremaud’s Bio
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