The Norton School of Family and Consumer Sciences offers programs leading to a Master of Science with a major in family and consumer sciences with concentrations in family studies and human development, family and consumer sciences education, retailing and consumer sciences; and a Doctor of Philosophy program with a... Show Full Description

The Norton School of Family and Consumer Sciences offers programs leading to a Master of Science with a major in family and consumer sciences with concentrations in family studies and human development, family and consumer sciences education, retailing and consumer sciences; and a Doctor of Philosophy program with a major in family and consumer sciences and a concentration in family studies and human development emphasizing interpersonal relationships or human development; or a concentration in retailing and consumer sciences emphasizing retailing management or consumer behaviors.

All applicants are required to submit GRE scores, three letters of reference, and a statement of academic and professional goals. A minor in family studies and human development or in family and consumer sciences education are available for doctoral students with majors in other disciplines.

Family Studies and Human Development Family studies and human development involves the scientific study of family structures, interactions, and outcomes, emphasizing change over time in individual, interactional, and group level phenomena. Emphases are available in interpersonal relationships and human development. The doctoral program in family studies and human development educates social and behavioral scientists to become independent scholars engaging in research and teaching in academic, government or private-sector settings. When students are accepted into the concentration in family studies and human development within the family and consumer sciences major for the Ph.D., it is assumed that they have the ability and interest to pursue the doctoral degree. Students are expected to meet all university requirements for doctoral studies with a major concentration in family studies and human development and a minor from an area outside of the School of Family and Consumer Sciences. Contact the Division of Family Studies and Human Development for specific degree requirements.

Retailing and Consumer Sciences The Master of Science with a major in family and consumer sciences, and a concentration in retailing and consumer sciences is available. Students are required to complete 36 units including statistics and research methods, and 6 units for the master's report. The major components of the course requirements include retail management and consumer studies. This program prepares students for pursuing a doctoral degree or for employment in retail firms, consumer research firms, consumer service firms, teaching at the secondary-school, community college, and university level. The doctoral program in retailing and consumer sciences prepares students for faculty positions in higher education and for research positions in government and private industry. The program requires the completion of a minimum of 66 credit hours and is built around a research mentoring program. Contact the Division of Retailing and Consumer Sciences for specific degree requirements.