Child and Family Studies Family Studies B.A.

The Family Studies concentration is designed for students seeking a deeper understanding of the dynamics of family relations and the interaction of the family with society. Students explore family structures and dynamics (including parent-child relations), families from different cultures, contemporary issues, family law, family violence and other dysfunctions, environmental influences, and other specific areas of interest. Graduates commonly seek employment in public and private social work (protection, foster care, adoption, family support, group homes, child support, etc.), family life education programs, child and family advocacy, abuse shelters and programs, family resource centers, parenthood education, gerontology, cooperative extension, or related areas. Advanced studies often are pursued in counseling/therapy, family studies, social work, human development, gerontology, or other human services fields.

Degree Requirements

A major in Child and Family Studies, with an Area of Concentration in Family Studies, is achieved by completion of the following requirements, in addition to the General Education and electives required for a degree:

Required CFS Core Courses

CFS 130Lifespan Human Development

1 Course Credit

CFS 145Consumer Decision Making

1 Course Credit

CFS 207/WGS 207Family Relations (WGS)

1 Course Credit

CFS 221Fundamentals of Nutrition

1 Course Credit

Required Capstone Coursees

CFS 480Senior Seminar

1 Course Credit

CFS 441Family Resource Management

1 Course Credit

includes the Home Management House as a laboratory component

Required Collateral Course

SOC 100Sociology of Everyday Life

1 Course Credit

or

PSY 100General Psychology

1 Course Credit

 

Required Distribution Courses

CFS 237Human Environments I

1 Course Credit

CFS 238Human Environments II

1 Course Credit

CFS 245Community Resources-Families

1 Course Credit

CFS 317Parent Child Relations

1 Course Credit

CFS 350Family Law and Policy

1 Course Credit

CFS 362Cont Family Issues & Poverty

1 Course Credit

CFS 366/WGS 366Cross-Cultrl Persp-Fam (WGS)

1 Course Credit

CFS 380Methods of Prof Delivery

1 Course Credit

CFS 186/286/386/486

CFS 395/495

PSY 231/CFS 231Social Gerontology

1 Course Credit

One of which must be CFS 317, 362, or 366.  CFS 186/286/386/486 and 395/495 must be approved by the CFS Program for this particular area of concentration.  For each of these courses, only one credit shall count toward the major concentration requirement.

Exploring the Major— In addition to taking key General Education requirements, students considering this concentration should enroll in CFS 130, CFS 145, CFS 207 (also WGS), and CFS 221 during their first and second years, if possible.

Admission to the Major— Admission into the major requires the following: an overall GPA of 2.00; an average GPA of 2.3 in CFS classes completed at the time of declaration of major; a successful formal interview and positive recommendation by an assigned CFS faculty member assigned by the Program Coordinator; completion of a handwritten, well-constructed essay explaining why the student wants to become a CFS major; and a majority vote of acceptance by the CFS faculty. A student who has been formally accepted into another major at Berea and wants to transfer to a CFS major must make this request in writing to the Program Coordinator of the CFS Program.  A student who is eligible for the declaration of major process, is currently enrolled in his/her first CFS class, and is interested in pursuing a CFS major should contact the Program Coordinator of the CFS program.

Course Sequencing Considerations (in order to complete degree requirements within eight terms)—CFS 130, CFS 145, CFS 207 (also WGS), and CFS 221 are prerequisites for upper-level courses and are offered every regular term. Upper-level courses sometimes are offered only once a year or in alternate years, so early curricular planning is very important. If a student elects to take CFS 395/495 to fulfill a major requirement, the Internship may be completed after the first year is completed. However, the Program recommends that CFS Internships be completed after the sophomore or junior year. Most CFS Internship placements are during the Summer terms. Students, including those with a dual concentration, may use only one program-approved 395/495 to meet a concentration requirement.

Proficiency Requirements for Retention in and Completion of the Major—In addition to completing the core course requirements and specified courses within the area of concentration, each student must satisfy program standards for effectiveness in written and oral communication.

Other Considerations and Recommendations—Two recommended electives for this concentration are HLT 111 and HLT 224. Also, for students who are planning to pursue a Master of Social Work degree, MAT 104 and BIO 101 are recommended. For students pursuing double concentrations, if the student chooses to complete two Internships or two Special Topics courses, the two courses must be judged qualitatively different by the Program.