Family & Consumer Science

Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS or FACS) is the comprehensive body of skills, research, and knowledge that helps people make informed decisions about their well-being, relationships, and resources to achieve optimal quality of life.  The field represents many areas, including human development, personal and family finance, housing and interior design, food science, nutrition, wellness, textiles and apparel, and consumer issues.

FACS is the only profession that integrates knowledge from the basic disciplines of science, humanities, and the arts. It integrates math, reading, communication skills, organization skills, and work readiness in each area of study. In addition, FACS teaches 21st century skills as they relate to balancing work and family through the career clusters.

FACS courses are found within the following:

• Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources
• Architecture and Construction
• Arts, AV Technology and Communications
• Business Management and Administration
• Education and Training
• Finance
• Government and Public Administration
• Health Science
• Hospitality and Tourism
• Human Services
• Law, Public Safety, Corrections and Security
• Marketing
• Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)

FACS careers introduced include early childhood educators, teaching field, hospitality and tourisms, geriatrics professionals, social workers, family counselors, credit counselors, nutrition educators and dieticians, interior and textile designers, food scientists, and many more. FACS education addresses STEM through the living sciences including:

• Food science and innovation
• Nutrition and wellness
• Interior/textiles technologies
• Environmental practices
• Early childhood education and parenting, which promotes early STEM skills in children