Bachelor of Science, Major in Family and Consumer Sciences with Emphasis in Community and Family Services

at Pittsburg State University USA

Pittsburg State University’s Department of History, Philosophy, and Social Sciences consists of those specialties that have emerged as so desirable in the 21st century labor force. Students use the tools from Geography, History, Philosophy, Political Science, Criminal Justice, Sociology and Social Work programs and coursework to examine issues and to find sustainable solutions to complex problems affecting individuals, families, and society.

The mission of the History, Philosophy, and Social Sciences department’s programs is to provide high quality instruction to students in ways that emphasize active learning, problem solving, and critical thinking through transformative experiences. Through our efforts, we aim to increase everyone’s awareness of how the ethnic, cultural, and other forms of diversity affect society. We invite you to visit the individual program areas to learn more about each field of study.

Diversity and Inclusion: We are committed to collaboration, respect, understanding for all students, staff, and faculty. The programs of History, Philosophy, and Social Sciences department at Pittsburg State University embraces a commitment to diversity as a community of individuals and programs which seek to reduce prejudice, disparities, discrimination and build a supportive environment for all. 

The Master of Science in Mathematics degree provides for advanced study in mathematics. The program prepares students to teach at the community college level, a career in mathematics, or an advanced degree in mathematics.

At the graduate level, Pitt State offers an 18-hour Graduate Certificate in Mathematics and a Master of Science (MS) degree. The 18-hour Graduate Certificate in Mathematics is designed to certify that the recipients have a knowledge base in graduate mathematics requisite in a variety of areas, including collegiate level teaching.

The Department of Technology and Workforce Learning offers a Master of Science degree with a major in Technology. Within the program, students may choose to have no emphasis or may select from nine emphasis areas. This program provides advanced instruction in technical, scientific, managerial and supervisory areas for those working in technical and management positions in business and industry. The program consists of 30-33 credit hours.

The Kelce College of Business offers a Master of Business Administration MBA degree with emphasis in Human Resources. The Human Resources MBA is a professional program designed to prepare future business executives for the workforce.

The Department of English and Modern Languages offers baccalaureate degrees and a master’s degree program. Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) programs are offered in English and in Modern Languages. A Bachelor of Science in Education and a master’s program are also offered in English. The department offers minors in English, English Teaching, Creative Writing, French, Professional Writing, and Spanish.

English, Traditional -  Emphasis
Our students in the English Program take pride in their ability to analyze literature and formulate academic writing from those analyses. This desire has culminated in the traditional emphasis at Pitt State. We believe that understanding literature not only gives students greater academic knowledge but also prepares them for a career in academia or academic writing.

Students in this emphasis spend their time working hand-in-hand with our staff to read and analyze literature, while also learning how to formulate powerful arguments that can be used for conferences and other academic pursuits. Some of the classes we offer include Writing About Literature, British Literature, and American Literature.

The Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs at Pittsburg State University (PSU) provide quality opportunities in the development and growth of competent CTE teachers through a variety of options. Students can select a certificate, two-year degree, four-year degree or a graduate level degree to expand their teaching options and professional advancement.

The B.S.T. in Graphic Communications is a 120-credit Graphic Communications Degree that can be completed in four years of full-time study. Students are asked to declare one of the following areas of emphasis: Digital Media, Graphic Design, Graphics Management, Print Media, Packaging Graphics, or Web/Interactive Media.

All six areas of emphasis within the Graphic Communications program share a core curriculum, classes necessary for the field of graphic communications. In addition to these classes, each of the six distinct areas have specific emphasis and support courses, to round out the major, as well as elective graphics classes, allowing students to customize their degree.

The curriculum offered by the GIT department is under constant review and is always updated to ensure students get exposure to contemporary changes in this dynamic field.

Graphics Management - Emphasis
The Graphics Management emphasis focuses on the business and executive aspects of Graphic Communications Management. Courses reflect current technology and also include training in management, sales, customer service, estimating, production control and work-flow scheduling.  

The core curriculum within the Department of Graphics and Imaging Technologies (GIT) includes courses common among all of our six emphasis areas. These courses are primarily introductory classes that provide students with the basic information needed to succeed in the graphics industry. Within the core curriculum, there are also two upper-division classes, an internship and a capstone class.

Graphic Communication Management Emphasis Courses:

• Print File Preparation and Preflight
• Printing Technologies
• Graphics Cost Analysis and Estimating
• Sales and Customer Service
• Color Reproduction
• Graphics Administration
• Industrial Supervision

The Department of Psychology and Counseling offers a Master of Science Degree with a Major in Psychology. Within the program, students will select from two different emphasis areas, General or Clinical.

The Clinical emphasis is designed for students who wish to pursue master’s level licensure in psychology or counseling and provide direct clinical service to individuals with psychological disorders. Students who earn the degree, complete post-degree supervision, and pass the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology are eligible for designation as Licensed Clinical Psychotherapists in Kansas. The program includes a 750 clock hour practicum and internship sequence. The program meets educational requirements for Licensed Professional Counselor in most states, including Missouri, but requirements vary by state. Additional post-degree supervision and national examination are required for licensure as a professional counselor and also varies by state.

The Department of Family & Consumer Sciences offers baccalaureate degrees and a cooperative master’s degree program. B.S. programs are offered in Nutrition and Wellness, Community and Family Services, and two tracks in Child Development. A B.S.E. program is offered in Family and Consumer Sciences Education. The department has an Early Childhood Unified: Birth - Kindergarten program. The department offers minors in Child Development, Family and Consumer Sciences, Human Ecology, Nutrition and Wellness, and Youth and Adolescent Development. The department also contributes to minors in Women’s Studies and Public Health. 

Nutrition and Wellness - Emphasis
The Nutrition and Wellness concentration appeals to students who want to work in settings where they would apply knowledge about nutrition in the community setting. (This is not a dietetics program.) This concentration builds upon the Family and Consumer Sciences focus, which is the application of the sciences to the betterment of individuals, families, and communities.

The Department of Communication offers a Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Science in Education, and Master of Arts degrees within a collaborative and collegial environment. Our top-ranked faculty are highly active in their professions and emphasize the importance of fusing theory with applied skill. We have more than 250 majors across the five emphasis areas of human communication, media production, multimedia journalism, strategic communication, and theatre. The department stresses an integrated and active approach to learning. Please explore our website and let us know if you have any questions.

Multimedia Journalism - Emphasis
Multimedia journalism prepares students for careers in the news industry. Students take classes in news reporting, broadcast journalism, photojournalism, online journalism, and media law and get practical experience through on-campus media outlets. Students in this area learn to collect information through interviewing sources, interpreting and organizing information, and presenting it to the public. MMJ students also learn about the rights and responsibilities of journalists in a free and open society. They find careers in digital media, radio, television, cable, print, and online news, as well as PR and other media-related fields.