An interdisciplinary course which enables students to explore interpersonal and family relationships, family issues as impacted by societal problems and problem solving techniques. Additional concepts include budgeting, planning, credit management and other consumer issues, as well as the social graces requisite to interactions in various situations. Students work, travel, and attend institutes and conferences or other such professional experiences. Students explore world issues as they relate to interdependence, global views, culture and families. Students develop knowledge, interests in and attitudes toward people of the world.
Students identify the roles of family and consumer sciences professionals around the world.
International problems related to nutrition, education, housing and child care are critiqued, and students participate in active problem solving strategies which may be applied to global problems. Students gain an awareness of family management systems, theory and practice through an analysis of diverse management systems. Exploration and analysis of management systems principles, relationships of attitudes, values and goals and the role of decision making on family management styles empower students to be effective and efficient managers of all their resources, especially time, energy, and financial resources. Students develop knowledge a base for evaluating personal, societal and political issues affecting professionals in family and consumer sciences. Students study fibers, yarns, fabrics and finishes with emphasis on the interrelationships among these components and their impacts on product performance and satisfaction.