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Family and Consumer Sciences
Develop a deeper, applied understanding of family and human development theory in preparation for furthering one’s career in youth or adult development programs, family life education, family resource management, parent education, family case management or family support services.
Family and Consumer Sciences – Master of Science (M.S.) in Health & Human Development, Family and Consumer Sciences Emphasis
In the Family and Consumer Sciences program at Montana State, candidates further their study of Family and Consumer Sciences, human development, public and community health, family policy and family program planning for a variety of family-focused careers within the public and private sectors. Through the Family and Consumer Sciences program, candidates gain a deeper and applied understanding of human development theory that leads to careers in development programming, family life education, family case management and support services, counseling, social work, policy analysis, community health or public administration. Given the program’s versatility, Family and Consumer Sciences students are encouraged to be creative in developing their program of study to help accomplish their specific research interests and professional goals.
Students within the Family & Consumer Sciences program have the opportunity to work with a variety of programs associated with the Department of Health & Human Development, including the Montana Early Childhood Project, an outreach program that recently received a $42,000 grant to create a new registry for home visitors and early intervention specialists who work with infants or toddlers with significant developmental delays or disabilities.
Nature’s Laboratory
MSU students make Montana, including nearby Yellowstone National Park, their classroom,
laboratory and playground.
MSU Child Development Center
The MSU Child Development Center is Montana’s first preschool, open since the 1920s.
Licensed by the State of Montana, the Child Development Center is accredited by the
National Association for the Education of Young Children – an accreditation awarded
to less than 10% of all preschools nationwide.
Work-Life Balance
Livability has previously ranked Bozeman as one of its Best Places to Live four years
in a row, including the #1 best place to live in Montana, calling the city a "tech-savvy,
economically vibrant, highly educated city on the grow" with year-round natural attractions.
Fund Your Education
The Graduate School at Montana State is dedicated to helping students secure funding to support their time at MSU. Some resources the Department of Health & Human Development and the Graduate School offer includes:
- Scholarship opportunities through the College of Education, Health & Human Development
- Internal Fellowship and Funding Opportunities
- External Fellowship and Funding Opportunities
Additionally, teaching assistantships may be available within the Department of Health & Human Development. Research assistantships may be available with individual faculty members who have funded grants or contracts. Stipends vary depending on the type of appointment, the requirements of the job, the experience of the applicant and available funding.
Online Learning
Montana State’s M.S. program in Family & Consumer Sciences is designed to accommodate both students who wish to either attend graduate school full-time with courses on and off campus as well as students who wish to earn their graduate degree entirely online.
With this flexible model, students have the opportunity to build a course of learning that suits not only their learning style but also their specific academic interests. With coursework that revolves around a broad spectrum of issues in early childhood and the Family and Consumer Sciencess and independent study, students are able to learn on their own terms – either as a traditional graduate student or as a busy working professional.
Admissions Requirements
Note: no GRE Required.
Each program within the Graduate School at Montana State has its own particular requirements for admission, and the Family and Consumer Sciencesprogram is not different. To ensure that you start your application on the right foot, please review the admissions requirements for the Family and Consumer Sciencesprogram. This includes any additional deadlines that the Department of Health & Human Development may have aside from the Graduate School, which does practice rolling admissions.