Family and Consumer Sciences Education Degree

Explore the Family and Consumer Sciences Education Program

Do you have a passion for educating others about family living, consumer economics, foods and nutrition, clothing and textiles, child development, and parenting? If yes, consider an endorsement in Family and Consumer Sciences. These things are important to pass on to the next generation for quality living in the home and in the public. Skills needed include leadership and working with other people, creativity, flexibility, patience, and good communication. If you possess these, you’ll be a good candidate for an FCS career.

Another career option for family and consumer science majors is an extension educator, a person who plans, conducts, and evaluates educational programs of FCS as well as 4-H. Get an endorsement in Family and Consumer Sciences from Wayne State College, and you’ll be prepared for a variety of educational careers in this field.

View program courses Download program fact sheet (PDF)

Endorsement information
The grade levels and subjects you want to teach are called endorsements, and depending on the type of endorsement, you are required to choose one or more in order to obtain your teaching certificate/license. The FCS Education program at Wayne State is a field endorsement, meaning you are not required to choose additional endorsements. However, you may add on additional endorsements if you want to do so. Learn more about endorsements.

Fast facts

Degree options: B.A. or B.S. in Family and Consumer Sciences/Occupational Education

Endorsement type: Field endorsement
Learn more about endorsements.

Delivery format: On campus (Wayne)

Program credit hours: 84

FCS core courses (18 credit hours)
FCS endorsement area (33 credit hours)
Education core courses (33 credit hours)

Note: Students must also take 30 credit hours of General Studies courses. A total of 120 credit hours are needed to graduate from WSC. Additional majors or minors can be added to help meet graduation requirements.

Schools: Education and Behavioral Sciences

Departments: Educational Foundations and Leadership

Prepare for your future

Becoming a teacher

Field experience and clinical practice

As a student pursuing a teaching career in family and consumer sciences, you’ll complete field experiences and clinical practice. Some field experiences are embedded within the coursework of WSC’s educator preparation programs. Once you’ve completed the initial field experience requirements, you’ll then complete a semester of clinical practice (student teaching) in a school district chosen with the help of your adviser. During this semester, you’ll work closely with an experienced teacher to gain classroom experience.

Learn more about clinical practice

Northeast Nebraska Teacher Academy (NENTA)

Student teaching is a requirement for teacher certification in all 50 states and provides you with critical real-life experience before gaining a classroom of your own. Only Wayne State College adds to this experience through the Northeast Nebraska Teacher Academy (NENTA), a program that allows you to substitute teach as a junior and get paid, all while still earning your degree.

Learn more about NENTA

Student learning outcomes

FCS programs

Demonstrate professional communication skills in Family and Consumer Sciences settings.
Apply knowledge from their program of study to current and future issues in Family and Consumer Sciences.
Utilize critical thinking for problem solving in Family and Consumer Sciences settings.

Education programs

Teacher candidates who successfully complete an education preparation program at Wayne State will be able to:

Create environments that support individual and collaborative learning using knowledge of how students grow and develop, along with individual differences and diverse cultures. (InTASC Standards 1-3)
Plan for instruction by applying content knowledge, a variety of instructional strategies, and multiple methods of assessment to connect concepts for learners in real-world applications. (InTASC Standards 4-8)
Engage in ongoing professional learning and use evidence to reflect on and adapt practice to meet the needs of each learner. (InTASC Standard 9)
Seek leadership roles and opportunities to take responsibility for student learning, to collaborate with stakeholders, and to advance the profession. (InTASC Standard 10)

View InTASC Standards for Educator Preparation

Topics covered

FCS topics covered

Professional development and presentation
Consumer economics
Clothing/textile construction
Family and relationships
Housing design and interior environments
Food preparation and meal management
Child growth, development, safety, and nutrition

Education topics covered

Implementing career, vocational, and FCS education programs
Teaching as a profession
Human learning processes and behavior
Instructional design methodologies, implementation, and evaluation
Educational collaboration and equitable learning opportunities
Classroom management

Admission to Wayne State College does not guarantee entry into its educator preparation programs. Students planning to pursue professional education must undergo a background check along with meeting other requirements (benchmarks) and advance through three levels of preparation required to become a teacher.

Level One - Preparing for Teacher Candidacy
In this level, students apply for educator preparation and complete some of the preliminary coursework of the program. Students will need to pass an initial background check as well. View all Level One benchmarks.

Level Two - Preparing for Clinical Practice
In Level Two, students will prepare for student teaching by passing the required courses, meeting evidence to show their readiness, and pass a complete background check. View all Level Two benchmarks.

Level Three - Clinical Practice
Level Three is the final level and includes the successful completion of clinical practice and meeting the degree requirements for graduation from Wayne State. Students will also register to take the Praxis Exam. Passing the Praxis Exam is not a graduation requirement; however, it is required to earn a teaching license for the state in which you want to teach. View all Level Three benchmarks.

Benchmarks and Levels of Educator Preparation

Teacher certification

After successfully completing a teacher education program at Wayne State, you’ll submit your application to become a licensed teacher in Nebraska.

Initial Teacher Certification

State licensure disclosure

Wayne State's Family and Consumer Sciences Education program is designed to prepare students for teacher licensure or certification in Nebraska. It has not been determined if these programs meet requirements for all other states.

If you are planning to pursue professional licensure or certification in a state other than Nebraska, it is strongly recommended that you contact the appropriate licensing entity in that state to seek information and guidance regarding licensure or certification requirements before beginning an academic program.

FCS Education Licensure Disclosure for all States About State Authorization and Licensure

Graduates with a degree in Family and Consumer Sciences Education teach in schools using the skills they learned while at Wayne State College.

Jobs of recent graduates:

Facilitator – Norfolk Public Schools AfterShock Program (Norfolk, Neb.)
FCS Teacher – Boone Central Public Schools (Albion, Neb.)
FCS Teacher – Elkhorn Public Schools (Elkhorn, Neb.)
FCS Teacher – Lewis Central Community Schools (Council Bluffs, Iowa)
FCS Teacher – Lincoln Public Schools (Lincoln, Neb.)
FCS Teacher – Mead Public Schools (Mead, Neb.)
FCS Teacher – Millard South High School (Omaha, Neb.)
FCS Teacher – Menno School District (Menno, S.D.)
FCS Teacher – Umon Hon Nation Public Schools (Macy, Neb.)

job or grad school placement rate
within six months of graduation
Data based on most recent
employment outcomes survey

Cost of attendance

Most Affordable College in Nebraska

- College Affordability Guide, 2024

Wayne State is considered the most affordable four-year college or university in Nebraska. With same rates for in- and out-of-state students, our tuition guarantee, and our generous scholarship packages, it is clear to see how WSC earned the title. In fact, the average remaining annual cost of attendance for 2024-25 is $2,268 for undergraduate students after financial aid and scholarships.

Family and Consumer Sciences core courses (18 credit hours)

Credits: 3
Description: Evaluation of clothing construction for the consumer relative to sewing projects and ready-to-wear. Components of quality workmanship, apparel fibers/fabrics, and cost factors are emphasized through construction projects. Lecture and lab combined.
Credits: 1
Description: The history, growth and development of family and consumer sciences. Career exploration of the opportunities for careers open to family and consumer sciences graduates. Freshmen, sophomores, undeclared majors or by permission of instructor.
Credits: 3
Description: A study of relationships throughout the life cycle. Application of the critical thinking process to the identification of values, the formulation of goals, and the decision-making model in order to improve the quality of life for individuals and families.
Credits: 3
Description: A study of the fundamentals of verbal and nonverbal presentations, media techniques for presenting oral and written information, visual aids and their usage, and display techniques to enable the student to become more skilled at giving professional presentations.
Credits: 3
Description: Development of responsible consumerism through value clarification, goal formulation, decision-making, and effective use of resources.
Credits: 2
Description: Course to enhance the professional development of FCS majors. Topics to include networking, job search skills, portfolio development, professional associations, and entrepreneurship.
Prerequisite: FCS 313 Techniques in Professional Presentation
Choose one of the following courses:
- FCS 240 Design and Interior Environments (3 credits) - The study and discussion of concepts, issues, and resolutions in which research of human behavior is influenced by built environment. Use of communication skills, problem-solving, and media to design interior environments. An exploration of sustainable design and its effects on interior design, architecture, city planning, and landscape design.
- FCS 305 Housing Development and Design (3 credits) - A study of architectural housing styles, future trends in housing, housing selection as it concerns the family during stages of the family life cycle. Floor plans, furniture arrangement, elements and principles of design, color theory, and their application to housing will be covered. Lecture and lab combined.

FCS endorsement content area courses (33 credit hours)

Credits: 3
Description: This course will provide students with the understanding of the five relationships critical for planning and implementing a career education program; politics and government, academics and total school offerings, student achievement and life application, business and industry and the individual’s role as a professional educator. Career Education reflects the historical, evolutionary, and technological changes in career education, the impact of legislation, work and demand for new knowledge and skills in a global economy.
Credits: 3
Description: The study of cooperative programs in career and technical education with emphasis in the areas of business, family and consumer sciences, and skilled and technical sciences. Comparative philosophies of career and technical (vocational) and general education and their relation in the comprehensive school program. Stresses the organization of the cooperative program, supervision techniques, functions of the coordinator, selection and placement of students, and the evaluation of training situations and vocational competencies.
Credits: 3
Description: Principles and concepts of individual development through the lifespan in the context of the family.
Credits: 3
Description: Application of concepts in menu planning, preparation, and time management principles related to budgeting and purchasing of food. Lecture and lab combined.
Prerequisite: FCS 104 Principles of Food Preparation, FCS 107 Principles of Baking, or approval of instructor
Credits: 3
Description: Serviceability concepts, durability, comfort, care, and appearance as related to fibers, yarns, fabric construction, finishes, and designs. Consumer-oriented approach.
Credits: 3
Description: Analysis of the management process and socio-economic influences as related to the utilization of resources to meet individual and family goals. Special management situation considered.
Credits: 3
Description: Introduction to the administration and organization of family and consumer sciences programs including budget and lab management, curriculum development for programs of study and scope/sequence of courses, effective technology use for households and classrooms, and analysis and assessment of resources.
Choose one of the following food preparation courses:
- FCS 104 Principles of Food Preparation (3 credits) – The nutritional value of foods and the relation of food to health, fundamental principles of cookery applied to foods commonly used in the home. Lecture and lab combined. Class fee of $42 required.
- FCS 107 Principles of Baking (3 credits) – An introduction to the principles and techniques used in the preparation of high-quality baked goods, with an emphasis on fundamental production techniques and evaluation of quality characteristics. The course will cover baking ingredients, use of equipment, proper storage, and sanitation methods. Lecture and lab combined. Class fee of $45 required.
Choose one of the following clothing and textiles courses:
- FCS 202 Clothing Design (3 credits) – Styles of fashion relative to garment components and industry trends are studied. Principles and elements of design will be applied to pattern drafting and garment construction. Lecture and lab combined.
- FCS 403 Fashion Analysis (3 credits) – This course analyzes how the fashion industry decides what is featured in retail stores, from runway collections to the streets of mainstream America. It also explores the factors that affect trends and influence fashion forecasting with examples and industry applications.
Choose one of the following courses in working with young children:
- FCS 220 Infants and Toddlers (3 credits) – A study of human growth and behavior from conception through 2 years of age. Curriculum and assessment, language development, appropriate literature, play and discovery, children with a range of abilities, family and community partnerships will be addressed. Early childhood center observation is required. Prerequisite: FCS 120 Introduction to Early Childhood Education or permission of instructor.
- FCS 335 Preschool Age Child (3 credits) – A study of human growth and behavior from 3 years of age through 5 years of age. Curriculum and assessment, emergent literacy, appropriate literature, play and discovery, children with a range of abilities, and family and community partnerships will be addressed. Early childhood center and preschool observations are required. Prerequisite: FCS 120 Introduction to Early Childhood Education or permission of instructor.
Choose one of the following courses in teaching, guiding, and caring for children:
- FCS 310 Parenting (3 credits) – A study of the parenting relationships over the course of time from preparing for the first child through families with adolescent children into relationships with adult children. Traits and characteristics of healthy families and discipline techniques are included.
- FCS 325 Health, Safety, and Nutrition for the Young Child (3 credits) – A course designed to assist early childhood and elementary educators by providing them with knowledge and skills to address the health, safety, and physical needs of young children (0-8 years). The promotion of good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle will also be emphasized.

Educator preparation core (33 credit hours)

Credits: 3

Description: Students are introduced to teaching as a profession through the historical, cultural, and philosophical foundations of educational systems. Students will explore various aspects of education, as well as their beliefs and values about teaching and learning through the exploration of professional knowledge, practice, and values. This course may include a field experience.
Credits: 0
Description: This course is designed for students in Level 1 of WSC’s educator preparation programs who are progressing into Level 2. Students will receive valuable information including, but not limited to, admission, program progression, degree and certification requirements, the use of portfolio software, professional dispositions for success, etc.

Notes: Graded S/NC
Credits: 3
Description: Students construct a conceptual basis for understanding the growth and development of learners. Theories of physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional development are explored in order to better understand the importance of the nurturing role of the teacher in human development and learning. Students begin to understand the human learning process and individual differences in how learners think and behave based on their unique characteristics. Students study theoretical models and the integration of models for planning and facilitating effective and differentiated experiences for diversified learners. This course will include field experience.
Prerequisite: EDU 150 Introduction to Professional Education
Corequisite: EDU 245 Preparing for Level 2: Teacher Candidacy
Credits: 3
Description: Students will practice instructional design methodologies or analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. To explore and learn to recognize their biases, including but not limited to sexism, racism, prejudice, and discrimination, students will develop an awareness of the impact such biases have on their interpersonal relations. Students will be challenged to reflect on how they can relate more effectively to other individuals and groups in a pluralistic society in order to promote equitable approaches to instructional design. This course fulfills the human relations component established by the Nebraska Department of Education. This course may include a field experience.
Prerequisites: EDU 150 Introduction to Professional Education and EDU 250 Human Development and Cognition must be taken concurrently or prior to this course.
Credits: 2
Description: This course outlines the essentials of the reading processes and skills necessary for secondary students to become proficient learners of content, the incorporation of reading instruction into content delivery, and examination of the Nebraska Language Arts standards. The course also provides candidates with a solid foundation in educational assessment.
Prerequisite: Acceptance to Educator Preparation (successful completion of Level 1 Benchmarks)
This course must be taken to meet the requirement for 3 semester hours of professional education coursework in pedagogical content knowledge.
Credits: 3
Description: This course examines the essential knowledge, skills, dispositions, and innovative applications of content needed for effective teaching in the 21st century. Specific content-area topics include instructional planning for differentiated instruction; effective strategies, techniques, materials, and assessment methods; reading and writing in the content area; classroom management; and the relationship of the content area to standards-based curriculum. To be taken concurrently with EDU 414 Content Area Practicum Experience.
Prerequisite: Acceptance to Educator Preparation (successful completion of Level 1 Benchmarks)
Credits: 1
Description: This 80-clock hour minimum content specific clinical experience (60 hours in classroom plus 20 hours in activities related to teaching) is designed to induct students into classroom teaching and develop an awareness of the many roles of a professional educator. Under the mentorship of a practicing K-12 educator, students will assist/co-teach/teach. Students will also actively participate in school-related activities commonly encountered by professional educators.
Prerequisites: Acceptance to Educator Preparation (successful completion of Level 1 Benchmarks), and successful completion or concurrent enrollment in EDU 409 Content Area Methods and Materials
Credits: 0
Description: This course is designed for graduate students in Level 2 of WSC’s educator preparation program who are progressing into Level 3 and those completing clinical practice to change endorsement levels. Two virtual sessions will be held at the beginning of each academic session for graduate teacher candidates planning to student teach in the following semester. Graduate teacher candidates will attend one of the two virtual sessions to receive valuable information including, but not limited to, how to apply for Clinical Practice, an overview of Clinical Practice requirements, rules regarding placement choices and department approval requirements.

Dual-listed: EDU 545
Notes: Graded S/NC
Credits: 12
Description: A semester course of full-day learning experiences in a secondary setting under the supervision of a cooperating 7-12 classroom teacher, a supervisor from the School of Education and Behavioral Sciences, and a faculty member from the appropriate content area. On-campus seminars will be offered periodically throughout the semester. This is the culminating experience of the secondary pre-service educator preparation program. Students in the Career Scholars Program will enroll for 3 credit hours in their first semester and 12 credit hours in their second semester (this course may be repeated by residency students only). All other students will enroll in 6 or 12 credit hours in one semester. Graded S/NC.
Prerequisite: Acceptance to Clinical Practice (successful completion of Level 2 Benchmarks)
Notes: Graded S/NC. Students in the Growing Together residency program will enroll for 3 credit hours in their first semester and 12 credit hours in their second semester (this course may be repeated by residency students only). All other students will enroll in 6 or 12 credit hours in one semester
Credits: 3
Description: The course will explore applications of methods and strategies within elementary and secondary settings to provide equitable learning opportunities within least restrictive learning environments for all students. An emphasis is placed on communication and collaboration among professionals and families to ensure the needs of all students are met.
Prerequisite: Acceptance to Educator Preparation (successful completion of Level Level 1 Benchmarks)
Credits: 3
Description: Understanding social and emotional development of all learners while considering Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS). Emphasis on implications for the inclusive learning environment, promotion of social competence, awareness of prosocial skills, and effective utilization of responsive relationships. Completing the Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) process and developing the Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) product to meet the needs of secondary learners.
Prerequisite: Acceptance to Educator Preparation.

Popular pairings

Many students at Wayne State will add an extra endorsement to make themselves more marketable and expand their teaching abilities. Students who recently majored in FCS Education at Wayne State also paired this program with one or more of the following endorsements

Middle Level Education (subject endorsement)
Work-Based Learning (supplemental endorsement)

View all majors and minors

Related programs

Students interested in the FCS Education endorsement may also be interested in

Family and Consumer Sciences
Middle Level Education (5-9)

I chose Wayne State because it’s one of the few schools in Nebraska that offers a Family and Consumer Sciences program. I really love the FCS Education program here. The professors are incredibly passionate about their students’ success. They go above and beyond to meet your needs and prepare you for careers beyond the classroom. Our classes are typically very hands-on, consisting of project-based learning. Class assignments range from lesson plans, baked goods, sewing, and creating developmentally appropriate games for young children.

Erin Reynoldson

Albion, Nebraska

Major: Family and Consumer Sciences Education