Master of Science in Family, Youth and Community Sciences
The Master of Science in FYCS seeks to prepare students for careers in human services, youth professions, and community development in public, private, and nonprofit organizations. There are two degree options: thesis and capstone.
- The thesis option prepares students to conduct independent research needed to develop science-based solutions to problems, issues, and policies that affect families, youth, and communities. Students develop expertise in a subject matter area directly relevant to the problem or need they want to address with the thesis research.
- The capstone option provides the student with a broad base of knowledge and skills in the discipline and culminates in a capstone project in the student’s final or penultimate semester. Completion of a community-based project that addresses an identified issue within the field of Family, Youth, and Community Sciences. Projects will vary based on student interests but will comply with expected professional and ethical standards. Students will also develop a professional portfolio and deliver a professional presentation. This course meets the graduate school requirement of the final comprehensive examination for a master’s degree without thesis.
Students in the Master of Science program have the option to complete one of three concentrations:
- Concentration in Nonprofit Organizational Development. The concentration helps students build a foundation of skills to develop and sustain an effective nonprofit organization, including coursework that examines essential topics like governance, strategic planning, fundraising, risk management, and financial planning.
- Concentration in Family and Youth Development. The concentration helps students build the leadership skills needed to effectively develop, implement, and evaluate services and programs affecting youth and families within their communities.
- Concentration in Community Studies. This concentration prepares students to serve as leaders and managers for community-based organizations and programs.
Students both inside and outside the major may complete a Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership. This 12-credit certificate covers the core competencies of: governance, strategic planning, fundraising, human resources management, and risk management, as well as other emerging strategies.
An online professional development program in Personal and Family Financial Planning is available. The program is registered with the Certified Financial PlannerTM Board of Standards to offer courses that cover education requirements for sitting for the CFP examination.
The Family, Youth and Community Sciences Department offers two minors for non-majors. The Minor in Organizational Leadership for Nonprofits introduces students to the core management and leadership competencies necessary to work in the nonprofit sector. The Minor in Family, Youth and Community Sciences provides students with knowledge about the theories and body of research that explain how families, youth, and communities develop and interact.
Combination program: The Department offers a combination bachelor’s/master’s degree program, which allows qualified students to earn both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree with a savings of up 12 credits.
Degrees Offered with a Major in Family, Youth, and Community Sciences
- Master of Science
- without a concentration
- concentration in Community Studies
- concentration in Family and Youth Development
- concentration in Nonprofit Organizational Development
Requirements for these degrees are given in the Graduate Degrees section of this catalog.
Family, Youth and Community Sciences Departmental Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| FYC 5935 | Personal and Family Financial Planning Capstone | 3 |
| FYC 6026 | Human Resource Management for Nonprofits | 3 |
| FYC 6105 | Youth and Family Relationships | 3 |
| FYC 6111 | Families and Violence | 3 |
| FYC 6117 | Military Families in Community Context | 3 |
| FYC 6131 | Ethics for FYCS Practitioners | 3 |
| FYC 6207 | Adolescent Problematic Behavior | 3 |
| FYC 6221 | Grant Proposals for Community-Based Organizations | 3 |
| FYC 6222 | Parenting and Child Relationships | 3 |
| FYC 6223 | Promoting Positive Youth Development | 3 |
| FYC 6230 | Theories of Family Development, Systems and Change | 3 |
| FYC 6234 | Theoretical Approaches to Youth Development | 3 |
| FYC 6235 | Prevention Science in Youth Development and Family Science | 3 |
| FYC 6302 | Sustainable Community Development | 3 |
| FYC 6320 | Community Development and Civic Engagement | 3 |
| FYC 6330 | Theories of Community Development | 3 |
| FYC 6421 | Nonprofit Organizations | 3 |
| FYC 6424 | Fund Raising for Community Nonprofit Organizations | 3 |
| FYC 6425 | Risk Management in Nonprofit Organizations | 3 |
| FYC 6620 | Program Planning and Evaluation for Human Service Delivery | 3 |
| FYC 6662 | Public Policy and Human Resource Development | 3 |
| FYC 6800 | Scientific Reasoning and Research Design | 3 |
| FYC 6802 | Advanced Research Methods for Family, Youth, and Community Sciences | 3 |
| FYC 6804 | Applied Data Analysis in Family, Youth and Community Sciences | 3 |
| FYC 6901 | Problems in Family, Youth, and Community Sciences | 1-3 |
| FYC 6912 | Nonthesis Project in Family, Youth, and Community Sciences | 1-3 |
| FYC 6920 | Capstone Project | 3 |
| FYC 6932 | Topics, in Family, Youth, and Community Sciences | 1-3 |
| FYC 6933 | Seminar in Human Resource Development | 1 |
| FYC 6934 | Professional Internship/Practicum in Family, Youth, and Community Sciences | 1-3 |
| FYC 6936 | Professional Development Seminar in YDFS | 3 |
| FYC 6971 | Research for Master's Thesis | 1-6 |
| FYC 7979 | Advanced Research | 1-12 |
| FYC 7980 | Research for Doctoral Dissertation | 1-15 |
College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ALS 5156 | Agricultural Ecology Principles and Applications | 3 |
| ALS 5905 | Individual Study | 1-4 |
| ALS 5932 | Special Topics | 1-4 |
| ALS 6046 | Grant Writing | 2 |
| ALS 6166 | Exotic Species and Biosecurity Issues | 3 |
| ALS 6921 | Colloquium on Plant Pests of Regulatory Significance | 1 |
| ALS 6925 | Integrated Plant Medicine | 4 |
| ALS 6931 | Plant Medicine Program Seminar | 1 |
| ALS 6935 | Topics in Biological Invasions | 3 |
| ALS 6942 | Principles of Plant Pest Risk Assessment and Management | 3 |
| ALS 6943 | Internship in Plant Pest Risk Assessment and Management | 1-10 |
| ANS 6936 | Graduate Seminar in Animal Molecular and Cell Biology | 1-2 |
| BCH 5045 | Graduate Survey of Biochemistry | 4 |
| STA 6093 | Introduction to Applied Statistics for Agricultural and Life Sciences | 3 |
| STA 6329 | Matrix Algebra and Statistical Computing | 3 |
Family, youth & community sciences (MS)
SLO 1 Analyze Problems, Issues and Needs
Use science-based research to analyze complex family, youth, or social problems, issues, and needs
SLO 2 Apply Theory and Research
Apply family, economic, or social theory and research to the analysis of policies and programs that affect families, youth, and communities
SLO 3 Analyze and Assess Needs, Issues and Problems
Analyze and assess the needs, issues and problems of families, youth, and communities
SLO 4 Impacts of Policies, Programs and Organizations
Develop, implement and analyze the impacts of policies, programs and organizations for families, youth, and communities
SLO 5 Professional Behavior
Interact with professional peers with honesty, ethical behavior, cultural sensitivity, and teamwork