Family Ecology
The Family Ecology Master's Degree, offered by the Family and Consumer Studies Department, involves research and study on important policies and issues in family, community and societal life. Only a few students are admitted each year, so that students can benefit from close association with faculty. Faculty members hold degrees in a range of disciplines, such as economics, human development & family studies, psychology, and sociology, which allows students to benefit from a broad interdisciplinary curriculum. In the two-year master's program students learn the conceptual and research uses of an ecological approach. A master's thesis project enables students to gain in-depth understanding of research methods and how research can benefit society. With this preparation, students can understand and improve the quality of life for individuals, families & communities.
Graduate students may also be interested in the Demography Certificate Program
Areas of specialty
for courses and faculty
research typically span these two areas:
--Consumer & Community Studies
--Human Development & Family Studies
Why ecology?
The faculty members believe that many important issues and problems in society
cannot be understood or solved by relying on one traditional academic
discipline. Instead, complex societal goals, such as healthy child development,
safe neighborhoods, or poverty alleviation, require the combined strengths
of multiple disciplines. Research from an ecological perspective often
uses multiple disciplinary approaches to focus on people in their natural
environments and to identify policies or practices that are important
to quality of life.
Career options for
graduates included but are not limited to:
Continuing education
for a Ph.D. degree in a variety of programs
Providers of services
Planners, administrators,
and evaluators of services
Advocates for families
and communities
| Graduate Director: Barbara Brown | barbara.brown@fcs.utah.edu |
phone: 801-581-7111
fax: 801-581-5156