FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCES

Peterson Hall
206-281-2195
spu.edu/depts/fcs

Family and Consumer Sciences Department Faculty

The mission of the Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) program at Seattle Pacific University is to improve the quality of life of individuals, families, and communities. FCS builds on knowledge from the natural, social, and behavioral sciences, as well as the arts, to create new knowledge and solutions for challenges faced by individuals and families related to food, nutrition, health, apparel, shelter, interior design and apparel design, and human development.

The FCS department offers the following major degree programs:

• Apparel Design, BA
• Apparel Merchandising, BA
• Food and Nutritional Sciences, BS
  • Dietetics Emphasis
  • Food and Nutrition Emphasis
  • Sports and Exercise Emphasis
• Individual and Family Development, BA
• Interior Design, BA
  • Interior Design Emphasis
  • Interior Merchandising Emphasis
• Family and Consumer Sciences Secondary Education, BA

Three minor degree programs are offered:

• Clothing and Textiles
• Food and Nutritional Sciences
• Individual and Family Development

Through coursework, practicum, and internship experiences, the programs prepare graduates for careers in family and social services, apparel design, fashion and interior merchandising, interior design, dietetics, food and nutrition, and secondary education. 

Students also have the opportunity to participate in study abroad programs. The program provides strong preparation for students wishing to attend graduate programs or interships.

Admission to the Majors and Minors

• Students should apply to the major or minor by the junior year.
• Applicants for all majors and minors, except Interior Design, are reviewed once per quarter.
• Applications are due on or before the first Friday of each fall, winter, and spring quarters.
• Interior Design major applications are reviewed only once per year. This application is due on or before April 10.
• Faculty must approve all admission to the majors and minors.

Admission to Apparel Design, Fashion Merchandising, Individual and Family Development, and Family and Consumer Science Secondary Education majors require completion of at least three FCS courses and an overall GPA of 2.5 or higher.

Admission to the Food and Nutrition major requires completion of the following courses, each with a grade of C- or higher:

• BIO 2129, BIO 2130
• CHM 1310, CHM 1330, CHM 1360
• FCS 1050, and FCS 2365 or FCS 3340

An overall GPA of 3.0 or higher is required for the Dietetics emphasis; an overall GPA of 2.5 or higher is required for the Food and Nutritional Sciences emphasis and the Sports and Exercise emphasis.

Post-baccalaurete students must apply to the major. Admission requirements are identifcal to those listed above, except FCS 1050 is not required.

Admission to the Interior Design major should be made Spring Quarter of sophomore year and upon the completion of the following courses:

• FCS 1050, Art 1102, FCS 1710, FCS 2702, and FCS 2204 

Transfer students should consult with an interior design advisor regarding when to apply.

Admission to the Interior Design major requires an overall GPA of 2.5 or higher and a GPA of 2.8 or higher in the five courses previously listed. Applications, due April 10, include a completed application form, a Digital Color Board Presentation, a short essay, and current transcripts. The actual application is restricted to intended Interior Design majors and will be available for viewing prior to the application deadline. 

Application to one of these majors or minors may be made through the Major or Minor Application form (PDF). A student must complete the major or minor requirements in effect when the student is admitted to the major or minor.

Requirements for the Majors

Each of the Family and Consumer Sciences major degrees requires completion of the Family and Consumer Sciences Core. The core consists of the following three courses:

• FCS 1050, 2 credits, completed in the freshman or sophomore year; transfer students may complete in the junior year.
• FCS 3240, 5 credits, completed after FCS 1050, typically in the sophomore or junior year.
• FCS 4899, 3 credits, completed after FCS 3240 and in the senior year.

Apparel Design Major

The curriculum is designed to train individuals for a broad range of careers, including: Apparel Designer, Fabric Coordinator, Apparel/Textiles Quality Control Manager, Art Director, Patternmaker, Costume Designer for Films and Plays, Curator, Entrepreneur, and many others.

Fashion Merchandising Major

A sampling of the careers Fashion Merchandising majors may pursue includes: Retail Buyer, Entrepreneur, Sales Manager, Marketing Director, Fashion Coordinator, Production Manager, Visual Merchandiser, Image Consultant, Business Owner, Fashion Stylist and Store Manager.

Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT)
Students in the Clothing and Textiles program who have major status and have maintained over a 3.0 GPA may select from nine additional specializations if they are accepted into the liaison program with the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City.

Specializations offered through the liaison program with FIT include accessories design; advertising and communication; advertising design; manufacturing management; fashion design; fashion buying and merchandising; jewelry design; textile/surface design; or textile development and marketing.

Students considering this option should seek advisement early in their academic careers in order to meet the requirements of both FIT and SPU.

Food and Nutritional Sciences Major
Students must complete one of the three emphasis for the BS degree in Food and Nutritional Sciences.

Prerequisite courses in chemistry, biology, and family and consumer sciences (FCS 1050 and FCS 2365) should be completed by the junior year.

The Dietetics emphasis, also known as the Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD), is approved by:

Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND)

120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000

Chicago, IL 60606-6995

1-800-877-1600

eatright.org/ACEND

After completing the DPD and the baccalaurete degree, the DPD Verification is awarded. A student seeking to become a registered dietician (RD) must also complete a dietetic Intership and pass the national registration examination for dietetics, offered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.

Appointments to dietetic internships are awarded on a competitive basis. Additional information on educational requirements, the RD credential and a listing of dietetic internships is available from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

DPD for Post-Baccalaureate Students

Course requirements for post-baccalaurete students seeking DPD Verification only are identical to those of the Dietetics emphasis. FCS 1050 and FCS 3240 are not required.

Post-baccalaurete students seeking a second bachelor's degree in addition to DPD Verification must complete the requirements listed above, as well as the following:

• At least 45 credits from SPU as a matriculated student
• At least 15 upper-division credits in the major
• Five credits in Christian Scriptures or Christian Theology 

Previous academic work, if completed within the last seven years, will be considered for meeting DPD requirements; a transcript review by the DPD director will determine the courses that must be completed to fulfill requirements. Students completing the requirements for a second baccalaurete degree may be eligible for federal student financial aid; non-degree students are not eligible for financial aid.

Individual and Family Development Major
The Individual and Family Development major is intended to prepare students to understand individuals and families, and to use their specialization knowledge to affect the direction of our culture through service to families in business, social service, and educational settings. The major includes elective upper-division coursework in sociology, psychology, and health sciences.

Interior Design Major

The BA degree is offered in Interior Design, with two possible tracks, one in Interior Design and the second in Interior Merchandising.

Both tracks involve interdisciplinary courses with art, business, and family and consumer sciences. A student chapter of ASID (American Society of Interior Designers) is on campus to assist students as they prepare for entrance into the  professional design community. Principles of universal design and sustainability are integrated into all studio courses.

Curriculum for the Interior Design track was developed to educate and train individuals for a variety of entry-level positions in interior design, including residential, commercial and hospitality design, as well as in specialization areas such as lighting.

Curriculum for the Merchandising track was developed to educate and train individuals for a variety of entry-level positions in retail or wholesale, operations, sales, and promotion components of merchandising products used in interior spaces, such as furniture, textiles, and lighting. Students can apply directly for admission into either Interior Design major track — design or merchandising. However, a maximum of 16 students will be accepted into the Design track each year.

Family and Consumer Sciences Secondary Education Major
The BA degree is offered in Family and Consumer Sciences Secondary Education. Students who complete required courses in the major also meet endorsement standards in secondary certification. Students who complete the required courses in the major for secondary certification also meet state standards for certification in FCS Career and Technical Education.

Students seeking teacher certification in Family and Consumer Education at the secondary level must meet the requirements of the teacher education program. For complete FCS Secondary Education Requirements, see the School of Education.

Requirements for the Minors

A minimum of 30 credits in Family and Consumer Sciences including 15 upper-division credits, are required for each of the three minors.

Integrated Studies Major with a concentration in Health and Fitness

(For students seeking K-8 certification)

Students who are planning to obtain Residency Teacher Certification and are interested in health and fitness must major in the Integrated Studies major with a concentration in health and fitness.

• The concentration consists of courses in nutrition, health, and physical education.

• Application (PDF) to this major is through the advisor for the health and fitness concentration, JoAnn Atwell-Scrivner (jaas@spu.edu).

• Further information on the Residency Teacher Certification program is available in the School of Education section of the Undergraduate Catalog.

Requirements for Integrated Studies: Health and Fitness Concentration

Requirements for Elementary Certification

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