Mar 29, 2024  
2008-2009 Graduate Catalog 
    
2008-2009 Graduate Catalog [NOTE!!!! THIS IS AN ARCHIVED CATALOG. FOR THE CURRENT CATALOG, GO TO CATALOG.NIU.EDU]

Master of Science in Applied Family and Child Studies


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This major provides professional career enhancement for advanced graduate work and research, secondary and college teaching, and programming and administration in family social services and child development settings in community and government agencies, including youth work, gerontological programming, child life programs in hospitals, infant and child care programs, family support services, and family life and parenting education.

A program of courses is developed cooperatively by the student and an adviser. In addition to taking the required courses, the student may focus on an individualized area of interest through the selection of courses within and outside the school.

Students-at-large intending to take courses required by this program should meet with the program coordinator.

Within the major, there is also the opportunity to specialize in marriage and family therapy.

Admission


Upon admission into the program, students are required, within 30 days, to notify the area coordinator in writing of their intention to register for classes in the term for which they were admitted. Failure to do so may result in cancellation of admission.

An applicant is required to have a minimum of 9 semester hours of undergraduate courses in family and child studies, or the equivalent including a course in family relations and one in child or lifespan development. Three of the 9 hours must be an upper-division family theories or child development theories course. A student may be required to remove deficiencies in the area of family and child studies by successfully completing designated courses. These deficiency courses should be completed during the first semester after admission to the major. Graduate students’ undergraduate deficiencies have to be met with a grade of B or better. Failure to do so may result in removal from the program.

The maximum combined total of student-at-large hours plus transfer credit used in the degree program may not exceed 12 semester hours. For course work taken while a student-at-large, no more than 6 semester hours taken in the school and 6 hours outside of the school may be used in the degree program. Exceptions to these limits may be approved in special cases by the coordinator of the applied family and child studies faculty, provided that the Graduate School limit of transfer credit is not exceeded.

Since admission/enrollment in the major is limited, declared majors in the applied family and child studies program have priority for course enrollment. In such cases, students-at-large may not be allowed to enroll in some courses, or may be dropped from courses in the school within the graduate student drop period.

Comprehensive Examination


Students in the non-thesis program fulfill the comprehensive examination requirement by successfully completing a proctored essay examination. Students in the thesis program fulfill the comprehensive examination requirement through the successful oral thesis defense and acceptance of the thesis by the Graduate School. Students must be enrolled in the term in which the comprehensive examination is taken.

Requirements


This program requires a minimum of 30 semester hours.

  • Additional courses with approval of the adviser (6)

Course work from the following (3-12)


  • A 3-semester-hour 600-level course on social science research methodology, or statistics

Areas of Study


Students may fulfill the above requirements by completing various sequences of courses which develop professional competencies in specific areas including, but not limited to, the following areas of study.

Programming for and administration in family social services with emphasis on youth work.


Analytical and applied course requirements listed above


Electives


  • 6 semester hours of electives

Programming for and administration in child development settings, including hospitals.


Electives


  • 6 semester hours of electives

Recommendation


It is recommended that students have a baccalaureate degree in child development or a related area including upper-division courses comparable to FCNS 330, FCNS 331, FCNS 331A, FCNS 439, and FCNS 490.

Programming for and administration in family social services with study in gerontology.


Analytical and applied course requirements listed above


Electives


  • 6 semester hours of electives

Note


Consult the gerontology program listing elsewhere in this catalog.

Preparation for advanced graduate work.


Electives


  • 6 semester hours of electives

Analytical and applied course requirements listed above


Electives


  • 6 semester hours of electives

Special Requirements


Special Requirements for FCNS 631


Prerequisites for enrollment in the child development internship in community programs (FCNS 631) are (1) completion of a minimum of 9 graduate semester hours in applied family and child studies; (2) previous full-time employment for at least one year in a licensed early childhood program or other professional setting related to young children and their families or the equivalent of the following: supervised on-campus internship (FCNS 590), both guidance and planning courses (FCNS 330 and FCNS 331/FCNS 331A), a parent-child interaction course (FCNS 537), and an early childhood professional programs course (FCNS 534); (3) FCNS 637; (4) attendance at a scheduled child development internship meeting held prior to the start of the internship; and (5) consent of school.

Special Requirements for FCNS 632


Prerequisites for enrollment in the family services internship in community programs (FCNS 632) are (1) completion of a minimum of 9 graduate semester hours in applied family and child studies; (2) previous full-time employment for at least one year in a social services program or family therapy setting or the equivalent of all of the following: (a) 50 hours of approved volunteer work, (b) a group process class (FCNS 382 or CAHC 540), and (c) a professional issues class (FCNS 581 or FCNS 692); (3) attendance at the applied family and child studies program intern day (available on videotape); and (4) consent of school.

Special Requirements for FCNS 638


Prerequisites for enrollment in the parent education internship (FCNS 638) are (1) undergraduate course work in child or adolescent development, including principles of guidance (FCNS 330 or equivalent) and course content in ethics (FCNS 534, FCNS 581, FCNS 692, or equivalent); (2) completion of a minimum of 9 graduate semester hours in applied family and child studies, including FCNS 538 and one other content course related to the focus of the practicum; (3) completion of or co-enrollment in FCNS 637 or FCNS 684; and (4) consent of school.

Specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy


The specialization in marriage and family therapy, accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education, emphasizes the practical application of systemic family therapy principles to the diagnosis and treatment of problems in human relationships. Through extensive course work, clinical experience with client couples, families, and individuals, and supervision by approved supervisors of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, students in the specialization learn to integrate theory and research while developing the clinical skills of marriage and family therapists. The specialization prepares students to function in mental health, family service, hospital business, and human service settings, and upon graduation students have completed all requirements for associate membership in the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.

Application Process


The specialization in marriage and family therapy admits a limited number of students once a year in the spring semester. Eligible candidates for the specialization will be selected only from persons who have first applied for and been admitted to the M.S. program in applied family and child studies (without specialization), fulfilling the prerequisites noted above. Therefore, applicants to the specialization must complete two separate application packets: the Graduate School application for admission to the M.S. program with a major in applied family and child studies (without specialization), and the school’s application portfolio for the specialization.

The Graduate School application must be obtained directly from and submitted to the Graduate School. The specialization application portfolio must be obtained from and returned to the coordinator, specialization in marriage and family therapy, School of Family, Consumer, and Nutrition Sciences, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois 60115-2854.

Completed Graduate School applications must be submitted by January 15 to the Graduate School, and specialization applications must be submitted to the coordinator of the specialization by January 15. Late applications will be considered only if space is available. Once admitted to both the graduate major in applied family and child studies and the specialization in marriage and family therapy, students may begin courses in the summer or fall term.

Admission requirements and procedures for the specialization in marriage and family therapy are fully described in an admission portfolio that is available from the program coordinator. Except in extraordinary circumstances, applicants must be available for a personal interview with the clinical faculty of the specialization.

Requirements


In addition to the comprehensive examination, students are required to pass an oral examination which assesses their knowledge of the theory and practice of marriage and family therapy. This examination is usually taken in the term prior to graduation.

Students must complete a minimum of 54 semester hours in the program for graduation. This includes 500 supervised clinical contact hours completed within the field of marriage and family therapy. This may be done through required course work and work experience or internship.

One of the Following


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