Family and child ecology fosters an understanding of human development through a multidisciplinary and ecological lens, inclusive of biological, psychological, sociological, socio-cultural, and international perspectives. The program recognizes and addresses the central role of diversity and interdependence among families and communities in the process of human development, and promotes basic and applied research, as well as practice, in the service of individuals, families, and society.

Mission Statement
Areas of Study
Degree Programs Offered
Values
Enduring Themes
Priorities for the Future


Mission Statement
The Department of Family and Child Ecology increases the ability of individuals and families to function effectively within and across changing environments, enabling them to influence those environments in ways that enhance people's quality of life.

Areas of Study
Areas of study include:

Human Development: life course determinants of positive development and resilience in childhood, youth, adulthood/aging

Early Childhood Development and Education: developmental competencies, specifically social development and literacy development

Marriage and Family Therapy: family intervention and family preservation, and
 
Family Ecology: family studies as they relate to family dynamics and decision making;     diverse and international families. 

Degree Programs (see FCE Department Description on MSU Course page)
The Department of Family & Child Ecology offers the following degree programs:

B.S. - Child Development: combines the study of child development with preparation for implementing developmentally appropriate practices in preschool and early elementary school settings.

B.S. and B.A. - Family Community Services: designed to prepare professionals to work in community agencies and organizations which foster human development from an ecological perspective.  The study of the young child, youth, or adults is emphasized. 

M.A. - Child Development: prepares professionals for leadership roles in teaching, administration, and other fields related to children and families, as well as advanced graduate study emphasizing current child development research.

M.A. - Family Studies: focuses on theory and research as well as the preparation of professionals for family life education, community programs, and advanced graduate study in family science.

M.A. – Youth Development: The Master of Arts in Youth Development is a collaborative, multi-institutional program offered totally online and is focused on positive development of youth in their homes, communities, and society.

M.S. - Community Services: prepares the graduate for understanding and playing an effective role in community institutions providing human services for families and their members across the life course.  Research and internship experiences involve community agencies as field laboratories for students.

Ph.D. – Family and Child Ecology: emphasizes human development and family dynamics across the life course. Families and individuals are studied in the context of multiple systems, including schools, communities, and health care systems. Emphasis is placed on resilience and positive development, and diversity is a core value of the program. There are 3 specializations within the Ph.D. FCE program:
1)         Child Development – a flexible program focusing on meeting professional needs
2)         Family Studies – a flexible program focusing on meeting professional needs
3)         Marriage and Family Therapy - a curriculum established by COAMFTE, which is designed to prepare scholars to do research, teach, and supervise in a variety of academic, clinical, and healthcare settings.

Values
The core values that guide the department in the fulfillment of its mission are a commitment to:

• Scholarship that balances theory and practice and reflects both individual and collective efforts.

• A land-grant perspective that recognizes the importance of scholarly and practical contributions to the public.

• An ecosystem perspective that fosters a dynamic view of people, contexts, and events.

• A life-span perspective that recognizes the value of life at each stage of human development.

• A family perspective that views the family as the fundamental unit in which the development of human and social capital occurs.

• Education and intervention as means for enhancing the quality of life of individuals and families.

• Respect for all people in all facets of departmental life.

• Diversity that recognizes multiple truths, perspectives, and ways of learning and knowing.

Enduring Themes
The content addressed by the Department of Family and Child Ecology is essential to its mission. Several themes are enduring. They have characterized the department in the past and present, and will continue to be of significance in the future. Specific foci associated with each theme, however, vary over time in response to changes in societal conditions and needs.

Faculty and students in FCE:

• Study human development and families in a variety of contexts and conditions throughout the life-span.

• Study perennial problems faced by human beings and families in their daily living.

• Study how systems interact, their impact on individuals, families, and communities, and the means to enhance or change outcomes.

• Study how to design, modify, manage, and evaluate human constructed social environments, which are sensitive to human diversity and development across the life-span.

• Contribute to the development of models, theories, and strategies for the ecological study of individuals and families throughout the life-span.

• Prepare professionals in the university and community to operate across systems in education and primary intervention roles.

Priorities for the Future
In order to fulfill its mission, the Department of Family and Child Ecology will make a special and collective effort to achieve excellence in the following priority areas over the next several years:

• Commitment to the ethnic, cultural, gender, and lifestyle diversity among students, faculty, and staff as well as appreciation and reflection of diversity in teaching, research, and outreach.

• Enhancement of models for learning and professional development in higher education.

• Development and application of human ecological theory.

• Development and appreciation of family studies and family ecological theory.

• Professionalization and certification for child, youth and family professionals.

• Enhancement of the role of the department in public policy concerning children, youth, families, and communities. 

• Expansion of an international perspective in research, teaching, and outreach.

The FCE Advantage