Consumer and Family Studies/Dietetics

College of Health and Human Services
Dean: Donald P. Zingale

Department of Consumer and Family Studies/Dietetics
BH 329
415-338-1219
Chair: Nancy Rabolt

Graduate Coordinator: Nancy Rabolt

Faculty

Professors—Armstrong, Clarke, Fehrman, Rabolt, Sands, Seiden, Stark

Associate Professors—Ganji, Johnson-Carroll, Schrock

Programs

B.S. in Dietetics
B.A. in Family and Consumer Sciences
B.A. in Family and Consumer Sciences: Concentration in Clothing and Textiles
B.A. in Family and Consumer Sciences: Concentration in Interior Design and Housing
Minor in Family and Consumer Sciences
M.A. in Family and Consumer Sciences
Certificate in Dietetics: Focus on Older Adults

Program Scope

Students in the accredited Consumer and Family Sciences/Dietetics programs develop university-level competencies requisite for employment in a variety of professional roles. Among these roles are: human services provider; director and/or supervisor of a child care center or nursery school program; dietetic intern; food specialist; interior designer; consumer adviser or advocate; furniture or fashion merchandiser; apparel designer; textile specialist; teacher at the secondary, adult education, or community college levels; cooperative extension family and consumer scientist; and/or other roles concerned with the well-being of individuals and families. Undergraduate majors in the Consumer and Family Studies/Dietetics Department acquire detailed knowledge about: (1) the roles of individuals and families at all social, economic, and age levels; (2) human growth and development and the changing needs of individuals and families throughout the life cycle; (3) management of personal and family resources in the solutions of problems related to the provision of food, clothing, shelter, and emotional support for each individual; (4) the interrelationships which exist between individuals, families, and communities; and (5) the functioning of values, decision-making, communication, creativity, problem-solving, and other such processes as they relate to human development and daily living.

Courses in Consumer and Family Studies/Dietetics also provide a general education perspective.

The B.A. in Family and Consumer Sciences includes formal concentrations in: Clothing and Textiles, and Interior Design and Housing. Informal emphases on advisement are available in child development/family relationships, foods and nutrition/foodservice management, and general family and consumer sciences/single subject teaching.

Students who earn a baccalaureate in family and consumer sciences or dietetics, with supporting courses in appropriate fields and with a 3.0 grade point average, may qualify for admission to the Master of Arts in Family and Consumer Sciences. Graduate study prepares one for entry into advanced professional assignments in education, business, government, human services, or communications.

The Master of Arts in Family and Consumer Sciences is aimed toward: increasing competencies for teaching in colleges and universities; developing competencies needed in professional roles related to business, extension, community services, and health; developing competencies essential for supervising and administering consumer and family sciences programs; and increasing competencies for teaching family and consumer sciences at the secondary levels. The program also prepares one for further graduate study.

Students are expected to observe the general requirements outlined in this Bulletin and to consult with a graduate adviser. Requests for an adviser should be directed to the department chair.

A 28-31 unit graduate certificate program in Dietetics: Focus on Older Adults provides for the knowledge and practice requirements of The American Dietetic Association to meet eligibility to sit for the examination for Registered Dietitian. The student rotates through various facilities in the community to gain the appropriate practice and experiences required.

Career Outlook

There are almost no limits to the types of careers open to graduates in Consumer and Family Studies/Dietetics. Graduates with a baccalaureate degree are employed in business; community service; education; journalism, television and radio; and health and hospitality units. Students seeking the Single Subject Teaching Credential or the California Children's Center Instructional Supervision Permits should consult the department. An internship or AP4 practice program are two means by which graduates of the B.S. in Dietetics may become eligible to take the examination to become a Registered Dietitian (R.D.).

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN DIETETICS

This degree prepares students for entry level careers in food service systems management and/or nutrition education positions in industries or government agencies. Students earning an appropriate grade point average are eligible to compete for continued training in an approved dietetic internship or AP4 (Approved Pre-Professional Practice Program) to gain eligibility to sit for the R.D. examination. In order to ensure completion of all degree and competency requirements, students must consult on a regular basis with their designated dietetic adviser. Students who anticipate credits earned at another institution being accepted in lieu of courses required for the degree at San Francisco State University must obtain approval from their designated dietetic adviser.

The Bachelor of Science in Dietetics is a 126-unit degree. The program meets the new Standards of Education (Plan V) of The American Dietetics Association. The program provides competencies in the three areas of dietetics and meets the 24 knowledge requirements.

Students enrolled as dietetics majors should consult their dietetic program adviser for planning and evaluation of courses transferred from other institutions. Students should consult the course descriptions in this Bulletin for prerequisites and corequisites.

Courses must be completed with a 2.0 grade point average and no grade below a C- or CR.

A student will receive a Verification of Completion form signed by the DPD director on completion of the degree and submission of an official transcript indicating that the degree has been awarded. An overall GPA of 2.7 and a GPA of 3.0 in the Professional Requirements must be achieved to receive the Verification statement which is submitted to The American Dietetic Association and is a part of the application process for internships.

Online course descriptions are available.

MINOR IN FAMILY AND CONSUMER AND SCIENCES

MASTER OF ARTS IN FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCES

Admission to Program

• Applicants must hold a baccalaureate degree and a 3.0 GPA with a major in family and consumer sciences, or 30 units within the field of family and consumer sciences or closely related course credit. Students who are deficient in undergraduate preparation must complete course work assigned by the adviser to remove the deficiencies.
• Applicants who wish to concentrate in family and consumer sciences education must hold a teaching credential or have at least one year of teaching experience. Students with deficiencies in professional education will be required to complete up to fifteen (15) units of course work in education, as recommended by the adviser.
• Students must take the Graduate Essay Test (GET) prior to being classified. Students who do not pass the writing proficiency examination are required to take and pass EDUC 614 with a grade of B or better.
• Prerequisite(s) to advancement to classified standing: all students must complete one course (or demonstrate competency) as approved by the graduate adviser in statistics and/or computer applications.
• Students are required to be enrolled in CFS 897, Research in Consumer and Family Studies/Dietetics, during the semester of anticipated graduation.

Advancement to Candidacy

In recommending for advancement to candidacy, the department assesses a student's ability on the basis of scholastic records, results of any special examinations or assignments that may be required, and any evidence related to professional experience. The data are used diagnostically by the adviser in planning a program with each candidate.

Written English Proficiency Requirement

Level One: demonstrated by successfully completing the GET (Graduate Essay Test). Level Two: demonstrated by submission of a term paper written to fulfill a requirement for CFS 700.

Program Requirements

Online course descriptions are available. Most upper division courses offered by the department may be used but must have the approval of a graduate adviser.

CERTIFICATE IN DIETETICS: FOCUS ON OLDER ADULTS

Before being considered for acceptance to this certificate program, the student must first be eligible in accordance with all university requirements as outlined in the section Certificate Programs of this Bulletin . This same section also includes university program guidelines and procedures to be followed in filing for the award of the certificate when it is completed.

Admission to Program

• Applicant is eligible to enroll as a matriculated post-baccalaureate student under unclassified status.
• Completion of a baccalaureate degree in dietetics or a related field including completion of an approved Plan V Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) of The American Dietetic Association.
• A minimum of three references. Must include two references from faculty of the institution granting the baccalaureate degree including a foodservice management faculty and clinical/patient care faculty. Additional references from work experiences may be submitted.
• A committee composed of faculty teaching in the certificate program and dietitians from clinical facilities will review applications using the format for selection of internship applicants of The American Dietetic Association.

Written English Proficiency Requirement

This requirement is met through the Graduate Essay Test (GET) administered by the Testing Center and through papers submitted to the faculty in the Department of Consumer and Family Studies/Dietetics. Students who do not pass the GET will be required to take EDUC 614.

Students in the program basically have the following schedule:

The internship units consist of 25-35 hours per week of supervised experiences under the direction of a dietitian or foodservice manager in a facility or program serving older adults. The internship is based on specific experiences and competencies which the student is expected to complete. Students are placed in a foodservice setting for the first semester and in a nutritional care setting for the second semester. A total of 900+ hours is required in the internship segment, when both Fall and Spring are combined, in order to meet requirements of The American Dietetic Association. Students take DFM 881 for seven units in Fall and DFM 881 for eight units in Spring semester. Additional affiliations in community-based programs for older adults are included throughout the program on a two-three week basis to enable students to have a broad array of experiences in dietetics. The approximate division is two-fifths nutritional care, two-fifths foodservice, and one-fifth community competencies.

The student is expected to be full-time in the certificate program and all students move through the program in a cohort. No part-time enrollment is allowed due to the requirements of the internship portion for continued practice experience. The practice component (DFM 881) is scheduled as four 7-8 hour days per week in a facility or facilities to correspond to the work schedule of the preceptor to whom the student/intern is assigned. Class work is scheduled usually in the late afternoon or evening.