The Department of Family & Consumer Sciences currently offers 2 post-graduate programs, and is in the process of developing a third.

M.S. in Human Nutrition to be added in Fall 2008.    The M.S. in Human Nutrition provides graduate education from a whole foods perspective in nutrition, food science and biotechnology incorporating practical training and research.  Graduates will be equipped with the technical skills and scientific knowledge to integrate nutrition, food and nutraceuticals with human health issues of the 21st century.

The M.S. Family & Child Studies provides students with knowledge and expertise to attain professional positions and advancement opportunities in family and child programs.

Graduate Child Life Specialist Track.  A Child Life Specialist is a professional who is specially trained to help children and their families understand and manage challenging healthcare experiences, usually within a hospital setting. Child Life Specialists are skilled in providing developmental, educational, and therapeutic interventions for stressed children and their families.  A Child Life Specialist acts as an advocate and intermediary for the child and family within the total health care delivery system. They also plan the health care environment in a way that supports the child’s growth and development throughout a hospitalization.

For more information about the certification process, visit the Child Life Council website at www.childlife.org. For information on the new Child Life Track at Texas State University, contact Dr. Beth Russell at er15@txstate.edu.

The Dietetic Internship trains entry-level dietitians who provide high quality and current nutrition services to the public in the ever-evolving health care and nutrition and foods professional environments.