School of Family and Consumer Sciences

If you want to pursue a career helping people in many ways – from caring for children, families and the elderly, to making the most of their leisure time, to building a wardrobe – the School of Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) has programs for you.

We offer bachelor degrees in human development and family sciences and fashion merchandising, and graduate degree programs in applied human development and family sciences, marriage and family therapy and leadership in aging studies.

FACS programs in human development and family sciences also offer accelerated dual degree programs of study with the NIU College of Law at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

To take your studies to the next level, we offer minors in family and child studies, fashion merchandising, gerontology and financial counseling. We also offer undergraduate and graduate certificates in leadership in aging services, family and child development and a certificate of graduate study in gerontology. We also offer courses (PDF) to satisfy requirements for a second teaching endorsement in family and consumer sciences

You’ll learn from expert faculty in both the classroom and at unique on-campus facilities to give you relevant work experience. These include a couple and family therapy clinic and a child development and family center.