Family Science
Empower Families, Strengthen Communities, Lead with Purpose!
Are you passionate about making a difference in the lives of others? The fully online bachelor’s degree in Family Science at Southern Miss prepares you to support families, advocate for change, and lead programs that uplift communities. This program prepares you to work directly with individuals and families in every stage of life and promotes family well-being through evidence-based strategies and systems thinking.
The Family Science B.S. to Human Development and Family Science M.S. Accelerated Master’s Option (AMO) allows eligible students to complete the B.S. and M.S. degrees in HDFS in as few as 5 years. Students choosing the AMO may complete up to 7 hours of 500-level coursework, which will count toward both the B.S. and M.S. degree programs.
The School of Human Development and Family Science has 14 school-specific scholarships available for students each year. All university scholarship opportunities can be found at: www.usmfoundation.com.
What Will I Learn?
Family Science undergraduates learn how to examine the systemic relationships among individuals, families, and communities. All students take foundational courses in individual and family development across the life cycle, interpersonal relationships and family dynamics, and parent-child interactions. Students then take coursework specific to family science, exploring topics such as family systems theory and dynamics, family resource management, mental health and crisis response, public policy and advocacy, family life education programming, and strategies for supporting diverse families through education, advocacy, and community-based services.
Family Science courses:
- Family Systems Theory
- Parenthood
- Marital and Family Relationships
- Families in Crisis
- Sexuality in the Family Systems
- Family life education
- Family support services
- Public policy
- Children, Families, and Technology
All Family Science students complete a supervised practicum to apply their foundational knowledge in a professional setting and build career-ready skills. Practicum placements are tailored to your interests and goals and may include a variety of agencies such as:
- Child Protection Services
- Military Setting/Services
- Counseling/Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation
- Mental Health Services
- Aging Services
- Early Intervention/Special Needs Services
- Parent Education
- Sexual Abuse Services/Advocacy
- Child Forensic Interviewing (Abuse/Advocacy)
- Adult Education
- Faith-Based Education
- Criminal Justice/Court System
- Domestic Violence Services/Shelter
- Family Planning Services
- Foster Care/Adoption
- Family Law
- School Counseling (minimum 3.0 GPA requirement)
- Family Services/Case Management
This program meets the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR) coursework requirements, allowing eligible graduates to apply directly for provisional certification as Certified Family Life Educators (CFLE). Learn more by visiting NCFR’s CFLE-approved program page.
Availability
| Degree Plan | Availability |
|---|---|
| Family Science BS | Online 100% |
View Family Science Online Program Details
- Certified Family Life Educator
- Youth Program Coordinator
- Community Outreach Director
- Nonprofit Program Manager
- Family Case Manager
- Foster Care/Adoption Specialist
- Public Policy Advocate
- Victim Advocate
- Parenting Program Facilitator
- Cooperative Extension Agent
- Healthcare Family Support Staff
- Military Family Support Coordinator