Mission

To prepare Christian professionals to assume leadership roles that support optimal quality of life for individuals, families and communities.

Vision

Christian professionals dedicated to empowering individuals, families and communities in making informed decisions about their well-being, relationships and resources to achieve optimal quality of life.

Goals

1. Prepare new professionals for careers in diverse practice settings in family and consumer sciences.
2. Provide a solid foundation for graduates who pursue advanced study.
3. Prepare graduates who have a lifelong commitment to learning and professional development.
4. Prepare graduates who exemplify integrity and ethical behavior.
5. Provide opportunities for students to develop their God-given talents for service to individuals, families, communities and the church.
6. Enhance students’ growth in the fruit of the Spirit through daily interaction and classroom strategies.
7. Contribute to the preparation of professionals in other disciplines.

Honor Society

The Nu Delta Chapter of Kappa Omicron Nu is a national honor society dedicated to recognizing and encouraging excellence in scholarship, research, and leadership in family and consumer sciences. The chapter was chartered at Harding University on October 27, 1995. Membership is by invitation based on the completion of 45 semester hours in family and consumer sciences with a minimum GPA in the top 25 percent of the class in the unit.

Program Information

The department offers the Bachelor of Science degree with majors in child development, child life, community engagement, event management, family and consumer sciences education, general family and consumer sciences, family life education, and food and nutrition. The department also offers a Master of Science degree in Applied Dietetics Practice. Additionally, the department offers a five-year accelerated option using the B.S. in food and nutrition major as a track into obtaining both the B.S. and M.S. in Applied Dietetics Practice. Minors in child development, family and consumer sciences, family studies, and food and nutrition are also offered.

All departmental majors take the FCS Program Core of 7 hours:

Accreditation

The Master of Science in Applied Dietetics Practice program at Harding University is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (Address: 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190, Chicago, IL 60606-6995, Phone: 800/877-1600, ext. 5400, E-mail: ACEND@eatright.org, Website: https://www.eatrightpro.org/acend).

The Child Life undergraduate program is endorsed by the Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP).

The Family Life Education undergraduate program is approved by the National Council on Family Relations as meeting the Standards and Criteria required for the Provisional Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE) designation

Faculty

Chair: Brittany Cumbie, M.S., CCLS, CFCS-HDFS

Assistant Professors:

Brittany Cumbie, M.S., CCLS, CFCS-HDFS
Beverly Froud, M.S., CFCS
Elizabeth Hall, Ph.D., RDN, LDN
     Director of Applied Dietetics Practice Program
Shann Holt, M.S., RDN
Megan Jones, M.S., RDN, LDN
Shanna Jones, M.Ed., CFCS

Programs

• Child Development Major (CDV), BS
• Child Life Major (CHL), BS
• Community Engagement Major (CEG), BS
• Event Management Major (EM), BS
• Family and Consumer Sciences Education Major (FCED), BS
• Family and Consumer Sciences Major (FC), BS
• Family Life Education Major (FL), BS
• Food and Nutrition Major (FN), BS

• Applied Dietetics Practice (AD), BS/MS

• Applied Dietetics Practice (ADMS), MS

• Child Development Minor
• Family and Consumer Sciences Minor
• Family Studies Minor
• Food and Nutrition Minor