Department of Family and Consumer Sciences

251 Agriculture Building, (307) 766-4145
FAX: (307) 766-5686
Web site: www.uwyo.edu/fcs
Department Head: Christine Wade

Associate Professors:

ERIN IRICK, B.S. Kansas State University 2000; M.S. 2006; Ph.D. Oklahoma State University 2013; Associate Professor of Design, Merchandising, and Textiles 2019, 2013.

CHRISTINE WADE, B.S. Willamette University 2001; M.S. University of Wyoming 2005; Ph.D. 2008; Associate Professor of Human Development and Family Sciences 2015, 2008

Assistant Professors:

JENNIFER HARMON, B.S. Illinois State University 2009; M.S. The Ohio State University 2013; Ph.D. 2014; Assistant Professor of Design, Merchandising, and Textiles 2015.

JILL KEITH, B.S. North Dakota State University 2000; M.S. Capella University 2009; Ph.D. North Dakota State University 2016; Assistant Professor of Human Nutrition and Food/Dietetics 2016.

ALYSSA McELWAIN, B.A. Kansas State University 2006; M.S. Purdue University 2008; Ph.D. Auburn University 2015; Assistant Professor of Human Development and Family Sciences 2015.

BERNARD STEINMAN, B.A. University of Washington 1991; M.S. Mississippi State University; Ph.D. University of Southern California 2010; Assistant Professor of Human Development and Family Sciences 2015.

Academic Professionals:

DIANNE BARDEN, B.S. University of Wisconsin - Stout 1980; M.A. Grand Canyon University 2004; Assistant Lecturer - Coordinator Distance Degree Programs 2006.

MARK BITTNER, B.S. 1989; M.S. University of Wyoming 1993; Senior Lecturer, Human Development and Family Sciences 2012, 2008, 1991.

MEGAN McGUFFEY SKINNER, B.S. University of Wyoming 2010; M.H.S. Boise State University 2014; Assistant Lecturer; Director, Didactic Program in Nutrition and Dietetics 2019.

TREVA SPROUT AHRENHOLTZ, B.S. 1993, 1997 University of Wyoming; M.S. 1995; Associate Lecturer, Design, Merchandising, and Textiles 2005, 2013.

Professor Emeritus:

Donna Brown, Bruce Cameron, Saul Feinman, Michael Liebman, Judith A. Powell, Rhoda Schantz, Virginia Vincenti, Mary Kay Wardlaw, Randolph R. Weigel, Karen Williams

Our mission is to enhance the physical, social, and economic well-being of individuals, families, and communities, emphasizing healthy and sustainable living across the lifespan. We fulfill our mission through instructional, research, and outreach/extension efforts that challenge, motivate, and inspire.

Family and Consumer Sciences integrates the fundamental components of human life-food, shelter, clothing, human relationships, and family-with larger societal systems. Through programs in textiles, apparel and design; food and nutrition; and human development and family sciences, our department prepares learners to meet the opportunities and challenges of today’s complex world.

All students pursuing the Bachelor of Science degree in Family and Consumer Sciences are required to complete a minimum of 120 credit hours that include a) University Studies requirements (USP); b) departmental core curriculum; and c) courses in one of the following individual program options: dietetics (application only), human nutrition and food, human development and family sciences, professional child development (online only), or design, merchandising and textiles. Minors in apparel design, human development and family sciences, human nutrition, and interior design are also available.

Grade Requirements

Majors are required to pass all courses within the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences with a grade of C or above. Students enrolled in family and consumer sciences minors are required to take all courses required for the minor for letter grade and complete each course with a grade of C or above.

Security Screening

All students applying for admission to the Professional Child Development option are required to complete a security screening before program entry. Students in the Human Development and Family Sciences option must complete their security screening upon declaration of their major. Failure to satisfactorily complete this requirement will result in the student being dropped from or denied entry to the program.

Family and Consumer Sciences Core Requirments

Family and Consumer Sciences Student Learning Outcomes

Students graduating from the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences will be proficient in their program option content as well as be able to effectively communicate (both written and orally), possess intellectual skills (such as critical and creative thinking and problem solving), and demonstrate appropriate levels of professionalism.

Family and Consumer Sciences Program Options

Students should obtain and follow a degree plan for their chosen program option. Standards established by several professional organizations require completion of specific courses in addition to the family and consumer sciences core and USP requirements. All students are assigned to a professional advisor and a faculty mentor. Students should work closely with their advisor to be sure all degree requirements are met.

Family and Consumer Sciences Minors

Required courses in the following minors in Family and Consumer Sciences must be taken for a letter grade and completed with a grade of C or above.

Graduate Study

The department of Family and Consumer Sciences offers a program of study leading to the master of science degree in family and consumer sciences with a concentration in human development and family sciences; human nutrition and food; or design, merchandising and textiles. The department also participates in an interdisciplinary degree in food science and human nutrition.

Program Specific Admissions Requirements

Admission to our graduate program and selection for department-funded assistantships is highly competitive. Faculty in each program area will review the applications for their program area and priority consideration will be given to applicants who meet or exceed admission requirements and possess research interests that parallel those of the faculty.

Admission requirements include:

A bachelor’s degree from an accredited or recognized school is required.
A grade point average of 3.000 or higher is required.
A Graduate Record Exam (GRE) score. In the past, successful applicants have typically had scores at or above the 50th percentile on two of the three subtests (verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing).
For international students whose native language is not English, a minimum TOEFL score of 540 on the written exam or 76 on the Internet-based exam is required. We will also accept an official IELTS score of 6.5 or above.
International students must also provide evidence of adequate financial resources.

For more information please visit UW’s graduate admissions website http://www.uwyo.edu/uwgrad/.

Application packets for fall entry are due no later than March 1. Applications may be considered throughout the year if space in a program area is available.

To apply please complete the online application at the UW Office of Admissions application website http://www.uwyo.edu/admissions/apply-online.html and submit the following:

Transcripts from all institutions attended. All transcripts must be official. In order for them to be considered as such, they must be sent directly from the school(s) attended, in a sealed envelope, to UW Admissions.
Official GRE scores
Names and contact information for at least 3 people who will provide letters of recommendation about the applicant’s preparedness and/or qualifications for the desired graduate degree program
A statement of purpose (letter of intent) that includes research interests, future goals related to the program of interest, why the applicant is seeking this degree and prior work related experience.
A brief resume or curriculum vitae
International applicants must provide official TOEFL or IELTS scores and evidence of adequate financial resources.

For more information, please contact the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences at 307-766-4145 or famconsci@uwyo.edu.

Food Science and Human Nutrition Interdisciplinary Degree

Family and consumer sciences faculty participate in an interdisciplinary program that offers a master of science degree in food science and human nutrition. Please see Food Science and Human Nutrition in this catalog for more information.

Life Sciences

107 Aven Nelson Building,
766-4158
Web site: www.uwyo.edu/lifescience
Program Director: Jonathan Prather

The Life Sciences Program consists of all LIFE prefix courses. These courses support a wide range of life science majors and several non-life science majors across campus. The number of LIFE courses taken by students in each major is determined by the departments that offer the majors. The curriculum intends to provide science majors with both breadth and depth in the basic life sciences, and nonscience majors with exposure to key concepts in biology and an understanding of the connections between science and society. The program courses also expose students to the fields of cell and molecular biology, genetics, ecology, and evolution, and they familiarize students with the diversity of life on the planet. Courses within the curriculum address four fundamental goals at a level appropriate for each course: 1) Acquisition, Application and Synthesis of Knowledge, 2) Communication Skills, 3) Critical Thinking and Problem Solving, and 4) Research Skills

For information on LIFE course offerings, please refer to the Life Sciences Program entry in the College of Arts & Sciences .

Microbiology Program

5004 Agriculture Building, (307) 766-3139
FAX: (307) 766-3875
E-mail: gandrews@uwyo.edu
Program Director: Dr. Gerard Andrews

The bachelor of science degree program in microbiology is organized as an interdepartmental major involving the collaborative teaching, advising, and research expertise of more than 20 microbiology faculty from the Colleges of Agriculture, Arts and Sciences, and Health Sciences. The program is administered by a program director and a coordinating committee which represent each of the participating colleges. Students obtain their degree in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Students should contact the program director or members of the coordinating committee directly for more information or formal academic advising within the program. Additional information about the microbiology program may be obtained at the following web site address: www.uwyo.edu/agcollege/micro/microhome.htm.

Students pursuing a major in microbiology must be advised by one of the following participating faculty members of the interdepartmental Microbiology Steering Committee:

GERRY ANDREWS, Veterinary Sciences
BERIT BANGOURA, Veterinary Sciences
BLEDAR BISHA, Animal Sciences
BRIDGET DECKER, Molecular Biology
JASON GIGLEY, Molecular Biology
MARK GOMELSKY, Molecular Biology
MYRNA MILLER, Veterinary Sciences
BRANT SHUMAKER, Veterinary Sciences
KERRY SONDGEROTH, Veterinary Sciences
HOLLY STEINKRAUS, Molecular Biology
LINDA VAN DIEPEN, ESM DANIEL WALL, Molecular Biology
RACHEL WATSON, Chemistry
JOHN WILLFORD, Molecular Biology