Family Sciences
Program Description
The Family Sciences program strives to integrate relationships between individuals, families, and communities as well as the environments in which they function. The profession focuses on the strength and vitality of families; the use of personal, social, and material resources to meet human needs; the well-being of individuals and families; the role of individuals and families as consumers of goods and services; and the development and management of home and community environments that are supportive of individuals and families.
Students will gain a basic understanding of family studies that will prepare them to pursue further education at a university. To reach the objectives of the profession, students are advised to continue and complete a bachelor’s degree for employability in this area.
Any student may take courses in this area for personal or professional development. Some Families Sciences courses fulfill general education requirements in the Social and Behavioral Sciences category.
Graduates of these programs will successfully complete the following learning outcomes:
- Identify and discuss effective communication practices and construct conversations utilizing skills learned
- Summarize and determine family strengths as they pertain to solving problems
- Utilize technology to support learning and understanding of family studies
- Research an assigned topic and synthesize information in a research paper, citing all sources using appropriate style and format
- Identify and explain how influences in an individual’s life impact their family and wellbeing
- Characterize and compare effective methods to support and empower families to promote holistic family development
- Use systematic observation, writing, and other effective assessment strategies to demonstrate an understanding of how multiple factors can impact families
- Employ an understanding of and relationships with children and families and an understanding of developmentally and culturally effective approaches to build upon family strengths
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Schedule NowDegree(s) / Certificates(s)
| Title | Local Bachelor's |
|---|---|
| Family Sciences - A.A. Transfer Degree | |
| Family Development Credential - CERT Occupational Certificate | - |
This icon indicates a degree that can lead to a locally obtained Bachelor’s Degree.
Career Outlook
Successful completion of this program may lead to a variety of employment opportunities, most of which require continued higher education at the university level. Below are examples of related occupations and annual mean wages in Arizona according to a May 2019 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates Report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| Preschool Teachers Instruct preschool-aged students, following curricula or lesson plans, in activities designed to promote social, physical, and intellectual growth. |
$32,150 |
| Rehabilitation Counselor Counsel individuals to maximize the independence and employability of persons coping with personal, social, and vocational difficulties that result from birth defects, illness, disease, accidents, aging, or the stress of daily life. Coordinate activities for residents of care and treatment facilities. Assess client needs and design and implement rehabilitation programs that may include personal and vocational counseling, training, and job placement. |
$34,120 |
| Child, Family, and School Social Workers Provide social services and assistance to improve the social and psychological functioning of children and their families and to maximize the family well-being and the academic functioning of children. May assist parents, arrange adoptions, and find foster homes for abandoned or abused children. In schools, they address such problems as teenage pregnancy, misbehavior, and truancy. May also advise teachers. |
$41,420 |
| Counselors Counsel with emphasis on prevention. Work with individuals and groups to promote optimum mental and emotional health. May help individuals deal with issues associated with addictions and substance abuse; family, parenting, and marital problems; stress management; self-esteem; and aging. |
$41,820 |
| Occupational Therapy Aides Under close supervision of an occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant, perform only delegated, selected, or routine tasks in specific situations. These duties include preparing patient and treatment room. |
$43,070 |
| Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare Develop instructional material, coordinate educational content, and incorporate current technology into instruction in order to provide guidelines to educators and instructors for developing curricula and conducting courses. May train and coach teachers. Includes educational consultants and specialists, and instructional material directors. |
$44,380 |
| Marriage and Family Therapists Diagnose and treat mental and emotional disorders, whether cognitive, affective, or behavioral, within the context of marriage and family systems. Apply psychotherapeutic and family systems theories and techniques in the delivery of services to individuals, couples, and families for the purpose of treating such diagnosed nervous and mental disorders. |
$49,100 |
| Religious Activities and Education Directors Coordinate or design programs and conduct outreach to promote the religious education or activities of a denominational group. May provide counseling, guidance, and leadership relative to marital, health, financial, and religious problems. |
$49,870 |
| Occupational Therapy Assistants Assist occupational therapists in providing occupational therapy treatments and procedures. May, in accordance with state laws, assist in development of treatment plans, carry out routine functions, direct activity programs, and document the progress of treatments. Generally requires formal training. |
$63,150 |
| Clinical, Counseling, and School Psychologists Diagnose and treat mental disorders; learning disabilities; and cognitive, behavioral, and emotional problems, using individual, child, family, and group therapies. May design and implement behavior modification programs. |
$65,400 |
| Postsecondary Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers Teach courses in childcare, family relations, finance, nutrition, and related subjects pertaining to home management. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research. |
$70,870 |
| Occupational Therapists Assess, plan, and organize rehabilitative programs that help build or restore vocational, homemaking, and daily living skills, as well as general independence, to persons with disabilities or developmental delays. Use therapeutic techniques, adapt the individual’s environment, teach skills, and modify specific tasks that present barriers to the individual. |
$95,180 |
Contact Information
Department Contact(s)
Faculty/Staff Contact(s)
| Name | Title | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubia Zaragoza | Professor of Family Sciences | (928) 344-7556 | dubia.zaragoza@azwestern.edu |
| Aryca Arizaga | Professor of Family Sciences/Psychology | (928) 317-6421 | aryca.marron@azwestern.edu |