- Submit an official transcript from an accredited college, university, or other degree-granting institution, verifying completion of a bachelor’s degree. Send official transcripts(s) directly to the Wilmington University Graduate Admissions Office from the identified college or university. Transcripts must be official, indicating the college or university seal
- Copy of a current Professional Resume
c. Students accepted into the program attend a one-time program planning orientation with the Chair or request a video view of orientation in lieu of face to face attendance
Program Purpose
Program Purpose
This Master’s degree was designed for those wanting to gain a greater understanding of children, youth, and families to provide family-centered and strengths-based education and intervention services in applied settings. The Master’s is a practice-oriented degree especially suitable for individuals already working in the family or human service sectors, education, religious settings, or corrections as well as those wishing to enter those fields. This degree emphasizes training in both the generation of research-based knowledge and its translation into effective programs and policies that positively impact the well-being of children, youth, and, families. Courses will emphasize programmatic efforts that work to prevent the development of problematic outcomes and to promote optimal functioning in individuals or groups across the life course.
This degree will provide excellent preparation for those wanting to work in a variety of family life education positions including, but not limited to, Educational Activity Specialist, Presenter – Family Life Education, Family Life & Sex Education Specialist, Sexuality Educator, and Parenting Education Specialist. Unlike some fields where graduates focus their job search activities on specific settings such as schools, hospitals, prison systems, or corporations, employment opportunities for family science graduates exist in almost all sectors of society. This program is open for students who have completed any undergraduate program. Graduates from the Applied Family Science Master’s degree program will be able to seek certification as a family life educator.
Program Design
This program has been recognized by the National Council on Family Relations as a CFLE (Certified Family Life Educator) approved program. Individuals successfully completing this degree will have demonstrated knowledge and experience in ten areas of family science expertise as outlined by the National Council on Family Relations and be eligible for certification. (NCFR. 2014) Courses have been carefully crafted to allow students to complete the competencies within the 33 credit experience. Throughout the course work students can complete assessments and design projects that fit their specific areas of interest. The personalized guided practical or individual capstone project also allow the student flexibility and choices.
Courses are offered online and in a 7 week block format. This program is designed to be completed in two years of continuous study but may be accelerated by some students.
Applied Family Science Competencies
- Families and Individuals in Societal Context: An understanding of families and their relationships to other institutions, such as the educational, governmental, religious, and occupational institutions in society.
- Internal Dynamics of Families: An understanding of family strengths and weaknesses and how family members relate to each other.
- Human Development across the Life Span: An understanding of the developmental changes of individuals in families throughout the lifespan. Based on knowledge of physical, emotional, cognitive, social, moral, and personality aspects.
- Human Sexuality: An understanding of the physiological, psychological, & social aspects of sexual development throughout the lifespan, so as to achieve healthy sexual adjustment.
- Interpersonal Relationships: An understanding of the development and maintenance of interpersonal relationships.
- Family Resource Management: An understanding of the decisions individuals and families make about developing and allocating resources including time, money, material assets, energy, friends, neighbors, and space, to meet their goals.
- Parenting Education and Guidance: An understanding of how parents teach, guide and influence children and adolescents as well as the changing nature, dynamics and needs of the parent/child relationship across the lifespan.
- Family Law and Public Policy: An understanding of the legal issues, policies, and law influencing the well-being of families.
- Professional Ethics and Practice: An understanding of the character and quality of human social conduct, and the ability to critically examine ethical questions and issues as they relate to professional practice.
- Family Life Education Methodology: An understanding of the general philosophy and broad principles of family life education in conjunction with the ability to plan, implement, and evaluate such educational programs.
Program Requirements
To qualify for the Master of Science in Applied Family Science degree, a student must satisfy the fully admitted requirements and complete a minimum of 33 credit hours, maintaining a grade point average of 3.0. All students must complete the nine core courses and two 120-hour guided practicum courses.
Course Requirements
This Master’s degree is a 33 credit degree. The focus of the degree is to study healthy family functioning within a family systems perspective. The degree will have an emphasis on family life education, an applied field of prevention study with a conceptual foundation drawn from psychology, education, home management, sociology, law, economics, social work, philosophy, biology and theology.
Required Courses
Students must satisfactorily complete all courses.
Students must complete AFM 8110 or AFM 8200. Faculty Approval required.