Department of Applied and
Professional Studies

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Undergraduate ProgramGraduate ProgramCourse DescriptionsFaculty

Division of Personal Financial Planning

 

About the Program

The department supervises the following degree program and certificates:

• Bachelor of Science in Family and Consumer Sciences
• Bachelor of Science in Community, Family and Addiction Services
• Bachelor of Science in Personal Financial Planning
• Master of Science in Family and Consumer Sciences Education
• Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy
• Master of Science in Personal Financial Planning
• Doctor of Philosophy in Family and Consumer Sciences Education
• Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Design
• Doctor of Philosophy in Personal Financial Planning
• Doctor of Philosophy in Marriage and Family Therapy
• Graduate Certificate in Addictions and the Family
• Graduate Certificate in Personal Financial Planning

Mission. The mission of the Department of Applied and Professional Studies (APS) is to serve students and the community by offering quality education in applied human services delivered by world-class faculty teaching in distinguished programs. To accomplish this mission, the department offers the following program areas: family and consumer sciences, personal financial planning, addictive disorders and recovery studies, and marriage and family therapy.

The department relates to the Center for Financial Responsibility, the Center for the Study of Addiction and Recovery, the Family Therapy Clinic, and the Curriculum Center for Family and Consumer Sciences.

Within the department there are opportunities to collaborate with faculty members in research; to experience different aspects of programs through internships, classroom apprenticeships, and independent studies; and to participate in student organizations and activities. The department is committed to being an active and contributing member of the college, university, and surrounding communities. As a result, faculty, staff, and students are actively engaged with many university groups, community groups, and agencies in an effort to improve the experience for students and improve the quality of life for others.
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Undergraduate Program

Addictive Disorders and Recovery Studies

The Center for the Study of Addiction and Recovery (CSAR) at Texas Tech, established in 1986, assists individuals recovering from drug and alcohol addiction and eating disorders with their pursuit of a college education. The CSAR has created a community support and relapse prevention program, the Collegiate Recovery Community, which provides an environment in which recovering students can focus on staying sober without having to delay their educational goals. The CSAR, the only program of its kind in the United States, was selected recently to receive support from the federal government to develop a model to replicate collegiate community support and relapse-prevention programs at other universities.

The CSAR offers a comprehensive curriculum in addictive disorders and recovery studies meeting all educational requirements for a student to become a licensed chemical dependency counselor in the state of Texas. Students enrolled in many majors across the university take classes in this curriculum.

 

Interdisciplinary Minor in Addictive Disorders and Recovery Studies

The Department of Applied and Professional Studies, the Addictive Disorders and Recovery Studies program, and the College of Arts and Sciences jointly offer an interdisciplinary minor in addictive disorders and recovery studies (ADRS). This minor is designed for students with professional, academic, or personal interest in addictive disorders. It will provide students with an understanding of the physiological, psychological, societal, and familial factors contributing to addiction and the recovery from addiction. It is recommended that the 18 hours of coursework be taken in the order listed below:

1. Take this class first: ADRS 2310 Understanding Alcohol, Drugs and Addictive Behavior
2. Take this class second: ADRS 3325 Family Dynamics of Addiction
3. Choose two classes in any order from the following:
   ADRS 2327 Prevention of Substance Abuse
   HLTH 3325 Health and Chemical Dependency
   SOC 3383 Alcohol, Drugs, and Society
   PSY 4325 Drugs, Alcohol, and Behavior
4. Choose one class from the following:
   PFP 2325 Family Financial Counseling
   FCSE 3325 Educational Programming: Addiction Issues
   ADRS 3329 Addiction, Recovery, and Relationships
   SOC 4325 Criminology
   SOC 4327 Juvenile Delinquency
   ADRS 4329 Eating Disorders
5. Take this class last: ADRS 4325 Treatment of Addictive Disorders

The Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse and the Texas Certification Board of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors accept completion of this minor as fulfillment of alcohol- and drug-specific education for licensure.

Community, Family, and Addiction Services

The B.S. in Community, Family, and Addiction Services (CFAS) prepares graduates to work in administrative and direct service roles in agencies serving communities and families of diverse needs and populations. This plan of study places emphasis on organizational effectiveness, program development, and service delivery. All coursework is grounded in family systems theory and its applications in human services settings. An understanding of addiction in its various manifestations and the development of multicultural competence are also core elements of the curriculum.

Through this dual focus, CFAS graduates develop a unique combination of skills in leadership, fund raising, financial management, program development, program delivery, and cultural competence. They are also trained to understand addiction, including prevention, assessment, treatment, and relationship dynamics. Students who complete a degree in community, family, and addiction services are eligible to take the Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor examination and register as a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor Intern in the state of Texas (as administered by the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse and the Texas Certification Board of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors). The CFAS degree prepares students to excel in careers related to human services administration and service delivery, including substance abuse prevention and counseling, management of community service and outreach organizations, non-profit administration, or case management. The CFAS major also provides a strong foundation for students planning to pursue a graduate degree in counseling, marriage and family therapy, substance abuse prevention or treatment, or other mental health fields.

All upper-division CFAS courses have a prerequisite of a 2.5 GPA. The program also requires a 14-week practicum in which students work in an existing human service organization during the summer between the junior and senior years..

Family and Consumer Sciences Education

The mission of the family and consumer sciences education program is to prepare individuals for professional positions in secondary schools, colleges and universities, extension education, and related areas through quality education, research, and service. The family and consumer sciences program offers specializations in family and consumer sciences teacher certification and family and consumer sciences. The certification specialization meets Texas standards for the Family and Consumer Sciences Composite Certificate that qualifies individuals to teach all family and consumer sciences courses offered in Texas secondary schools. Texas has a critical shortage of teachers, and the demand for family and consumer sciences teachers remains strong.

Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher Certification. The family and consumer sciences teacher certification program is designed for students planning teaching careers in middle and high school family and consumer sciences, extension, adult- and community-based education, educational support services such as curriculum development and media, business, government, human services, and other fields. The program includes coursework in all family and consumer sciences content areas and the professional education courses required for teacher certification. See an academic advisor for current information.

Students seeking teacher certification must meet all requirements outlined in the College of Education section of the catalog. Admission requirements include completion of a minimum of 60 semester hours (including current enrollment) with a 2.5 or better overall GPA and college-level skills in reading, oral and written communication, critical thinking, and mathematics. To be recommended for certification, graduates must maintain a 2.5 or better overall GPA and also a 2.5 or better GPA in all professional education courses and in the teaching field(s). In addition, graduates must achieve a satisfactory level of performance on the appropriate examinations prescribed by the State Board for Educator Certification.

Students also may earn a teaching certificate in family and consumer sciences as part of a major in human development and family studies. A Specialized Family and Consumer Sciences Certificate in Hospitality, Nutrition, and Food Sciences is available as part of a major in nutritional sciences or a major in restaurant, hotel, and institutional management. For more information, see the catalog sections for the Department of Human Development and Family Studies and the Department of Nutrition, Hospitality, and Retailing.

Family and consumer sciences certification students may take online courses through the Texas Family and Consumer Sciences Distance Education Alliance. More information can be found at www.fcsalliance.org or by contacting an FCSE advisor.

Family and Consumer Sciences. The family and consumer sciences specialization is designed for students who wish to pursue multiple fields of study within the College of Human Sciences. It provides flexibility for students to explore specific areas of interest, work toward career goals, or prepare for graduate or professional study. Instead of a major, students complete the requirements for a minor in each of three areas of study. Students may select minors in addictive disorders and recovery studies; apparel design and manufacturing; human development and family studies; interior design; nutritional sciences; personal financial planning; restaurant, hotel and institutional management; or retailing. One minor may be selected outside the college. Each minor consists of a minimum of 18 hours for a total of 54 hours. For additional information about minor requirements in each area, see an Academic Advisor in the College of Human Sciences.

Personal Financial Planning

Undergraduate and graduate degrees in personal financial planning are available through the Division of Personal Financial Planning, which is a separate division within the Department of Applied and Professional Studies. See Division of Personal Financial Planning.

Curriculum Tables

• Family and Consumer Sciences
• Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher Certification
• Community, Family and Addiction Services

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Graduate Program

The Department of Applied and Professional Studies supervises graduate degree programs in marriage and family therapy, family and consumer sciences education, and personal financial planning. Applicants should contact the graduate advisor in the individual program concerning admission requirements, programs of study, and financial assistance. Admission to a graduate degree program requires both the recommendation of the department and the Graduate School.

 

Family and Consumer Sciences Education (FCSE)

M.S. in FCSE. The M.S. in FCSE is designed to prepare individuals for advancement in family and consumer sciences careers.
A minimum of 32 semester hours is required for the thesis option and 38 semester hours for the nonthesis option. Required coursework includes curriculum development, evaluation, educational leadership, and research methods. Statistics is required for the thesis option.

Ph.D. in FSCE. The Ph.D. in FCSE prepares individuals for faculty positions in higher education and other professional leadership roles. A minimum of 53 semester hours beyond the master’s degree is required, exclusive of dissertation. The program includes a specialization in family and consumer sciences education, a research component, and other coursework designed to meet individual professional goals. Students may complete an 18-hour emphasis that meets the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools standard for coursework in a teaching discipline.

Post–Baccalaureate Certification. Graduate students may obtain a teaching certificate in family and consumer sciences by completing coursework that meets the Texas standards for teacher certification. Three post-baccalaureate options are available. The Family and Consumer Sciences Composite Certificate qualifies individuals to teach all family and consumer sciences courses offered in Texas secondary schools. Specialized certificates in human development and family studies and hospitality, nutrition, and food science qualify individuals to teach family and consumer sciences courses in the designated content areas. Post-baccalaureate certification students are eligible to complete a one-year paid teaching internship in lieu of student teaching. Selected graduate credits earned for certification may be applied toward a graduate degree in family and consumer sciences education (M.S. or Ph.D.).

Online M.S. in Family and Consumer Sciences Education. An online option for the M.S. in Family and Consumer Sciences Education is offered in collaboration with the Great Plains Distance Education Alliance (GPIDEA). The nonthesis program is designed for individuals who have a bachelor’s degree in a family and consumer sciences content specialization or related area and are interested in obtaining initial certification/licensure for teaching family and consumer sciences at the secondary level. The program consists of 39 semester hours and includes the pedagogy courses required for certification. Teacher certification standards vary by state, and students may need to meet additional certification requirements mandated by the state in which they wish to be certified. Students admitted to this program register for all courses at Texas Tech, but the courses may be taught by faculty at any of the Great Plains institutions. Additional information is available at www.hs.ttu.edu/gpidea or by contacting an FCSE advisor.

Marriage and Family Therapy

The graduate degree programs in marriage and family therapy provide clinical and academic training to students who will function as marriage and family therapists at the highest level of clinical competence and who will make unique contributions to the field of marriage and family therapy through research, teaching, clinical practice, and other professional activities. The M.S. degree is intended to provide the academic requirements leading to licensure as a marriage and family therapist in the state of Texas. Actual licensure requires additional post-master’s degree clinical experience. The Ph.D. degree requires a minimum of 48 credit hours beyond the master’s degree plus a clinical internship and at least 12 hours of dissertation research. The Ph.D. program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.

Personal Financial Planning

The Division of Personal Financial Planning, which is administered by the Department of Applied and Professional Studies, supervises degree programs leading to a Master of Science and a Doctor of Philosophy in Personal Financial Planning. See information on these programs in the Division of Personal Financial Planning catalog section.

 

Graduate Certificates

Addictions and the Family. The graduate certificate in addictions and the family was created to provide specialized training to mental health providers who work with families and individuals struggling with substance abuse and addictive behaviors. Coursework requirements include a total of 18 credit hours: 12 credit hours focusing on family systems theories, the impact of addiction on family dynamics, systemic treatment, and issues in professional development; and 6 credit hours chosen from courses in systemic evaluation, developmental issues in therapy, and couple/sex therapy. Additional coursework and clinical experience is required for clinicians seeking to be a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor.

Personal Financial Planning. The Graduate Certificate in Personal Financial Planning is designed to meet the educational requirement for the Certified Financial Planner™ Certification designation. A minimum of 18 hours must be completed in the areas of Financial Planning, Asset Management, Insurance and Risk Management, Retirement, Tax, and Estate Planning for the certificate from Texas Tech. For students with no previous coursework in these areas, 24 hours may be required to meet the educational requirements of CFP Board to sit for the CFP® Certification Examination.Back to Top

 

Course Descriptions

• Addictive Disorders and Recovery Sciences (ADRS)
• Community, Family, and Addiction Services (CFAS)
• Family and Consumer Sciences Education (FCSE)
• Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT)
• Personal Financial Planning (PFP)

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Faculty

Click here to view alphabetical listing of all TTU faculty and their academic credentials.

Sterling Shumway, Ph.D., Chairperson

Professors: Couch, Hampton, S. Harris, Ivey
Associate Professors: Allison, Durband, Finke, Gustafson, K. Harris, Huston, Katz, Kimball, Korb, Morris, Shumway
Assistant Professors: Akay, K. Alexander, Gilliam, Karakurt, Lauderdale, Salter, Smith, Smock, Whiting,
Instructors: Barnhill, Comiskey, Killman, Morelock, Springer
Adjunct Faculty: EvenskyBack to Top