General Family and Consumer Sciences (Child, Family & Social Services) Bachelor of Science Degree
Many families struggle with unemployment, marriage, divorce, remarriage, aging, caring for elderly or disadvantaged family members, child abuse, violence and other stresses of daily life. The Nicholls child, family and social service program prepares students to help individuals and families cope with life’s difficulties.Graduates of the program are prepared for careers in public and private agencies. The curriculum combines general education courses with specialized courses in:
- family studies,
- child development,
- professional practice,
- nutrition,
- resource management,
- psychology and
- nursing.
Accredited by the American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences

- All candidates in the Child, Family, and Social Services Education program must maintain a minimum 5 GPA and a “C” or above in all coursework.
- Child, Family, and Social Services candidates are required to take courses in:
- Family Studies and Child Development
- Professional Practice and Resource Management
- Nutrition and Nursing
- Psychology
- Field Experiences: Child, Family, and Social Services candidates complete various field experiences throughout required coursework which encompasses a one-semester supervised internship at an approved site which may include hospitals, nursing facilities, hospice care, and child abuse prevention and intervention facilities.
General Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) 4 Year Degree Plan
Freshman Year:
Recommended Courses | Hr. | Grade | Indicate Spring, Summer or Fall AND Year |
BIOL 105 Basic Biology I | 3 |
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BIOL 106 Basic Biology II | 3 |
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Computer Lit. Elective Computer Science/Office Info System (OIS 200 and all CMPS) | 2 |
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ENGL 101 English Composition I | 3 |
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ENGL 102 English Composition II | 3 |
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FACS 131 Helping Families and Individuals | 3 |
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Freshman Seminar – University Prep | 1 |
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HPED Health & PE Elective | 2 |
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MATH 101 College Algebra | 3 |
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MATH Elective | 3 |
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PSYC 101 General Psychology | 3 |
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Total Hours: 29
Sophomore Year:
Recommended Courses | Hr. | Grade | Indicate Spring, Summer or Fall AND Year |
ENGL Elective (200 level) | 3 |
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ENGL 366 Academic/Professional Wrg or 368 Technical Writing | 3 |
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FACS 332 – Cur Elements | 3 |
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FACS 334 – Changing Home & Family | 3 |
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HIST Elective | 3 |
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HIST Elective | 3 |
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PSYC 204 Psychology of Personality | 3 |
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PSYC 212 Life-Span Developmental Psychology | 3 |
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SPCH 101 Fundamentals of Public Speaking | 3 |
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SOCI 151 Intro to Sociology or Sociology 204 Cultural Diversity in American Society | 3 |
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Total Hours: 30
Junior Year:
Recommended Courses | Hr. | Grade | Indicate Spring, Summer or Fall AND Year |
Fine Arts Elective (ART, MUS, FNAR or SPCH 300) | 3 |
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FACS 400 The Family & Law | 3 |
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FACS 448 Applied Family Resource Management | 3 |
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FACS 460 Parenting | 3 |
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FACS 461 Families and Crisis | 3 |
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FACS 470 Applied Perspectives on Aging | 3 |
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NURS 307 Drug Abuse | 3 |
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NURS 311 General Medical Terminology | 1 |
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Nursing Electives (Choice of 1) | 3 |
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315: Gerontology |
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352: Perspective of Death & Dying |
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360: Human sexuality |
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460: Child Abuse |
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Physical Sciences Elective (ASTR, GEOL, PHSC, CHEM) | 3 |
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PSYC 301 Abnormal Psychology | 3 |
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Total Hours: 31
Senior Year:
Recommended Courses | Hr. | Grade | Indicate Spring, Summer or Fall AND Year |
*FACS 464 Professional Practice in Family Service
| 3 |
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FACS 471 Families & Addictions | 3 |
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FACS 477 Community Health & Wellness | 3 |
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FACS 480 Multicultural Concepts | 3 |
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**FACS 493 FACS Internship I | 6 |
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**FACS 494 FACS Internship II | 6 |
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PSYC 402 Psychology of Counseling | 3 |
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PSYC 407 Ethics | 3 |
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Total Hours: 30 Total Hours for Degree: 120
Minors for the Department
Family and Consumer Sciences (Child, Family and Social Services) | Addictive Behaviors |
FACS 131 | FACS 131 |
FACS 334 | FACS 334 |
FACS 461 | FACS 448 |
FACS 464 | FACS 461 |
PSYC 204 | FACS 464 |
PSYC 301 | FACS 471 |
| NURS 307 |
| SOCI 387 |
* FACS 464 Must be taken the semester before internship (FACS 493 & 494)
** FACS 493 and 494, Internship: Must be taken alone last semester and cannot be completed over summer
For candidates with last names beginning with A – M:
Dr. Kimberly Reynolds
247 College of Education and Behavioral Sciences Building
Phone: 985.448.4340
E-mail: kimi.reynolds@nicholls.edu
For candidates with last names beginning with N – Z:
Dr. Betsy St. Pierre
283 College of Education and Behavioral Sciences Building
Phone: 985.448.4953
E-mail: betsy.st.pierre@nicholls.edu
Q. What can I do with a degree in child, family and social service?
A. Graduates are prepared to work as case managers, skill-building specialists, family service coordinators, general social services workers within agencies and institutions and counselors. Some students use their degree to get into graduate programs in counseling, psychology, social work or family and consumer sciences.
Q. Do I have to do an internship in this degree program?
A. Yes. Students complete an internship in the community during their final semester of their undergraduate coursework.
Child, family and social service graduates work in a variety of settings, including:
- hospitals or medical centers
- adolescent rehabilitation facilities
- community agencies
- government agencies
- non-profit organizations
- Head Start
- home health
- schools
- human service institutions
- nursing facilities
- court programs
- other agencies serving families
Nicholls students have also been successful in getting accepted into graduate programs, with many earning the Master of Social Work degree.
Child, Family & Social Services, or Addictive Behaviors
Students who are not majoring in Child, Family & Social Services may minor in Child, Family & Social Services, or Addictive Behaviors may complete a minor in the field by earning 19 semester hours of credits as follows:
Addictive Behaviors | FACS 131, 334, 448, 461, 464, 471; NURS 307; and SOCI 387. These courses meet the coursework requirements of the state for certification as a substance abuse counselor. |
Family and Consumer Sciences(Child, Family & Social Services) | FACS 130, 334, 461, 464 PSYC 204 and PSYC 301. |
A grade of “C’ or above is required for every course taken to minor in Addictive Behaviors or Family and Consumer Sciences.