Family Studies Assessment Results
- Mission Statement
The mission of the Department of Child and Family Studies is to prepare Early Childhood and Family Life Educators to positively transform our community and society.
The Family Studies (FS) major prepares graduates to be Provisionally Certified Family Life Educators, which is a certification administered by the National Council on Family Relations. The FS Program has experienced both increases and decreases in majors, minors, and graduates over the recent 2-year period. Overall, the number of graduates has fluctuated from 35 in 2023 to 32 in 2024 and has increased to 42 as of Spring 2025. Interestingly, the number of declared majors in Family Studies has decreased from 133 (Fall 2023) to 100 (Spring 2025). The department offers two general education courses: CHF 1500 Human Development and CHF 2400 Family Relations. The 2400 course was first offered as a GE course in Fall Semester of 2017. The Family Studies program is responsive to workforce needs in many ways. One example is the career advising information for students in seven key areas: School Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy, Case Worker in Social Services, Extension Education, Research and Education, Youth Services (YMCA, Youth Impact, etc.), and Personal Application. The FS program is highly involved with the community and has a very active advisory board containing directors and administrators from several agencies including Your Community Connection, Ogden-Weber Community Action Partnership, Cottages of Hope, Juvenile Justice Court, Center for Grieving Children, Utah Division of Child and Family Services, Catholic Community Services, Prevent Child Abuse Utah, United Way, YMCA, Hill Airforce Base, Job Corps, Family Support Center of Ogden and the WSU Community Education Center. Further evidence of community engagement includes the new format of the Families Alive Lecture series, which offers students the opportunity to earn course credit and educational opportunities for working professionals, university students, and community members. Faculty are also highly involved with the Family Science Association and Teaching Family Science Conference (several faculty members serve as conference chairs, organization president, and journal editors). The Family Studies program faculty operates the WSU Family Literacy Program, which receives external funding to serve families in the community. The Family Studies program faculty are highly involved with the Utah Marriage Commission and have taught several community classes and trained students in healthy marriage and relationship education curricula.The Family Studies program prepares students to be provisionally Certified Family Life Educators through a curriculum reviewed and approved by the National Council on Family Relations. The Family Studies Program curriculum is based on the standards of the National Council of Family Relations. These outcomes standards require a knowledge base and related skills in the following areas: 1) Families in Society, 2) Internal Dynamics of Families, 3) Human Growth and Development Over the Life Span, 4) Human Sexuality, 5) Interpersonal Relationships, 6) Family Resource Management, 7) Parent Education and Guidance, 8) Family Law and Public Policy, 9) Ethics, 10) Family Life Education Methodology, and one additional department standard, 11) Professional Development. The faculty engage in extensive high-impact learning experiences in all courses. Examples of these practices include original research projects, community engagement experiences, interaction with grants and externally funded programs, and authentic application of learning in professional settings. We offer courses that challenge students academically, including ethics, research methodology, diversity of families and cultures, group learning projects, presentations in the community, engagement in community projects and programs, and GENOGRAM projects. The faculty have high expectations for students while offering high levels of support and mentoring. Evidence of the effectiveness of instruction includes placement of students into accredited graduate programs and 100’s of undergraduate students presenting original research at academic conferences. Furthermore, Family Studies students typically gain employment in social service agencies and non-profit organizations serving families and children. Students have indicated high levels of satisfaction with their experiences as students within the Family Studies program.
The Family Studies program is in a useful position to continue serving the needs of students and our community. Strategic planning and ideas include the following: Creating a Master’s in Marriage Family Therapy (MFT) program, providing a new bachelor’s degree pathway of becoming a Certified Financial Planner, to make our bachelor’s sub-120 degree pathway, and a 4 + 1 Master’s degree within our GSE Family Life Education Emphasis.
Limitations: The limitations of the Family Studies program include dealing with the variable increases and decreases in majors and minors over the years, and the addition of new courses.
- Student Learning Outcomes
- Certificates (Not Applicable)
- Associate Degree (Not Applicable)
- Bachelor Degree
Students in Family Studies are assessed on their competency and proficiency in 11 substance areas that align with the NCFR Certified Family Life Education credential. These substance areas are recognized as overarching student learning outcomes that are associated with specific courses. As students work through each course, they have the opportunity to complete activities that introduce them to the learning outcome, develop a deeper understanding of it, and master the outcome. Below is a list of the overarching student learning outcomes for Family Studies students.
- 1. Families and Individuals in Societal Contexts: An understanding of families and their relationships to other institutions, such as the educational, governmental, religious, health care, and occupational institutions in society.
- 2. Internal Dynamics of Families: An understanding of family strengths and weaknesses and how family members relate to and interact with each other.
- 3. Human Growth and Development Across Lifespan: An understanding of the development changes (both typical and atypical) of individuals in families across the lifespan. Based in knowledge if physical, emotional, cognitive, social, moral, and personality aspects.
- 4. Human Sexuality Across the Lifespan: An understanding of the physiological, psychological, and social aspects of sexual development across the lifespan, to achieve healthy sexual adjustment.
- 5. Interpersonal Relationships: An understanding of the development, maintenance, and dissolution of interpersonal relationships among friends, roommates, coworkers, neighbors, as well as family members.
- 6. Family Resource Management: An understanding of the decisions individuals and families make about developing and allocating resources including money, time, energy, space, material, and health assets, and networks of support to meet their goals.
- 7. 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.
- 8. Family Law and Public Policy: An understanding of legal issues, policies, and laws influencing the well-being of families.
- 9. 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.
- 10. 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, assess, and evaluate such educational programs.
- 11. Professional Development/Practicum: An understanding and skill demonstrated in computer literacy, composition and writing skills, research skills, family advocacy processes, membership in relevant professional organizations, and appropriate grooming, dress, and behavior.
- Certificates (Not Applicable)
- Curriculum Grid
Update in Progress
We are currently transitioning to a new format. Please contact oie@weber.edu to request a copy of the current curriculum grid for this program.
Examples of assessments include:- FAM 3350 - poster presentations done in pairs and focused on diverse characteristics of families/populations in the U.S.
- FAM 4400 - Exam on Boss, et al. contextual model of family coping
- FAM 4950 - Practicum Report
- CHF 2400 - Genogram
- FAM 3650 - Apply Family Therapy theories to explaining family dynamics
- FAM 3350 - Outreach podcasts/mini-documentaries are created by individual students to highlight diverse family strengths/challenges and how to provide outreach accordingly
- FAM 4400 - Personal application papers on how family dynamics influence a family's ability to cope with stress and change.
- FAM 3400 - Case Study analysis of developmental trajectories
- FAM 3450 - Life Review and Application paper
- HLTH 3500 - Performance- based assignments scored with a rubric. The Canvas Outcomes tool was used to track student performance on multiple assignments (online discussion boards) across sections and semesters of the course.
- FAM 4660 - Series of papers and reflections on relationship dynamics and issues including world view paper, RELATE Assessment, expectations paper, relationship plan, and reading quizzes.
- FAM 1400 - Written assignments & reading quizzes.
- FAM 4660 - Completion of training in Relationship Education Curriculum (PREP) and successful teaching of PREP in the community.
- FAM 3550 - Parent Education Program Workshop; Review & analysis of parenting education programs
- FAM 4999B – Policy Paper Final Draft
- FAM 2990B - Ethical Issues Presentation and Class Activity Ethical Issues Presentation Response
- FAM 2990B - Professional Interviews and Ethical Issues Paper
- FAM 3850 - first half of the term includes readings on research design, including measurement and evaluation. Later, students create, conduct, analyze, and disseminate findings from family-oriented research learning how to inform education, practice, and real-life application through empirical research.
- FAM 4860 - Practicum Experience
- Program and Contact Information
The Department of Child and Family Studies was developed to prepare students to become Early Childhood and Family Life Educators who respect diversity, use culturally competent practices, and apply their knowledge to create environments that enhance the lives and healthy development of adults, children, and families over the lifespan. The Family Studies program is responsive to workforce needs in many ways, and provides advising, support, and networking with community leaders and potential employers as well as graduate schools. The FS program is highly involved with the community and has a very active advisory board containing directors and administrators from a variety of area agencies. Further evidence of community engagement includes the Families Alive Conference, The Storytelling Festival, the Human Trafficking Symposium, and the Utah Marriage Commission with offer educational opportunities for working professionals, university students, and community members. Faculty are also highly involved with the National Council of Family Relations (NCFR), the Family Science Association, and Teaching Family Science Conference (several faculty members have served as conference chairs, organization president, and journal editors). Finally, the Family Studies program operates the following programs which receive external funding to serve families in the community: The WSU Family Literacy Program and the WSU Healthy Marriage and Relationship Education Program (2009-2021).
Contact Information:Department Chair
Dr. Ryan Dunn
charlesdunn@weber.edu
385.244.0141Program Chair
Dr. Keith V. Osai
keithosai@weber.edu
801.626.7274
Child & Family Studies Website - Assessment Plan
Now that we are transitioning from a course-based to a program-based assessment, we propose the following plan to help collect data, review that data, and strategize future directions for the program. Collection of data will take place at the end of each semester by faculty entering data, based on the completed assessment items, within our Family Studies program spreadsheet.
Overview of Assessment Plan
Year 1 AY 2025-26- #1 Families in Societal Contexts
- FAM 3550 - Presentations
- #2 Internal Dynamics of Families
- CHF 2400 - Genogram
- #3 Human Growth and Development Over the Lifespan
- CHF 1500 - Signature Assignment
- #4 Human Sexuality
- HLTH 3500 - Assessments
- HLTH 3500 - Assessments
Year 2 AY 2026-27
- Submit Biennial Report
- Implement identified changes/updates for outcomes 1, 2, and 3.
- Gather and analyze data
- Evaluate impact: did the changes have the intended impact? Revise? Update?
Year 3 AY 2027-28
- #5 Interpersonal Relationships
- FAM 1400 - Written assignments and readings
- #6 Family Resource Management
- FAM 2100 - Projects and examinations
- #7 Parent Education and Guidance
- FAM 3550 - Exams, workshops, and final paper
- #8 Family Law and Public Policy
- FAM 4990B - Policy paper
- FAM 4990B - Policy paper
Year 4 AY 2028-29
- Submit Biennial Report
- Implement identified changes/updates for outcomes 4, 5, and 6.
- Gather and analyze data
- Evaluate impact: did the changes have the intended impact? Revise? Update?
Year 5 AY 2029-30
- #9 Professional Ethics and Practice
- FAM 2990B - Ethical Issues Presentation, Class Activity Ethical Issues Presentation Response, Professional Interviews and Ethical Issues Paper
- #10 Family Life Education Methodology
- FAM 4650 - Program packet
- #11 Professional Development/Practicum (WSU added)
- FAM 4860 - Practicum Report
- FAM 4860 - Practicum Report
Year 6 AY 2030-31
- Submit Biennial Report
- Implement identified changes/updates for outcomes 1, 2, and 3.
- Gather and analyze data
- Evaluate impact: did the changes have the intended impact?
- Revise? Update?
Year 7 AY 2031-32
- PR Self Study
- Summarize findings in anticipation of program review self-study
- Submit self-study
- #1 Families in Societal Contexts
- Assessment Report Submissions
To view assessment report submissions prior to April 2026, please visit our assessment archive here.
- Program Review
This information is part of the cyclical program review process. Details such as mission statements, learning outcomes, etc., are updated as part of the biennial assessment reporting process, an integral component of program review.