AAFCS- American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences

American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences Council for Accreditation (AAFCS)

Family & Consumer Sciences (FCS) gave birth to consumer education in 1909, which lead to the inception of the American Home Economics Association which is now called as Association of Family and Consumer Sciences. FCS is the comprehensive body of skills, research, and information that help people to make informed decisions about their health, well-being, relationships, and resources to achieve satisfaction in life.  

 It includes areas like nutrition, parenting, interpersonal relationships, finance, career management, family management, design and merchandising, interior design and other areas.

AACFS is the only association which represents members from FCS practice settings and content areas. That means AAFCS members both work in federal and state government schools as teachers, deans, professors, and dieticians & test kitchens for food companies.

It was first founded by a female graduate from MIT, Ellen H. Richards who was an activist for consumer education, nutrition, and child protection when she incorporated this agency and it assures students that the accredited undergraduate consumer and family science programs provide them with the highest quality professional education to become excellent in improving the livelihood of people. 

 source - aafcs.org

Eligibility Requirements for institutions to get accredited

• To be eligible for accreditation, an institution must first be accredited by the appropriate regional accrediting agency.

• Institutions must have graduated students in educational programs preparing professionals for careers in family and consumer sciences or in one of its specializations.

• An institution seeking accreditation of the family and consumer sciences unit is expected to agree to have the unit analyzed and assessed against standards and criteria, in accordance with the CFA policies and procedures.

• The institution is expected to agree that any disputed decision will be addressed first using the Council’s Procedure to Appeal for Reconsideration. If the matter is not resolved by this Procedure, the institution agrees to submit the matter to arbitration prior to seeking redress in the United States court system.

• Accreditation ensures that the institution provides programs that are meeting the standards nationally and by the Council.

• Institutions accredited by the AAFCS should have faculty, curricula, resources matching with their set goals and standards.

• They meet profession-wide criteria that stress applying the expertise and skills of the field in socially responsible ways.

 University Programs with AAFCS Accreditation

• Jacksonville State University

• Fort Valley State University

• University of Georgia

• Eastern Illinois University

• University of Kentucky

• Northwestern State University

• Ohio University

• University of Houston

• University of Montevallo

What is Family and Consumer Science Program?

Family and Consumer Science program totally focus on studying the relationship among people and their personal environment. If you master in Family and Consumer Science, you learn to improve the quality of individuals and families life by providing them the practical solution. The program also has the various areas to study and master in. You can choose among Consumer Affairs, Family studies, Interior design, and much more.

Family and Consumer Science Program Careers

By holding the Family and Consumer Science degree, you can have the access to get into different fields and occupations. The following list helps you to understand the career opportunities available to you after the course. 

• Educator

• CAD Designer

• Child Advocate 

• Housing Counselor

• Costume Designer, and many more.

Guiding Values of AAFCS

The guiding values consist of three critical components:

Core Concepts -

The core concepts consist of further subheads namely 

• Basic Human Needs - The basic human needs include food, shelter, clothing, and basic physiological needs.

• Individual well-being - Mental, physical and emotional well-being is the core of human well-being.

• Family Strengths - Family Strengths include relationships, equality, spirituality, flexibility, truthfulness, communication, hope, support and family time.

• Community Vitality - Community vitality measures how well basic human needs are met and focuses on providing an environment conducive to individual and family well-being

Integrative Elements -

Integrative elements are further divided into -

• Life course Development- Life course development focuses on the ecosystem framework which focuses on the well being of the family and the individual and the communities they live in. 

• Human Ecosystem- The human ecosystem within which it operates consists of- families, the physical environment of space and the natural environment, the human-built environment, and the social regulatory environment.

Cross-cutting themes- The cross-cutting themes consists of five sub-components-Capacity Building-

Capacity building means individuals, families, and communities acquiring knowledge, and skills, building on assets and strengths, etc.

• Global Interdependence- It means the impact of people globally on nature and on each other plus the effect of their actions on each other. 

• Resource Development and sustainability- Resource development and sustainability involves managing resources wisely. 

• Appropriate use of technology- The appropriate use of technology involves understanding how advances in science and technology are shaped, manipulated, and used to affect the quality of life for individuals, families, and communities.

• Wellness- Wellness addresses health and well-being. It includes food security; adequate nutrition; respectful, caring, and compassionate learning environments, etc.

AAFCS Decision Making Bodies

The Council for Accreditation (CFA) serves as the official accrediting body of AAFCS conducting activities for the accreditation of family and consumer sciences units in higher education. Members of the Council for Accreditation include- Six representatives from accredited Units elected by the Collegiate Assembly; two practicing professionals appointed by the CFA, and two public members appointed by the Council for Accreditation (CFA).

2017-18 Council for Accreditation members include-

• Chair

• Chair-Elect

• Secretary

• Members

• Practicing Professional

• Public Member

• Re-Design Chair

Conclusion

AAFCS is an agency that believes in giving accreditations to colleges that promote family and consumer sciences effectively. It is an agency that focuses on maintaining humanistic values.