Careers in Family Science: What can I do with this degree?

Department of Family Science

University of Maryland, College Park

Professional Area/
Job Titles / Employers / Strategies
Social and Human Services
  • Case manager
  • Community organizer
  • Counselor
  • Family support worker
  • Activity/recreation director
  • Administrator
  • Advocate
  • Grant writer
  • Development officer
  • Researcher
/
  • Government, non-profit and for-profit agencies designed to serve children, youth, families, seniors, and communities
  • Child welfare/foster care and adoption agencies
  • Maternal health agencies
  • Hospitals, home health, long-term care agencies
  • Military family support services
  • Juvenile service agencies
  • Substance abuse prevention programs
  • Criminal justice settings
  • Domestic violence shelters
  • Child and adult protective services
  • Peace Corps
  • Senior day program centers
  • Offices of aging
  • Vocational rehabilitation/job training agencies
  • Research institutes
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  • Take counseling, therapy, psychology, or social work courses; and courses in specific populations of interest (e.g., aging).
  • Pursue master’s degree if goal is be a counselor, social worker, or psychotherapist.
  • Learn federal, state and local government job application process; apply early because the process is quite lengthy.
  • Select an internship in an area in which you aspire to work.
  • Volunteer in SPH’s Center on Young Adult Health and Development ( if interested in young adults.
  • Volunteer or earn credit working with children in SPH’s Children’s Developmental Clinic. Call Paul Hahn, Director, at 301-322-0519for more information.

Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) and Social Work (MSW)
  • All of the above, at MFT or MSW licensed level
  • Psychotherapist with individuals, couples, families, and groups
  • Clinical case manager
  • Psychosocial skills trainer
  • Supervisor/manager of therapy/treatment program
  • Program developer
  • Researcher
  • Program evaluator
/
  • All of the above, at MFT and MSW levels
  • Social service agencies (public and private)
  • Mental health centers
  • Schools
  • Hospitals, clinics, hospice
  • Child welfare agencies
  • Adoption agencies
  • Policy and advocacy organizations
  • Employee Assistance Programs
  • Private practice
/
  • Take electives such as: FMSC 485 Intro to Family Therapy; FMSC 460 Violence in Families; FMSC 498M Family Mediation; and FMSC 498S Sexuality: Issues in Family Therapy and Service Delivery.
  • Do an internship with a supervisor who holds the degree you seek.
  • Pursue a graduate degree.
  • Get research experience.
  • Advocate for policies that support well-being and quality of life for all, especially vulnerable populations.
  • Participate in programs that emphasize client empowerment.

Community Services
  • Counselor
  • Parent educator
  • Youth development worker
  • Sexuality educator
  • Crisis/hotline worker
  • Program administrator/director
  • Grant-writer
  • Development officer
  • Program evaluator and researcher (MA/MSW or PhD)
  • Clergy, pastoral care
/
  • Community centers
  • YWCA, YMCA
  • Summer camp programs
  • Clubs and classes for children
  • Programs for people with special needs
  • Family support centers
  • Parenting education programs
  • Cooperative Extension
  • Local governments
  • Jobs programs
  • Churches/synagogues/faith-based organizations
/
  • Gain relevant experience as an intern, part time employee or volunteer.
  • Visit model programs that interest you.
  • Develop wide range of skills in the arts, sports, activity leading, and workshop leading.
  • Investigate positive youth development models.

Education

  • Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE)
  • Teacher – preschool (BA), high school (BA with certification), or higher education (MA/MS or PhD)
  • Administrator
  • Advocate/policy analyst
  • After school program director
  • Program evaluator
  • Curriculum developer
  • School counselor (MA/MS)
  • Family support counselor for parents of children with special needs
  • Family resource coordinator
  • Educational researcher (PhD)
/
  • Child care centers
  • Child development centers
  • Head Start programs
  • Family daycare
  • After school tutoring/social-emotional skills programs
  • School-based programs
  • Parenting, family life education, and outreach programs
  • Marriage and family enrichment programs
  • Cooperative Extension
  • Health and wellness prevention settings
  • Americorps/Peace Corps
  • Religious institutions
/
  • Gain experience working with children and adolescents via internships, part-time work, and volunteering in community or religious settings.
  • Consciously apply child development knowledge.
  • Pursue certification in early childhood education, high school teaching (child development, family and consumer sciences), or daycare licensure.
  • Pursue provisional Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE) status; and take courses in 10 specified content areas (see
  • Explore state funded one-year MA/MS training and certification programs for teachers.

Policy
  • Family policy analyst
  • Researcher
  • Lobbyist/advocate
  • Legislator
/
  • At all levels of government: Departments of Health, Education, Human Services, Nutrition, Occupational and Human Safety, Immigration Services, etc.
  • Nonprofit child/family research/advocacy organizations
  • Policy “think tanks”
  • State legislature
  • International organizations
  • Non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
  • Human rights organizations
/
  • Pursue a relevant internship.
  • Take electives such as: FMSC487 Legal Aspects of Family ProblemsRead and discuss the newsregarding legislation and social program funding.
  • Develop your own opinions and become familiar with the arguments used for and against governmental social programs.
  • Work with someone in public office to become familiar with the impact of social and family policies on constituents.

Professional Area/
Job Titles / Employers / Strategies
Law
  • Lawyer (J.D.)/graduate degree
  • Advocate, child/family
  • Lobbyist
  • Politician
  • Mediator
  • Policy analyst
  • Researcher
/
  • Divorce/other mediation programs
  • Domestic violence organizations
  • Child & Adult Protective Services, legal representation
  • Victim/witness support services
  • Legal aide agencies
  • Lawyers’ office
  • District attorney’s office
  • Capitol Hill
  • Legislative advocacy groups
  • Senate or House of Representatives
  • Consumer safety organizations
/
  • Take courses such as: FMSC 487 Legal Aspects of Family Problems; FMSC 497 The Child and the Law;and FMSC 498M Family Mediation.
  • Work as a volunteer in the courts: advocate for victims of domestic violence, guardian for person with developmental disabilities, mediation programs, and family support.
  • Participate in university mock trial and debate teams.
  • Gain experience in public speaking, e.g., toastmasters.
  • Pursue a law degree.

Communications and Business
  • Human resource specialist
  • Employee assistance specialist
  • Corporate work and family director
  • Family financial counselor
  • Consumer protection specialist
  • Public relations director
  • Sales and marketing specialist
  • Family business consultant
  • Real estate agent
  • Consultant
  • Writer/editor/journalist
  • Consumer researcher
  • Market researcher
  • Entrepreneur
/
  • Human resources departments or firms
  • Public relations departments
  • Development offices
  • Your start-up business
  • Corporate daycare
  • Manufacturing industry – products for children and families
  • Newspapers/magazines
  • Consumer service departments/agencies
  • Financial agencies
  • Marketing research agencies
/
  • Take courses in work and family, personal finance, business, mediation, and organizational psychology.
  • Attend workshops on starting your own business.
  • Seek an internship relevant to your interests.
  • Develop accounting, statistics, and computer database skills.
  • Develop public speaking skills.
  • Develop written communication skills; submit work for publication.
  • Work with a promotional campaign on campus.

Public Health
  • Health Program manager
  • Communications specialist
  • Community organizer
  • Community educator
  • Researcher
  • Reproductive health specialist
  • Laboratory assistant
  • Policy analyst
  • Health advocate
/
  • Community-based health organizations
  • Hospitalsclinics
  • Managed care organizations & Insurance companies
  • Pharmaceutical & medical supply companies
  • Professional & advocacy organizations
  • Federal, state, and local government agencies
  • Non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
  • Business & industry
  • Schools, Colleges & Universities
  • Community-based healthorganizations
/
  • Take elective courses in Public and Community Health
  • Take courses in specific populations of interest
  • Select an internship in a public health area in which you aspire to work.
  • Pursue a Master’s degree in Public Health (MPH).
  • Learn federal, state and local government job application process; apply early.
  • Volunteer at a public health agency (e.g., Planned Parenthood, March of Dines, Red Cross)
  • Develop your own opinions and become familiar with the arguments used for and against governmental public health programs.
  • Explore the Association of Schools of Public Health website ( )
  • Attend lectures in state, national, and global health issues

General strategies:

  • Visit work sites of interest and talk with people in the field you are exploring; conduct informational interviews; complete a career mapping exercise.
  • Search for information about individual occupations, including the nature of the work and the earnings potential on the website of the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics at
  • Seek out undergraduate research experiences.
  • Gain internship and/or volunteer experience working with the populations of interest and with programs serving families, individuals, and children.
  • Participate in the Maryland Council on Family Relations (MCFR), its mentoring program, and service projects.
  • Consider adding a minor to expand your range of marketable skills.
  • Keep a portfolio of your best academic work.
  • Work on public speaking and presentation skills; develop written communication skills.
  • Accept leadership role in clubs, organizations, or religious settings.
  • Get to know people from cultures different than your own.
  • Travel abroad to gain first hand exposure to other cultures; learn a second language.
  • Don’t discount any of your experiences – look for the ways in which these experiences helped you understand and work more effectively with people, or that they sensitized you to important family issues.
  • Pay attention to the news, policies, program initiatives, and public opinion. Develop you own informed opinions about issues affecting families and children.
  • Think of the end goal and identify small steps you will need to take to get there.
  • Visit your academic advisor often to discuss your career plans and preparation.

Examples of Professional Organizations

Relevant to Family Science Students

American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS)

American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT)

National Association of Social Workers (NASW)

National Council on Family Relations (NCFR)

National Mental Health Association (NMHA)

The Gerontological Society of America (GSA)

Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT)

Last updated: 10/10/18