The purpose of the undergraduate program in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences is to provide both a liberal and specialized education in which the interests and well-being of individuals, family members, and consumers are significant. The program includes study of nutrition, food, health, clothing, textiles, management of resources, design, care and guidance of children, human growth and development throughout the life span, interpersonal relationships, and family relationships, with emphasis on breadth of knowledge and its application to the solution of contemporary human problems. The unifying focus is on an integrative approach to relationships among individuals, families, and communities and the environments in which they function. The program seeks to a) empower individuals, b) strengthen families and c) enable communities.