The John and Doris Norton School of Family and Consumer Sciences provides instructional, research, extension and outreach programs that enable families, individual family members and consumers to achieve an optimum quality of life throughout the life span. Instructional programs prepare professionals for careers serving families and consumers in a culturally diverse and rapidly changing society.

There are two broad areas of study:

• In Retailing and Consumer Sciences students study the whole spectrum of the industry including retailing of fashion soft goods, food, general merchandise, and services. The program also examines traditional store retailing as well as non-store retailing, such as catalogs and e-commerce. Three supplemental, specialized certificate programs are available, in food retailing, international retailing and visual merchandising.
• Family Studies and Human Development has two majors. The major in family studies and human development focuses on generation and dissemination of basic and applied knowledge concerned with human development and family relations throughout the life span. The major in family and consumer sciences education leads to certification for teaching life management in public schools; concentrations in secondary education and family life education are available.

M.S. and Ph.D. degrees are available in both Family and Consumer Sciences and Retailing and Consumer Sciences.