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Family & Community Services

Boost your career. Manage programs, strengthen families, and enrich communities. Flexible coursework lets you balance life and work while gaining the skills to lead. Get started today and take your next step toward a future in leadership.

Getting you ready for your next next.

You’ve already built a strong foundation in your career, and now it’s time for a promotion or pivot to a new position. Iowa State’s online master’s degree in family and community services can help you reach that next step. This program focuses on the big-picture skills you need—like managing community programs, delivering essential services, and understanding human development across all stages of life. You’ll also explore family systems, community dynamics, and the factors that impact well-being, all while working with expert faculty who bring real-world experience to the table. And with a flexible, 100% online format, you can balance your career and personal commitments while earning your degree.

Take the first step by starting your application today.

You know where you’re headed next. Join the program designed to get you there.

Scholarship Details

Currently, the College of Health and Human Sciences is offering up to $1,800* in scholarship funding for students who enroll in the 2024-2025 academic year. Following admission to the program, students are eligible for a $600 scholarship. As students progress through the program, they may apply for scholarships at the midpoint (12-18 credits) and final (24-30) credits.

*Restrictions may apply to ISU employees

Cyclones know where they’re going. And they’ve got the skill to get there.

This program will prepare you to manage programs and deliver quality services, as well as understand family and community dynamics and human development across the lifespan. You will develop skills to effectively deliver needed services that strengthen families and enrich communities.

The family and community services master’s degree is a 36-credit-hour program offered completely online, providing flexibility for busy adults who don’t have access or time to attend on-campus classes. Students typically finish in two to three years, taking one or two courses each semester. The ten core courses include:

  • Crises Across the Lifespan
  • Family Dynamics
  • Family Resource Management
  • Foundations and Principles of Family and Community Services
  • Interpersonal Relationships
  • Lifespan Development
  • Parenting Education
  • Program Administration and Management
  • Program Design, Evaluation, and Implementation
  • Resilience in Families

Designed for working professionals, our courses are 100% online and students complete the work on their own schedule, instead of having to be online at a set time. You’ll engage in coursework through a virtual classroom, with offerings available from five reputable universities. Start and end dates may vary depending on the universities instructing your courses each semester.

Our online curriculum prepares you to understand individual, family, interpersonal, and community dynamics across the lifespan. Through this program, you will gain the knowledge and skills necessary to strengthen your local community by designing, implementing, evaluating, and sustaining quality programs.

Students also learn to empower families during times of transition or stress (e.g., military families, families in poverty) while recognizing the role of diversity (e.g., racial/ethnic, military, religious) in family and community dynamics.

Career Paths

A master’s degree or graduate certificate in family and community services can benefit a diverse range of professionals and help graduates advance into leadership positions like executive director, supervisor, program manager, or program developer.

Graduates of this program work across public, private, and nonprofit industries in areas such as:

  • County extension offices
  • Military community services
  • Pre/Post-deployment assistance
  • Family advocacy programs
  • Child development centers
  • Social service agencies
  • Community service programs
  • Consumer credit counseling services
  • Emergency shelters
  • Big Brothers Big Sisters
  • Crisis centers
  • United Way

Collaborative Advantage of IDEA

The Innovative Digital Education AllianceAchieve your personal and professional goals through convenient, flexible, high-quality coursework you can complete anytime, anywhere. As a student in Iowa State University’s family and community services master’s program, you will have access to and learn from expert faculty from multiple major universities who bring real-life experience to the coursework and are committed to helping you transition your learning beyond the online classroom into your career.

The family and community services master’s program is part of an innovative consortium of universities connected through IDEA. While Iowa State University is your home university where you will apply, register for courses, and receive your diploma, you’ll benefit from the diverse perspectives and unique strengths brought by classmates from across the globe and expert faculty at partner universities.

Learn more about the IDEA program at Iowa State.

Admissions Requirements

Graduate College Requirements:

  • 4 year Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent)
  • Academic Records/Transcripts
  • Minimum 3.0 GPA (Program may alter requirement.)
  • Proof of English Proficiency.

For details visit the Graduate College website.

Credits

Total credits: 36

The Course Planner provides a list of courses and shows when they are traditionally offered.

Tuition

As a member of IDEA, all students pay universal tuition. For more information, visit the IDEA website.

At a Glance

  • Total Credits: 36
  • Time to Complete: 1.5 years +
  • Format: 100% online
  • Enroll: January, May or August
  • Cost Per Credit: $610

*Tuition and fee rates subject to change

Application Deadlines:

Spring Entry – December 1
Summer Entry – April 1
Fall Entry – July 22

The Innovative Digital Education Alliance

IDEA Contacts

Gilda Figueroa
Campus Coordinator
2624 Howe Hall
515-294-7471
idea@iastate.edu

David Welshhons
Graduate Student Services Specialist
2624 Howe Hall
515-294-8789
idea@iastate.edu

Kere Hughes-Belding
Faculty Adviser
4380 Palmer
2222 Osborn Dr.
Ames, IA 50011-1084
515-294-6316
kereh@iastate.edu

 

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Take the next step

Anything is possible at Iowa State University with innovative academic programs, hands-on research opportunities, and globally recognized scholars to support you every step of the way.