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Human Services & Behavioral Health

Family Support Studies Course Descriptions

FSS 124: Working with Parents

Credits: 2.0

Explores theoriesof parent development and different approaches to parenting education that are evidence-based and culturally respectful of families. Includes parent leadership, group process, and curriculum development.

Course Level Objectives

  1. Articulate the role of parenting education for effective use in family support programming.
  2. Identify theories and multiple viewpoints of parenting education that promote mutually respectful relationships for families and programs.
  3. Review and critique several evidence-based parenting education curriculua for use with diverse families.
  4. Compare diverse child-rearing styles, perspectives, and family lifestyles.
  5. Identify culturally appropriate skills and knowledge to parenting practices for working with diverse families.

FSS 127: Basics in Community Interpreting and Translating

Credits: 5.0

Basic interpreting and translating skills, including contextual analysis, memorization, listening, problem solving, cultural understanding, and professional etiquette when interpreting for non-English speakers in educational and human services settings. Field practice required. Permit code required. S/U grade option.

Course Level Objectives

  1. Demonstrate skills for quality written and sight translations of informational materials for families.
  2. Demonstrate understanding of common vocabulary and terminology used in educational and human services settings.
  3. Demonstrate interpreting skills with two languages, including contextual analysis, listening, memorizing, note taking, and cultural awareness.
  4. Explain and analyze the ethics and standards of conduct for providing successful communication and understanding between speakers of English and another language.
  5. Use interpretation and translation skills in an educational or human services setting.
  6. Describe career opportunities for community interpreters and translators.

FSS 128: Understanding School Systems

Credits: 2.0

Gain knowledge of the public school system, including school structures, services, and operations, as well asparent rights and responsibilities. Emphasis given to developing skills to support the family's understanding of school services and topromotefamily participation in their children's education. S/U grade option.

Course Level Objectives

  1. Describe the history of the public school system and how public schools are financed.
  2. Identify and describe the leadership structure of local school districts as well as external resources for student support.
  3. Explain strategies to assist familiesin planning for parent/teacher conferences.
  4. Demonstrate problem solving skills to help parents advocate for their children effectively.
  5. Use strategies to help parents understand their rights and responsibilities as members of their school communities.

FSS 155: Special Topics: Family Support Studies

Credits: Maximum of 5.0 possible

Workshops with special focus on topics of current interest in the family support field. S/U grade option.

Course Level Objectives

  1. Communicate the goals of the workshop.
  2. Identify culturally appropriate, mutually respectful, interventions and that support and strengthen families in any setting.

FSS 186: Home Visiting Skills

Credits: 2.0

Enhance skills and techniques for effective home visiting in various settings and age groups. Includes building relationships, setting goals, and completing documentation, creating safety and application of ethical standards. To include observations and personal skills assessment. S/U grade option.

Course Level Objectives

  1. Describe key components of effective home visiting programs.
  2. Compare different models of home visiting to be used appropriately in diverse communities.
  3. Identify personal strengths and describe skills to develop mutually respectful relationships in the practice of home visiting.
  4. Identify and demonstrate qualities of a competent home visitor.
  5. Identify common ethical and cultural issues in home visiting.
  6. Demonstrate understanding of family support practices and apply them to home visiting.
  7. Identify safe practices to use when home visiting.

FSS 195: Building Community Partnerships

Credits: 3.0

Develop and practice collaboration skills to work with consumers, service providers, and community organizations. Identify services for families and individuals in their community. Includes focus on prevention. S/U grade option.

Course Level Objectives

  1. Define and identify key elements of effective collaborations and partnerships.
  2. Compare and contrast collaboration, coordination, and cooperation.
  3. Identify barriers to collaboration and strategies to address these barriers.
  4. Demonstrate an understanding of capacity building and community asset building processes.
  5. Explain the importance of community partnerships in prevention.
  6. Analyze the effectiveness of local collaborations to reach culturally and linguistically diverse community members.
  7. Identify unique, nontraditional methods used to lead community partnerships.

FSS 198: Individual Project in Family Support

Credits: Maximum of 5.0 possible

Study of student selected topics of approved experiences in the field of family support. Courses may be repeated for a maximum of 10 credits. Permit code required. S/U grade option. Registration permited first seven weeks (six in summer) as space is available.

Course Level Objectives

  1. Develop specific concepts or materials relevant to the future work of a Family Support professional.
  2. Create a comprehensive activity which meets the course requirements of an existing family support studies course.
  3. Assemble a completed project that incorporates the required course objectives.

FSS 210: Leadership

Credits: 3.0

Study and practice leadership in diverse workplace and community settings. Develop skills to work with community leaders. Includes decision-making, conflict management, advocacy, initiating change, and personal assessment. S/U grade option.

Course Level Objectives

  1. Identify effective leadership behaviors and actions.
  2. Describe one's own personal style and skills in leadership and how that impacts communication with others.
  3. Demonstrate knowledge of varying interactive leadership styles.
  4. Demonstrate knowledge of five models of leadership.
  5. Explain the connections between values, culture, and leadership styles.
  6. Identify mutually respectful, leadership skills that facilitate community collaboration relationships in multiethnic and multicultural settings.
  7. Describe how to promote natural leaders in communities.

FSS 215: Family Systems: CD

Credits: 3.0

Apply ecological perspective of human development to family support practices. Examine family development in the context of economic environments: family neighborhood, community, and systems and values. S/U grade option.

Course Level Objectives

  1. Demonstrate how an individual's social and economic environment shapes an understanding of their community.
  2. Describe how family support programs incorporate an ecological perspective of the family.
  3. Demonstrate case management skills that help families become resources to themselves and to others.
  4. Describe how the interconnectedness of individuals, families, community settings, social institutions, structures, and cultural values influences the family.
  5. Articulate how the "language of access" is required to receive services and supports from most institutions.
  6. Demonstrate culturally competent, relevant, and flexible skills and knowledge to work with diverse families.

FSS 220: Family Support Field Practicum

Credits: 4.0

Apply, refine, and expand knowledge and skills learned in previous courses. Demonstrate competencies in communication, cultural competence, promoting partnerships, working with families, building community, and helping families identify their own strengths and goals. Permit code required. Registration permitted first seven weeks (six in summer) as space is available. Prerequisite(s): FSS 125, FSS 126, FSS 127, FSS 128, and FSS 175.

Course Level Objectives

  1. Demonstrate proficiency in selected competencies chosen by the student and approved by the site supervisor and instructor.
  2. Apply the nine principles of family support to their internship in the field of family support, early care and education, or other social/human services.
  3. Conduct work assigned by their site supervisor in a professional manner.
  4. Maintain records and develop a complete portfolio of their learning experience.

FSS 255: Special Topics: Family Support Studies

Credits: Maximum of 5.0 possible

Workshops with special focus on topics of current interest in the family support field. S/U grade option.

Course Level Objectives

  1. Communicate the goals of the workshop.
  2. Identify culturally appropriate, mutually respectful, interventions and that support and strengthen families in any setting.
  3. Demonstrate knowledge and skills addressed in the workshop.

FSS 298: Advanced Individual Project in Family Support

Credits: Maximum of 5.0 possible

Advanced study of student selected topics of approved experiences in the field of family support. Courses may be repeated for a maximum of 10 credits. Permit code required. S/U grade option. Registration permited first seven weeks (six in summer) as space is available.

Course Level Objectives

  1. Develop specific concepts or materials relevant to the future family support professional.
  2. Create a comprehensive activity which meets the course requirements of an existing family support education course.
  3. Assemble a completed project for submission.
  4. Measure their success on stated outcomes for this course.
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