The College of Human Resources and Education has a commitment to the preparation of professionals who will contribute to the quality of life for individuals, families, schools, and local and global communities. Human resources programs focus on the family, and the growth, development, and wellness of the individuals within the family. They engage students in the study of the relationships of individuals to one another and to society, including the study of the relationship to and influence of economics, social and political institutions on individuals and families. They involve the study of the environments in which people live and work; the near environment such as the clothing they wear, the foods they eat, their homes, places of work and play, neighborhoods, communities; and far environments including human and social institutions, governments, and the world. Education programs focus on the role of schooling in American society and prepare students for school leadership roles as teachers and administrators. All undergraduate programs in the College of Human Resources and Education emphasize the importance of a general education in the arts and sciences, a thorough preparation in the discipline as represented by the major and extension and application of knowledge through attention both to theory and practice of the profession.
The college's departments are: Educational Leadership and Policy Studies (graduate programs only); Human Development; Hospitality and Tourism Management; Near Environments; Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise; and Teaching and Learning. The land-grant tripartite mission of teaching, research, and extension and service is reflected in the programs of each department with faculty members in each department with national and international recognition for teaching, research, and scholarship in their respective fields.
Faculty members in the College of Human Resources and Education are committed to the integration of research and teaching to enhance both. Students are given the opportunity to study in each of the departments with faculty who are exploring important issues and are either creating new knowledge or applying knowledge to creative ways of addressing societal issues. Students have the opportunity to develop their own research skills and integrate their work and study into research and practical applications for quality of life concerns. The faculty and administration are committed to facilitating such efforts.
The College of Human Resources and Education has achieved accreditation in several areas. The college is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences and the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education. Several of the individual programs are accredited by additional specialized agencies. The Interior Design program is accredited through the Foundation for Interior Design Education Research; the American Dietetics Association approves the Dietetics program; the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy accredits Marriage and Family Therapy programs; the Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration accredits the Hospitality and Tourism Management program. The Child Development Laboratory has been cited nationally as a model for its infant and toddler program and is accredited by the National Association for the Education of the Young Child. Other programs such as Housing, Residential Property Management, Interior Design, Hospitality and Tourism Management, Family Studies, and Child Development serve as models nationally and internationally to peers. The clothing and textiles program houses one of the few academic apparel research and development laboratories in the country.
The college houses several centers with university-wide and/or interdisciplinary missions focusing on societal needs and service-oriented research. They include the Center for Family Services, the Center for Gerontology, the Center for Teacher Education, the Training and Technical Assistance Center for Children and Young Adults with Disabilities, the SOVRAC Leadership Academy for school administrators, Virginia VIEW and the Center for Information Technology Impacts on Children, Youth, and Families.
The college maintains its historical commitment to diversity and to strengthening the global perspective of its programs, faculty, and students through fostering an environment of inquiry and critical thinking about global concerns and emphasizing the implications for generations to come. Continuing endeavors include international development projects, collaborative linkages and research, faculty/student exchanges, and visiting professor and scholar programs.
Programs of study at the master's and doctoral degree levels are available in each department. (See Graduate Catalog)
Undergraduate majors are available in:
Undergraduate students are expected to select a subject matter specialization (major) by the end of the freshman year. Most departments have more than one option within the major from which students may choose. There is a group of courses called the "college core" which is required for all students, another set of courses called the "departmental or major core" required of all students majoring in a given department, and a group of courses required for each option with the major. There are also electives in most options which give students the opportunity to select additional courses according to their personal interests and goals.
The college also offers teacher certification programs as options for students in some majors in the Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Agriculture and Life Sciences, and Business. Approved teacher certification programs of this sort are in the following areas: agriculture; foreign language; marketing; mathematics; and music. Several teacher certification programs must be completed at the graduate level. They include: elementary and early childhood education; English; science; social studies; and special education.
The college participates in the V-22 transfer articulation program. This program is for carefully selected students who have earned an A.A.S. degree at a Virginia community college and who enter one of the following programs: business education; marketing education; or career and technical education and/or health occupations education.
Note: Students are strongly advised to check with their academic advisors on a regular basis concerning University Core Curriculum requirements in their department. Students transferring from a Virginia community college or Richard Bland College are encouraged to refer to the Virginia Tech Transfer Guide for information on recommended programs. College of Human Resources and Education students are expected to meet the University Core Curriculum requirements in the following manner:
| Area 1: | 6 hours of Freshman English. 3 hours of writing intensive course specified by each department. (6 hours for students entering 1999-2000 and thereafter.) |
| Area 2: | 6 hours. Courses are specified by each department. |
| Area 3: | 6 hours. Courses are specified by each department. |
| Area 4: | 8 hours. Courses are specified by each department. |
| Area 5: | 6 hours. Courses are specified by each department. |
| Area 6: | 3 hours. Courses are specified by each department. |
| Area 7: | 3 hours. Courses are specified by each department |
Additionally, the following courses must be completed to meet graduation requirements in human resources programs:
| Semester Hours | |
|---|---|
| Professional Orientation and Perspectives | 2 |
| Professional Seminar | 1 |
| Marriage and Family Relationships | 3 |
| Total Credits Required for Graduation | 120-128 |
Please see the Graduate Catalog for graduate course listings.
Virginia Tech -- Undergraduate Catalog, 2002-2004
Last update: August 2002
URL: http://www.vt.edu/academics/ugcat/ucCHRE.html