Ph.D. in Family Studies

The Family Studies doctoral program assists students as they develop expertise in the areas of educational and preventative services for families. Our graduates are employed by a variety of organizations, including colleges and universities, mental health agencies, churches and religious agencies, social service agencies and governmental offices. This specialization provides students with strong coursework in family theory and research methodology. Specific areas of emphasis, beyond the core, are available in family life education, personal financial planning, conflict resolution and youth development – however, students may create individual areas of emphasis, as well.

Each student plans a program of study to fit personal career goals with a major professor and a graduate supervisory committee. Successful graduates have been those who creatively blended previous professional experience. (e.g., social work, pastoral care, medical service, and/or family and human services) with family studies theory and skills to become uniquely qualified professionals with expertise creating, providing, and/or evaluating effective services to families.

Requirements

A minimum of 91 credit hours is required. No more than 30 credit hours from a master's degree may be applied.

Required Courses

Major Area (minimum 33 credit hours)

1. Family Studies Core (18 credits)
   • FSHS 800 - Orientation to FSHS Graduate Program (0)
   • FSHS 850 - Family Studies (3)
   • FSHS 825 - Family Resource Management (3)
   • FSHS 871 - Family Life Education Foundations and Methods (3)
   • FSHS 852 - Contemporary Family Theories (3)
   • FSHS 950 - Advanced Family Theory (3)
   • FSHS 979 - Advanced Professional Issues in FSHS (3)
2. Practicum (3 credits)
   • FSHS 981 - Advanced Practicum in Family Studies (3)
3. Electives in FSHS (minimum 12 credits)

Statistics and Research Methods (minimum 18 credits)

1. Statistics: minimum 6 credits (use one of the sequences below)
   1. FSHS 806 - Statistical Methods in FSHS (3)
      and
      FSHS 906 - Statistical Methods in FSHS II (3)
   2. EDCEP 817 - Statistical Methods in Education (3)
      and
      EDCEP 917 - Experimental Design (3)
2. Research Methods: 12 credits
   • FSHS 888 - Research Methods in FSHS I (3)
   • FSHS 890 - Research Methods in FSHS II (3)
   • FSHS 902 - Qualitative Research Methods in FSHS (3)
   • FSHS 907 - Advanced Research Methods in FSHS (3)

Ph.D. Research: (minimum 31 credits)

• FSHS 990 - Ph.D. Dissertation Proposal Seminar (1)
• FSHS 999 - Ph.D. Dissertation Research (30)

Other Supporting Courses (minimum of 9 credits)

Students interested in this option should contact:

Dr. Karen Myers-Bowman
Program Chair
Family Studies
School of Family Studies and Human Services
308 Justin Hall
Kansas State University
Manhattan, KS 66506
(785) 532-1491

or

Connie J. Fechter
Graduate Program Admissions Coordinator
School of Family Studies and Human Services
304 Justin Hall
Kansas State University
Manhattan, KS 66506
(785) 532-1473

Please submit the required application materials by February 1 for Summer and Fall admissions or October 1 for Spring admission. International applicant deadlines are as follows: February 1 for Fall admission, August 1 for Spring admission, and December 1 for Summer admission.

Check Out...

• Application Information
• Assessment of Student Learning in the College of Human Ecology, Graduate Programs - Family Studies

Application deadline: February 1 for Summer and Fall admission, October 1 for Spring admission.