BUILDING TEACHING CAPACITY: DEVELOPMENT OF A MASTER OF SCIENCE IN FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCES WITH A FOCUS OF SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP

the department of family and consumer sciences will create a new m.s. in fcs with a focus on social entrepreneurship. this program will be important for the institution, allowing for a program extension, enrollment growth, improvements in a teaching capacity, and a greater connection with community and industry partnerships.the m.s. in fcs will create graduate opportunities in areas not currently available in the department in program areas of child and family services, fashion management and entrepreneurship, and housing. the program will be innovative across the unc system and other 1890 institutions, due primarily to the focus on social entrepreneurship, and will allow the institution to grow enrollment from sources previously untapped.the m.s. in fcs will create enduring improvements in a teaching capacity at nc a&t through the design and delivery of curricula and the establishment of partnerships for research, outreach, and student recruitment. curricula will provide students with practical disciplinary skills and skills in social entrepreneurship. partners will work with the department to offer research mentorship, experiential learning, course enhancement and delivery, student recruitment, and program feedback.the social entrepreneurship focus is an important part of the design of the m.s. in fcs and is an ideal fit for the department of family and consumer sciences at nc a&t. the fcs discipline was founded on the premise that improvements in individual quality of life will positively impact the family, home, and broader society. leaders in fcs make contributions to social reform and business through the application of their research-based expertise and already offer much to the social entrepreneurship discourse. in addition, the university, as the largest historically black college and university (hbcu), was founded to ensure equal educational opportunities for a historically underrepresented, disadvantaged segment of the population. as a minority-serving institution, nc a&t is almost destined to offer programs that feature concepts of social entrepreneurship.students who graduate from the m.s. in fcs will have advanced research skills that allow them to recognize and capitalize on opportunities that can have the greatest impact on the people around them. skills obtained in the program will improve career potential for students and will extend the impact of the program off campus.