Family Science Review
Research Articles
Robert E. Keim and Deborah J. Cassidy
ABSTRACT: Family scientists have an effective way of working with people in the family and social services field that is qualitatively different than employees with other backgrounds. The family scientist should recognize these qualities in themselves as they seek to compete in the career areas outlined in this article. They bring a greater understanding, knowledge, and sensitivity to an individual’s human predicament and family dynamics.
The article is written predominantly for students or graduates from bachelor’s degree programs in family science or an equivalent degree. It also may be helpful for graduates from master’s programs as a means to become more acquainted with other possible options within different client populations.
A broad overview of entry level positions in local community and local governmental agencies and organizations will be presented in this article. Other articles in this series should be consulted for positions in business and industry, in county and state cooperative extension programs, and in civil service positions connected with the federal government and the military services.
Sandra W. Smith and Thomas B. Holman
ABSTRACT: In this paper, we have made an effort to be very explicit about job titles, required competencies, and job descriptions of existing jobs for which a family scientist could qualify. Tables 1 and2 are tabulated listings of job openings which were announced through the placement center of a large western university over a two year period. The information was compiled from weekly employment information bulletins. In the bulletins, jobs for family science, psychology, sociology, social work, political science, and human development were listed along with jobs for such majors as English, languages, drama, speech, communication, advertising, broadcasting, humanities, police science and library science. This was a stroke of good fortune for our investigation, since the placements for these “generic” college degrees provided many possible options for family scientists. DelCampo (1989) says that a family science degree is like a “specialized liberal art degree.” In agreement with this concept, we have identified all the generic job listings from the bulletins that were originally listed for liberal arts majors, but that require the specific skills and qualifications acquired by the typical family science undergraduate or graduate student. These job listings represent openings throughout the United States. Often they require a willingness relocate.
Barbara Vance
ABSTRACT: Just about everybody has had someone ask, “What are you going to be when you grow up?” When we were little kids, some of us said we were going to be cowboys or firemen or policemen or nurses. When we became adults we had to get serious about this business of what we were going to do when we “grew up.” This business is sometimes called career planning. During childhood and maybe adolescence it’s okay not to know what we are going to be when we grow up. Then lots of us go on to college and career planning becomes serious business.
Some of us have made a career choice that includes the family at its core. Some
of us want to work inside academia. Some of us want to work outside academia. But we want to focus on the family.
Is it possible to be a family professional and find fulfillment and satisfaction? Is it possible to make a decent living as a family professional? This article explores career possibilities for family professionals inside academia and outside academia.
Robert F. Stahmann and Joe Edgar Glenn
ABSTRACT: Marriage and family therapy (MFT) is the youngest and most rapidly growing of the mental health professions (American Psychological Association, 1986). MFT was formally acknowledged as a mental health discipline in 1978 when the United States Office of Health, Education and Welfare recognized the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education as the official accrediting body for MFT. “Marriage and family therapy means the process of providing professional psychotherapy to individuals, married couples, and family groups, either singly, or in groups…Marriage and family therapy includes individual, premarital, relationship, martial, divorce and family therapy, and is specialized mode of treatment for the purpose of resolving emotional disorders, modifying interpersonal and intrapersonal dysfunction and promoting mental health” (Utah Marriage and Family Therapist Licensing Act, 1987).
Jerald Mason
ABSTRACT: During the second half of the 20th century, the level of living for most American dramatically improved over the level enjoyed by their grandparents. By almost any standard used, most Americans today should be financially well off. However, there is a lot of data that indicates people are having serious problems managing their finances. Bankruptcies are at an all time high, so are mortgage foreclosures. Consumer debt is breaking records, while savings rates continue to decline. In spite of many government transfer programs, the number of Americans living in poverty is not that much better than it was 30 years ago, with many older Americans joining the poverty ranks. The divorce rate in America is high and researchers report that family financial problems usually play a key role in almost all separations. Most Americans’ real income is much higher than it was one, two and especially three generations ago; so why all the financial problems.
Mick Coleman and Chrystal Barranti
ABSTRACT: As “the largest problem-solving educational system in the world” (Vines & Anderson, 1976), the mission of the Cooperative Extension Service is to improve the quality of life for individuals, families, and communities through the application of research to daily economic, social, and environmental problems. The manner in which this mission if fulfilled makes Cooperative Extension a unique educational force, as indicated in the following characteristics (see Sanders, 1966a; U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1986).
Gary L. Bowen
ABSTRACT: Faced with decreased opportunities for employment in academe, there is an increasing trend toward nonacademic employment among doctoral-level graduates. This article examines the career prospects, issues, and obstacles for family science Ph.D.s outside of academe. Specific recommendations are offered for doctoral-level family science graduates as well as for faculty members and graduate departments for confronting this changing employment situation.
Erik E. Filsinger
ABSTRACT: During my academic career as a student and as a faculty member at the various professorial and administrative ranks, I had maintained the academic bias about the “dirty” world of business, its profit motive, and its lack of values, excepting, of course, the almighty buck. However, after making friends in the private sector- and becoming
somewhat more informed about the darker side of life in the Ivory Tower, I began to reevaluate my own views of the private-public dichotomy. I also began to wonder what working in the private sector would be like.
