News Release

Wilmington University Applied Family Science Master’s Program Approved by National Council on Family Relations

Graduates of WilmU’s Certified Family Life Educator-approved program have a wide variety of career options

The Wilmington University Applied Family Science Master’s Degree Program (AFM) has received formal recognition by the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR) as an approved graduate degree program for Certified Family Life Educators (CFLEs). NCFR is the premier professional association that focuses on understanding all aspects of family life from an interdisciplinary view of research, theory, and practice.

“It is an honor to have our program recognized at this level” said Dr. Debra Berke, a Certified Family Life Educator for over 25 years and director of psychology programs for the University. “It allows our graduates to have immediate credibility as knowledgeable professionals working with families.”

Family life education has a vibrant history that involves learning about, and practicing skills for, enriching family life for individuals and for the family system. As the basic unit of society, when individuals learn how to be better family members, they are also better citizens who are capable of strengthening lives across generations.

Graduates of CFLE-approved programs enter careers in business, higher education, health, community, gerontology, faith-based, economics, social services, and early education.

"As an early childhood educator, the AFM program has allowed me to extend my practice and relationships with the families with whom I work,” says Sarah Calvo, a 2017 graduate of the Applied Family Science online program from her home in Utah. “I gain a more developed knowledge base to work from because I am able to provide quality practice and programming for my students."

This graduate degree is appropriate for any professional working with individuals, children and families who seeks to further their education. Professionals such as midwives, doulas, childbirth educators, health educators, parenting educators, life-dating-relationship coaches, prevention specialists, advocates, policy analysts, grant writers, program evaluators, educators, family law, and/or businesses seeking to develop family programs to support their employees, will find this program applicable to each and every ecological system in which individuals, children and family are engaged.

The Applied Family Science program at Wilmington University is one of the few such programs offered entirely on-line, which makes it accessible globally. According to Program Chair Dr. Mary Kay Keller, “People who live in rural areas, which are often educational deserts, have greater access to online courses that fully enable those who want to achieve their academic goals. They can stay in their local communities and maintain their family responsibilities; there’s no need to travel or relocate. Our completely online accessibility also allows people across all cultures who live outside the United States to enroll in and complete the AFM program without a visa.”

Graduates of Wilmington University’s approved CFLE program are able to complete an abbreviated application process since NCFR has formally substantiated that the Applied Family Science master’s degree that was initiated in 2016 provides graduates with knowledge and practical experience in the ten required substance areas: families and individuals in society; internal dynamics of families; life-span human development; human sexuality; interpersonal relationships; family resource management; parenting education; family law and public policy; professional ethics and practice, and effective methods for teaching about family life.

Since 1985, NCFR has provided leadership for the CFLE program that is recognized in the United States and Canada as a standards-based credential for those who work in Family Life Education professions. In 1996, academic program reviews were instituted for those CFLE related degree programs that expert reviewers agreed demonstrated adherence to 10 CFLE criteria.

For more information about the AFM program, contact Dr. Mary Kay Keller at (302) 327-4897, or by email to mary.kay.keller@wilmu.edu.

About NCFR

The National Council on Family Relations, founded in 1938, is the oldest nonprofit, nonpartisan, multidisciplinary professional association focused solely on family research, practice, and education. NCFR members are professionals dedicated to understanding and strengthening families. Members come from more than 35 countries and all 50 U.S. states and include researchers; demographers; marriage and family therapists; parent/family educators; university faculty; students; social workers; public health workers; extension specialists and faculty; ECFE teachers; clergy; counselors; K-12 teachers, and more.

About Wilmington University

Wilmington University is one of the fastest growing and most affordable private, nonprofit universities in the region, offering undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs in online and traditional formats. An accredited and respected leader specializing in exemplary student service, Wilmington University offers convenient and flexible options designed to prepare students for success in an increasingly competitive marketplace. Now celebrating its 50^th year, the University has never wavered in its mission to offer opportunities to all who wish to transform their lives through quality education. For more information, visit www.wilmu.edu.

Published: Wednesday, August 29, 2018 - New Castle, DE