Family and Consumer Sciences Education and Extension Master of Science

Applied Sciences, Technology, and Education

Family and Consumer Sciences Education and Extension Master of Science

30 Credits Minimum

This degree emphasizes research, leadership, and teaching. Students are provided with coursework to gain research skills, engage in mentoring and organizational management, and improve their pedagogical approaches to teaching and learning in formal or nonformal educational settings. This degree program requires a thesis. The completion of a thesis prepares students with the skills and experiences needed to read, interpret, and conduct research. This degree program also prepares students for a future Ph.D. program. The program can be completed on campus or at a distance as all coursework (30 credits) is available online. Most students in the program take two classes (6 credits) per semester. Students who follow this will be able complete the program in approximately 2 years (5 semesters). To get an cost estimate for your graduate degree go to the USU Tuition Table. Learn more about why you'd like to earn this degree at USU! The ASTE Master of Science Program Guide provides additional details. If you have questions about this degree program please contact Dr. Michael Pate.

ASTE Master of Science Program Guide

Application Deadline

The USU Academic Calendar lists the exact dates for the beginning and end of each semester. Your application needs to be submitted to the School of Graduate Studies. Please allow 4-6 weeks for GRE score to be received by USU after you take the test and note the minimum admission requirements. The GRE is required for admission into the program. We will consider transferring up to six credits of graduate level courses from other institutions. We are not accepting international applications at this time. The application due dates are as follows:

  • Fall semester start, August 1
  • Spring semester start, December 1
  • Summer semester start, April 1

View the application requirements and submit your application!


Coursework & Timeline

Students may enter the program at the beginning of any semester. To earn your degree in five semesters you will need to complete the Foundation Research Required Courses (see below) early in your program. See this recommended schedule for a fall semester start. To view course syllabi, go to the USU Canvas Syllabus Tracker website and select the semester when the course was last taught (as noted on the table below). When registering, register for the section that is part of the "online" campus as designated by the letter "I" (i), e.g., I01. Out-of-state and in-state tuition will be calculated based on where you live.  Be sure to obtain textbooks prior to each course start date so you can successfully complete each course. In this degree program we are able to accept 6 applicable semester transfer credits. Additional questions concerning transfer credits, continuous registration fees, time limits, leave of absence, etc., may be answered under the Graduate General Regulations or under Graduate Degree Requirements in the General Catalog.

Foundation Research Required Courses (15 credits total)

Semesters Offered

Course Numbers Course Titles Spring Even Summer Even* Fall Even Spring Odd Summer Odd* Fall Odd

PSY 3010

Psychological Statistics (3 credits, another statistics course may be substituted with approval)* X X X X  X X

ASTE 6750

Research Methods and Design X      X    

ASTE 6800

Analysis of Social Science Research Data - Quant 1 (Prerequisite: ASTE 6750 or instructor approval based on an ASTE 6800 Pretest)   X     X  
ASTE 6970 Research and Thesis (6-9 credits) X X X X X X

Foundation Core Required Courses (9 credits total, each course is 3 credits and online)

Semesters Offered

Course Numbers Course Titles Spring Even Summer Even* Fall Even Spring Odd Summer Odd* Fall Odd
ASTE 6160 Foundations of Adult Education   X     X  
ASTE 6170 Program Planning and Evaluation (for outreach in nonformal settings)           X
ASTE 6180 Administration & Leadership     X      

Elective Courses (select 6 credits, each course is 3 credits and taught online unless noted otherwise)

Semesters Offered

Course Numbers Course Titles Spring Even Summer Even* Fall Even Spring Odd Summer Odd* Fall Odd
ASTE 6045 Financial Literacy Programming (face-to-face course, Logan Campus)  X          
ASTE 6090 Curriculum Design (for formal educators)     X    
ASTE 6100 Research and Academic Writing***   X     X  
ASTE 6150 Evaluation and Assessment   X     X  
ASTE 6200 Principles & Practices of Extension Education     X      
ASTE 6220 Volunteer Programs and Partnerships  X     X    
ASTE 6300 Advanced Teaching Strategies X     X    
ASTE 6315 Career and Technical Student Organization Development          X  
ASTE 6320 Classroom Management     X     X
ASTE 6370 Grant Writing and Management      X      
ASTE 6380 Mentoring and Supervision            X
ASTE 6900 Independent Study (1-6 credits - view requirements)*** X X X X X X
ASTE 6910 Experimental Laboratory**   X        
ASTE 6920 Communication Tools for Extension           X
ASTE 6950 Internship (1-6 credits - view requirements)*** X X X X X X
ASTE 7500 Diffusion of Innovations X          

* Block must be lifted on this course if you have not had a previous statistics course. Contact Dr. Michael Pate (michael.pate@usu.edu) to have the block removed.

** Summer courses may be taught in the first or last 7-week summer session, some may be full 14-week sessions. Be sure to check Banner when you register and the USU calendar for beginning and end dates.

***How to register for variable credit at USU. In addition to registering for variable credit, you will need to adjust variable credit courses in Degree Works when you enter your Program of Study. This tip sheet shows how to change the variable credits when adding the course to your Program of Study in Degree Works:Variable Credit Courses on your Program of Study.