Youth Development and Leadership

Units: 3

This course examines the application of classic and contemporary theories and models of leadership to the work of community-based organizations. Students will examine leadership from diverse perspectives; then analyze the strengths and weaknesses of leadership theories and models when applied to organizational development of community-based systems.

Offered in Spring Only

Units: 3

This course explores the fundamental concepts of child and youth development [including early childhood through adolescence] as applied to programmatic and organizational contexts. A special focus is placed upon the concepts as applied to Community Youth theories & practice.

Offered in Fall Only

Units: 3

This course will critically compare and evaluate the major human development theories and their application to family life and youth development and examine the usefulness of theory in describing, explaining, predicting, or changing behavior.

Offered in Fall Only

Units: 3

The intent of this course is to prepare students to be effective educators in non-formal settings such as Extension education. Students will learn theoretical concepts and their application for planning an effective educational program to meet the learning needs of target audiences. Students will gain knowledge and skills in conducting needs assessments and environmental scanning; writing objectives; and designing, marketing, and delivering educational programs. This course is appropriate for students preparing for Extension education professions.

Offered in Fall Only

Units: 3

Applications of theories and research about interpersonal relationships and family dynamics to issues facing families over the life course, emphasizing the interplay of social, developmental and health factors in affecting change, continuity and well-being.

Offered in Fall Only

YEAR: Offered Alternate Even Years

Units: 3

Family resource management theory is used to examine personal financial management concepts. Family systems and stress theories will be employed to emphasize the interconnections between families, communities, resources through topics such as personal management [decision-making, time & organizational management, stress management]; human and social capital [education, skill building, health, employability, relationships]; physical capital [transportation, real estate, and housing]; financial management [credit and debt, budgeting, retirement issues, bankruptcy].

Offered in Spring Only

YEAR: Offered Alternate Even Years

Units: 3

This course will examine educational intervention strategies for family issues that pose particular difficulty for Family Life and Parenting Educators. Topics include: addictions/substance abuse; child abuse and neglect; domestic abuse; Illness, death and dying; divorce/mediation; step-families & single parenting; gang memberships, suicidal ideation, sexuality/teen pregnancy; and rape and other acts of violence. The course will include a discussion of evidence-based prevention and treatment options for referring clients, and a debate of the role of educators in this process.

Offered in Fall Only

YEAR: Offered Alternate Odd Years

Units: 3

This course will provide students with an advanced understanding of the physiological, psychological, social and cultural aspects of sexual development throughout the lifespan. This includes, but is not limited to, emotional and psychological aspects of sexuality; gender and sexuality; reproductive health and family planning, and the intersections of sexuality and interpersonal relationships. While some cross-cultural information will be included, the main focus will be sexuality in the United States.

Offered in Fall Only

Units: 3

AEHS 538 focuses on issues of social and cultural diversity, social identity, and societal manifestations of power, privilege, and oppression within the context of youth and family sciences. Using a social justice education framework, this course will critically examine and analyze social identity development, social group differences, socialization, intergroup relations, and levels and types of oppression in the United States as they relate to youth and families. Students will reflect on their own identities and learn how to work collaboratively toward inclusion, equity, and social change with youth and families.

Offered in Summer

Units: 3

The course will include an examination of social, economic, and behavioral housing theory, historical and current housing policy and its relationship to the housing, neighborhoods and community development and an investigation of diverse populations and their housing/neighborhood concerns.

Offered in Summer

YEAR: Offered Alternate Odd Years

Units: 3

Theoretical and empirical literature in lifespan, family life, and parent education will be explored along with implications for issues affecting families including content, delivery, and evaluation of parent education programs. Offered either face-to-face or in person via Distance Education.

Offered in Spring Only

Units: 3

This course examines communication in families and integrates the coach approach to communication including identifying individual and family issues; appreciating differences; discovering purpose; practicing forgiveness; resolving conflict; conducting successful critical conversations; mending relationships; effective communication; direct and indirect communication; the art of saying no; the power of words; powerful questions; work/life balance; identifying values; stress management.

Offered in Summer

YEAR: Offered Alternate Odd Years

Units: 3

Leadership is ubiquitous in our society. It remains one of the world's favorite buzz words. However, just because it's everywhere, doesn't mean everything labeled so, is leadership. This graduate course in leadership theory will require you to critically examine your ideas of leadership, and reflect on your own [and society's] notions of "what is leadership". In this class we will separate the skills you gain from going out and doing leadership [the do] and the theories that provide the foundations for leadership [the think]. Many successful leaders learn their skills via practice; that is important. AEE 550, however, is a leadership education course where we study leadership theory. We will take those theories, long associated with the academic study of leadership, and deconstruct them using critical theory as our lens. Then, using the text as guide, reconstruct them in new ways to meet today's pressing challenges.

Offered in Fall Only

Units: 3

This course examines the application of classic and contemporary theories and models of leadership to the work of community-based organizations. Students will examine leadership from diverse perspectives; then analyze the strengths and weaknesses of leadership theories and models when applied to organizational development of community-based systems.

Offered in Spring Only

Units: 3

This course explores the fundamental concepts of child and youth development [including early childhood through adolescence] as applied to programmatic and organizational contexts. A special focus is placed upon the concepts as applied to Community Youth theories & practice.

Offered in Fall Only

Units: 3

This course is intended to prepare students to be effective members of organizations, both as team members and team leaders. Theories of organizational behavior will be emphasized in the course; in so much as it is essential to be grounded in theory in order to apply it. Major topics include: motivation, job design, managing diversity, decision making, power, ethics, and organizational design.

Offered in Spring Only

YEAR: Offered Alternate Odd Years

Units: 3

The Community Leadership course will prepare graduate students for leadership roles within an array of community settings. The three core competencies for community leadership will be shared which include farming ideas, building and using social capital, and mobilizing resources. Tools associated with each of these competencies will be examined as well as the ways in which to apply these tools to various community situations. Leadership theories that have been learned in AEE 550 will also be discussed to show how to move from theory to practice. This is a course that will require student participation both during class sessions and outside of class where students will be engaged in a team project. The course will be offered in the spring of odd years.

Offered in Fall Only

Units: 3

This course explores contemporary issues facing youth, family, and community professionals in the United States. Students will explore respective social, cultural, political, and/or organizational underpinnings of issues as focused in two major domains: [1] professional ethics and practice and [2] family law and public policy. Emphasis will be placed on issues affecting family life educators and their understanding of the legal issues, policies, and laws influencing the well-being of families, along with understanding the character and quality of human social conduct. This includes the ability to critically examine ethical questions and issues as they relate to professional family life education practice.

Offered in Spring Only