Family Community Services, Master of Arts

Program Overview

The IDEA Family and Community Services masters degree will provide you with a well-rounded curriculum that focuses on understanding family and community dynamics, delivering quality services, and managing programs. Our online format allows flexibility by providing online classes you can complete from any location.

Program Outcomes

This program will provide you with the skills to:

Strengthen your local community by designing and delivering quality programming
Empower families during times of transition or stress
Cultivate strengths of individuals and families
Recognize the role of diversity (e.g., racial/ethnic, military, religious) in family and community dynamics
Understand the unique strengths and challenges of military life

Career Outlook

Graduates of this program work in a variety of settings promoting family life and family/community well-being. Graduates hold jobs in county extension offices, army community services, pre/post-deployment assistance, family advocacy programs, emergency shelters, crisis centers, consumer credit counseling services, and United Way.

Career Pathways and Potential Earnings

Graduates of Family Community Services can expect job titles and median salaries similar to the following:

Career Pathways and Potential Earnings for Family Community Services Students

Target Occupation

National Median Salary (USD)

Child, Family, and School Social Workers

$58,573

Social and Community Service Managers

$78,229

Social and Human Service Assistants

$45,115

Farm and Home Management Educators

$58,115

Disclaimer: Salary data is sourced from © 2026 Lightcast, based on information from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW). Please note that this information is intended solely for reference purposes. MSU Online disclaims any responsibility or liability for any inaccuracies, omissions, or errors in the data.

A Top-Ranked Education

29th among Best Public Universities in America — U.S. News & World Report, 2026
Veteran-Friendly 'Gold Status' 10 Years in a Row — Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency, 2025
#22 in Best Education Schools— U.S. News & World Report, 2026
#13 in Best Online Master's in Education Programs — U.S. News & World Report, 2026
#6 in Graduate Programs for Education Policy — U.S. News & World Report, 2026
#4 in Graduate Programs for Educational Psychology — U.S. News & World Report, 2026
#11 in Graduate Programs for Student Counseling and Personnel Services — U.S. News & World Report, 2026

Tuition & Fees per credit

In-State Tuition

Out-of-State Tuition

$622

Cost of Attendance

The university reserves the right to make changes in the types, structures, rates for fees, and tuition. Every effort will be made to give as much advance notice as possible. In addition to tuition and fees, there are other expenses associated with your Cost of Attendance. A breakdown of a graduate student budget can be found on the "Estimate Your Cost of Attendance" page.

The MSU Value Promise

You can be ensured a return on your investment at Michigan State University.

As one of the top research universities in the world, Michigan State University has advanced the common good with uncommon will since 1855.

MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community.

MSU has been offering online degree programs since 1998. Our maturity is evident in the high quality of the learning experience enjoyed by our online students.

MSU provides programs and initiatives that support and enhance diversity. We will expand our campus and external partnerships to put in place inclusive recruitment and retention practices. We nurture and promote individuals’ varied experiences and perspectives, ensuring structures and processes make possible full participation by all members of our community.

MSU actively collaborates with campus and external partners to innovate across all dimensions of graduate education. We create and support networks that increase collaboration and improve educational opportunities for our online students.

MSU’s nationally recognized online programs foster student growth and well-being throughout their academic career. We will expand inclusive mentoring practices and accelerate improvement across units to implement evidence-based practices to ensure our students complete successfully.

Continuing education can be one of the most exciting, challenging, and rewarding experiences you undertake in your life. We hope you consider becoming a Spartan, to learn online and reach your career goals. With highly ranked online programs and exceptional professors, we educate students who advance the common good with uncommon will.

Course Information

Core Courses

FAM 801 - Family Resource Management (3 Credits)
FAM 801 - Crises Across the Lifespan (3 Credits)
FAM 802 - Family Dynamics (3 Credits)
FAM 803 - Lifespan Development (3 Credits)
FAM 804 - Interpersonal Relationships (3 Credits)
FAM 808 - Program Administration & Management (3 Credits)
FAM 809 - Program Design, Evaluation & Implementation (3 Credits)
HDFS 814/FAM 804 - Parenting Education (3 Credits)
HDFS 874/FAM 800 - Foundations & Principles of Family & Community Services (3 Credits)
HDFS 875/FAM 805 - Resilience in Families (3 Credits)

Electives

FAM 892 - Nongovernmental Organizations & Families: A Global Perspective (3 Credits)
FAM 892 - Grant Development & Management (3 Credits)
HDFS 895 - Families in Poverty (3 Credits)
HDFS 865 - Capstone (3 credits)

Admissions Requirements

To be accepted to this program, you must have:

A bachelor's degree
Résumé/CV
- Previous work experience preferred
A written personal statement
- Detailing your professional interests and goals
A written academic statement
- Detailing why you are academically interested in the field and how you wish to use the degree in professional settings
3 letters of recommendation
- At least one academic reference is preferred. If the applicant has been out of
  school for a while, ask letter writers to discuss the applicant's ability to apply research and theory
Official transcripts from all previous schools
No GRE required
- GRE needed for international students
TOEFL is English is not your native language

To apply to this program:

Complete a university graduate application
- Including paying the application fee
Submit all required materials to the application portal.
Send all official transcripts to Michigan State University.
Complete a department application form
GRE scores are not required if you are a U.S. resident applying to the Masters Plan B program. International applicants must submit GRE scores. Send the GRE scores directly to the University.
Applicants whose native language is not English must submit scores
from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) taken within the last 2 years. The code for Michigan State University is 1465.

Family Community Services

Master of Arts

Online

Course Delivery

36

Total Credits

$622

Credit Hour

2 Years

Minimum Duration

Dr. Yuya Kiuchi

Director of IDEA's graduate programs

Program Overview

Program Outcomes

Career Outlook

Career Pathways and Potential Earnings

A Top-Ranked Education

Key Dates

Fall

Application Deadline

Spring

Application Deadline

Summer

Application Deadline

Tuition & Fees per credit

Cost of Attendance

The MSU Value Promise

Next Steps

Course Information

Core Courses

Electives

Admissions Requirements

To be accepted to this program, you must have:

To apply to this program: