Louisiana State University: Child And Family Studies Program Receives Certified Family Life Educator Designation

Press release from Louisiana State University:

October 7, 2021

Baton Rouge - We are pleased to announce that the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR) has approved the Child and Family Studies undergraduate program at LSU as offering coursework that meets the standards and criteria required for the provisional Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE) designation. The Academic Program Review (APR) Committee has reviewed our program and determined that it includes an internship and course work that adequately covers the 10 Family Life Education (FLE) content areas required for the CFLE designation.

"After years of planning, the LSU Child and Family Studies BS degree program has achieved program status as a Certified Family Life Education program through our professional body, the National Council on Family Relations. This significant national recognition puts the CFS program at LSU in league with some of the largest and most prestigious human development and family sciences programs around the country," says Laura Ainsworth, PhD, Child & Family Studies Program Director and MS Graduate Coordinator.

Because our curriculum has been approved by NCFR, our graduates now qualify to complete the CFLE-approved program application. In order to qualify, students must have completed the specified course or courses under each of the 10 Family Life Education content areas, plus an internship.

The NCFR defines Family Life Education as the professional practice of equipping and empowering family members to develop knowledge and skills that enhance well-being and strengthen interpersonal relationships through an educational, preventive and strengths-based approach. Family life educators have knowledge based in the discipline of family science, and they are employed in a variety of settings and roles.

The CFLE credential is a rigorous and nationally recognized standard in Family Life Education and validates a professional's experience and knowledge as a Family Life Educator. Each approved program has a list of coursework that has been approved by the NCFR to meet the requirements. Students in the program must complete all courses on the checklist with grades of a C- or better to qualify, plus an internship. Recent graduates of CFLE-approved academic programs can apply for provisional or full certification.

"This is a tremendous benefit to our undergraduate students as a credential they are eligible to take with them into a competitive job market. I am so proud of this accomplishment which, along with the revitalization of the masters program in CFS and the growth in the new Child Life Specialist curriculum, places LSU’s Child and Family Studies program on the cutting edge of educational offerings to our students and of service to our community," stated Pamela Monroe, PhD, Director of the LSU School of Social Work.

This press release was produced by Louisiana State University. The views expressed here are the author’s own.