Career Options in Home Science

Career Options in Home Science

CAREER CORNER

Ranjan K Baruah

A home, or domicile, is a dwelling-place used as a permanent or semi-permanent residence for an individual, family, household or several families in a community. It is often a house, apartment, or other building, or alternatively a mobile home, houseboat, or any other portable shelter. Homes typically provide areas and facilities for sleeping, preparing food, eating and a hygienic environment.

Our readers might be wondering why I am talking about homes and houses. Well, this is important and there are many career courses related to home studies and home science. The term may be different but the options and the courses which are designed for these careers are more or less the same all over the world. We are going to discuss about a career option about which I have been hearing right from my childhood days. I could hear many girls taking admissions in a course called 'Home Science'. In the past, I was not sure whether this is a subject that fell under theScience stream or the Arts stream.

Home economics, domestic science or home science is a field of study that deals with home and economics. It deals with the relationship between individuals, families, communities, and the environment in which they live. Home Science is both a science and an art-related field of study, which draws upon many disciplines such as health and hygiene, economics, rural development, child development, sociology and family relations, community living, art, food, nutrition, clothing, textiles and home management.

Home Science, or the science of a home, in simple words, includes all the things that concern our self, our home, our family members and our resources. It includes not only the nutritional needs of the family members but also planning the expenditure and budgeting resources available to the family as well. It is an interdisciplinary course covering a wide spectrum of subjects and presents a blend of science and art.It is a scientific course of study which moulds and equips a student with a variety of life skills.

This subject is offered as a subject at the senior secondary level in many boards. It covers mainly three areas - Food and Nutrition, Human Development and Family Resource Management. Student may pursue this subject during their graduation-level courses, which is imparted in many leading colleges and universities across India. Some of the leading universities that offer this courses includes, the Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat; University of Delhi; Banaras Hindu University; Aligarh Muslim University; Jadavpur University, University of Bombay, Lady Irwin College, Delhi;Handique Girls College, Guwahati, etc.

Some of the courses are B.Ed. Home Science, B.Sc. Home Science, M.Sc. Home Science, M.Sc. Home Science Education and Extension, Ph.D. Home Science, Post Graduate Diploma in Home Science. There are distance and correspondence courses available which are related to home science. NIOS also offers courses related to home science.

Apart from the core subjects of Development Communication & Extension, Fabric & Apparel Science, Food & Nutrition, Human Development and Resource Management, interested students may study Entrepreneurship, Family Life Education, Personality Development, Food Preservation, Fashion Designing, etc. After completing their graduation in Home science, one can go for courses like Masters in Home science, Masters Course in Fashion Designing / Textile Designing, Dietetics, Counselling, Teaching, Social Work, Development Studies, Entrepreneurship, Mass Communication, Catering Technology, etc. There are different career options and job opportunities after completing the course. Some of the employment opportunities are as follows:

* Dietician in Hospitals/ Health Care Centres.

*Nutrition Consultants/Nutritionist in Food Sectors

* Psychologists or Counsellors

* Apparel Merchandisers

* Interior Designers/Textile/Apparel/Fabric Design

* Catering Services

* Baking and Confectionary

* Teaching Profession

* Researchers and Trainers

* Preservation of Vegetables and Fruits

* Ready to Cook/Serve Food

* Resource Management

* Hobby Centers

* Health Centers

* Grooming Centers / Personality Development

* Child Care/Day Care Centre/Mobile Crèches

* Old Age Homes/ Geriatric Care

* Human Development/ Skill Training

* Centers with Special Needs

* Digital Marketing

Home Science at Assam Agriculture University, Jorhat:Community Science (earlier known as Home Science) is a field of study with its mission to empower the individual, family and community for effective role performance and management of resources to improve the quality of life. Home Science primarily emerged out of the felt need for a comprehensive type of training for girls in the context of changes in the socio-economic environment as well as changes in the family system and functions. It acts as an effective catalyst for social change in the Indian society and is a perfect fit for creative people who have the capability to use their skills in a logical and practical manner, while bringing various visions to life.

The idea of establishing a Home Science College under A.A.U was conceived immediately after the university was founded on April 1, 1969. Late Mrs. PramilaPanditBaruah, wife of then Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Satya RanjanBarooah took the initiative to establish the Home Science College under A.A.U.

Subsequently, under the guidance of Late Dr. G.V. Subaima, the college of Home Science as a third full-fledged college of A.A.U came into existence on 8th August, 1973 with 25 students on roll.

The college has five departments, viz: Food Science and Nutrition, Textiles and Apparel Designing, Human Development and Family Studies, Family Resource Management, and Extension and Communication Management. These departments have made significant development through the major mandate of State Agricultural Universities, i.e. Teaching, Research and Extension. The College is offering B.Sc., M.Sc. and Ph.D. programmes in all the disciplines with an intake capacity of 45, 35 (seven in each dept.) and 20 (four in each dept.) respectively.

Institute of Home Economics, Delhi: The Institute of Home Economics is a premier college of the University of Delhi. Located in the heart of South Delhi, the institute offers both under-graduate and post-graduate programmes. The college has state-of-the-art infrastructure, computerized library services, fully automated and integrated academic and administrative operations, intranet and Internet facilities available to the students.

It imparts courses like B.Sc. Food Technology (Honours), B.A. Journalism (Honours), B.Sc. Home Science (Honours), B.Sc. Home Science (Pass), B.Sc. Biochemistry (Honours), B.Sc. Microbiology (Honours), Bachelor of Elementary Education, M.Sc. Fabric and Apparel Science, M.Sc. Foods and Nutrition, Post Graduate Diploma in Dietetics and Public Health Nutrition, Post Graduate Diploma in Health and Social Gerontology, Doctoral degree programme in all five areas of Home Science and various short term courses.

Only having mere educational qualifications or degrees may not guarantee sustainable jobs. Aspirants must have the required employability skills to be employed or to start their own ventures. There are more opportunities to be entrepreneurs and start their own initiatives or ventures or enterprises. Individuals may also focus on home-based careers with their academic knowledge acquired by studying home science. We shall publish more options after studying home science like in the field of nutrition and diet or dietician. In the past, this subject was mostly for girls but nowadays, boys may also choose to take up courses related to home science.

Ranjan K Baruah is a social activist and career mentor who has conducted career awareness programme in different parts of Assam and Northeast India and can be reached at bkranjan@gmail.com or 98640 55558 for any career related queries

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