Career in Home Science
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, yurt or any other portable shelter. Homes typically provide areas and facilities for sleeping, preparing food, eating and hygiene.
Our readers might be wondering why I am talking about home. Well, this is important and there are courses named related to home. The term may be different but the options and the courses which are designed are more or less all over the world. We are going to discuss about a career option about which I was hearing since my childhood days. I could hear many girls taking admission in a course called ‘Home Science’. In the past, i was not sure whether this is a subject of science stream or 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 nutritional needs of the family members but also planning 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 and its a scientific course of study which moulds a student with a variety of life skills.
This subject is offered as a subject in senior secondary in many boards. It covers mainly three areas that are 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 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 distances and correspondence available related to home science. NIOS also offers courses related to home science.
Apart from the core subjects Development Communication & Extension, Fabric & Apparel Science, Food & Nutrition, Human Development and Resource Management, interested may study Entrepreneurship, Family Life Education, personality development, Food Preservation, Fashion Designing etc.
After completing 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:
The Institute of Home Economics is a premier college of the University of Delhi.
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.
* Ranjan K Baruah wrote this article for The Sangai Express
The writer is a career mentor and can be contacted at bkranjan(AT)gmail(DOT)com for any career related queries
This article was posted on July 25, 2018.
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