College of Education and Human Development

Family Social Science

Parent and Family Education Graduate Minor

Expand your knowledge and skills to educate and support parents, caregivers, and families across a variety of settings. Blending theory and practice, this fully online minor explores families within social contexts and institutions, preparing you to address the complex issues they face today. 

This graduate minor is ideal if you are pursuing a career that engages with parents and families, including: education, health care, social work, public policy, and related fields.  This minor will deepen your understanding of family dynamics. 

Strengthen your expertise and impact – add the PFE Graduate minor to your program today!

100% Fully online
1.5 Years to completion
3 Foundational courses

    With this minor, you will:

    • Gain insight into family development, parent-child relationships, and family dynamics across the life course, considering developmental stages and multi-generational influences.
    • Deepen your understanding of family diversity, including variations in composition and structure.
    • Develop practical skills in leading group discussions and providing one-on-one support to parents and caregivers.

    To earn a master's level minor, you will take three foundational courses in parent and family education:

    • FSOS 5937 Parent-Child Interactions (offered in fall and spring)
    • FSOS 5942 Diverse Family Experiences (offered in fall and spring)
    • FSOS 5945 Teaching and Learning in Parent Education (offered in fall) or FSOS 5946 Assessment and Evaluation in Parent Education (offered in spring) in consultation with your advisor

    You are eligible to pursue this graduate minor if you are a current master's at the University of Minnesota. 

    • Master's students declare the minor before your final exam or capstone. 

    Instructions

    1. Sign in to MyU
    2. Go to onestop.umn.edu
    3. At the top of the page, click on "Forms"
    4. Under Forms, click on "Academic Status"
    5. Under Academic Status, click on "Graduate Minor Request" (This will launch the form. Your name and primary degree program information will auto-fill on the form.)
    6. Go to the section "Add a Minor" and type in the field "Parent and Family Education Graduate Minor"
    7. After you submit the form, please send an email to: famed@umn.edu to indicate you’ve initiated the Minor Request.

    Still have questions?

    Please fill out this inquiry form and someone from the Parent and Family Education program will reach out. 

    Parent and Family Education Graduate Minor Inquiry Form

    Or email famed@umn.edu

    Faculty and program contacts

    Shannon Rader

    Parent and Family Education Program Director and lecturer

    Jennifer George

    Associate teaching professor

    Chun Creaser

    Lecturer

    Maggie Beaupre DeYoung

    Assistant director and senior academic advisor