Components of Home Science

COMPONENTS OF HOME SCIENCE

There are five major components or areas of specialisation in Home Science.

• Food and Nutrition

• Family Resource Management

• Textile and Clothing

• Human Development

• Communication and Extension

The study of Home Science is so advanced that each specialization is a vast domain in its own ways with its areas of specialization and vocation/professional opportunities. Table- 1 emphasises the branches of Home Science along with spe-cific areas dealt in each branch.

1. Foods and Nutrition

In this course, the chemical composition of food, the nutrients present in them, their bioavailability, functions of various nutrients, and loss of nutrients in cooking and processing, techniques in food safety and food security, nutritional deficiencies in the human body and its consequences are dealt with in detail.

2. Family Resource Management

The management of resources such as time, money, energy and space are the main topics for study under family and community resource management. The students gain knowledge about home scale budget preparation and work simplifica-tion techniques. 

Consumer education is also included under this subject in order to ensure that students become intelligent consumers who are aware of their duties, responsibilities, rights and privi-leges as consumers in the society. The stu-dents are provided information regarding food safety, safety against adulteration, common adulterants, health hazards and Consumer Protection Act. Major princi-ples and basics of design and arts are also detailed in this area.

3. Textile and Clothing

Textile science includes all details about various natural and synthetic fibres. The process involved in construction of fab-rics, apparel designing and as well as fab-ric finishes are also taught.

4. Human Development

Human development deals with the development of a child from conception to old age and the developmental task pertain-ing to each stage in life. Physical, motor, emotional, language, cognitive and social development of human beings are also included in this. Behavioural problems of children, special or differently abled chil-dren and specific problems and issues that hinder the development of human beings are also dealt. Geriatrics is also a part of the study.

5. Communication and Extension

Extension education includes the study of programme planning, preparation of audio visual aids, social work, applied nutrition and methods of communicating with the society.