Welcome to IFNL

Graduate Studies with IFNL

Integrating humanities, social sciences, and community action, IFNL offers a unique interdisciplinary program of graduate study in International Family and Community Studies (FCS). Graduate program options include:

• Residential or distance-education PhD in International Family and Community Studies
• Distance-education Master's of Public Administration (MPA) offered in collaboration with Clemson's Strom Thurmond Institute with specialties in Community Services and Social Policy
• Residential or distance-education Graduate Certificate in International Family and Community Studies
• Overseas Programs-PhD, MPA, and Graduate Certificate offered in collaboration with partner universities abroad

Our programs are designed to benefit current or prospective university educators, interdisciplinary researchers, NGO leaders, government officials, community developers, social workers, psychologists, public health workers and others. Graduate coursework is designed to educate professionals to generate, diffuse, and apply knowledge needed to strengthen communities' capacity for family support, meaningful participation, and strong relationships, including mutual assistance.  For more information about the coursework, view our course descriptions.  Our unique curriculum taught by accomplished faculty provides a distinctive opportunity for individuals seeking to further their education out of a humanitarian interest, to advance in an established career, or to embark on a new career path.

The faculty of IFNL have expertise in interdisciplinary research, community development, policy analysis, program design and evaluation.  They hold graduate degrees in education, law, psychology, social work, medicine, public health, nursing, and theology.

Our current students have educational and professional experience in humanities, social sciences and health sciences and have residence or work experience in at least 30 countries and every major world region.

Projects

Building Dreams is an innovative mentoring program, matching highly qualified and dedicated volunteer mentors with children with an incarcerated parent.  The program was launched in five South Carolina counties in 2004 and gradually expanded to serve eight counties today.  Plans are underway to take the program statewide.

The Institute is leading a national effort to implement the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, a comprehensive, schoolwide program for elementary and middle schools.  The program has been shown to reduce bullying and associated behaviors, including vandalism and truancy, and improve the social climate of classrooms.

The South Carolina Rural Communities Compassion Fund project works to strengthen the capacity of faith- and community-based organizations to improve local conditions.  Through a combination of training, technical support, and grant-making, the Compassion Project is helping organizations all across South Carolina develop, implement, and sustain community change projects.

Strong Communities is one of the largest and most comprehensive efforts to date to engage whole communities to support families with young children and keep children safe from harm.  In doing so, Strong Communities mobilized thousands of volunteers and hundreds of community organizations, businesses, and faith institutions.  The results are impressive. Although the initial grant to establish the initiative has ended, we continue to develop and implement innovative ways to bring communities together in support of families.

Other significant Institute programs include the Child Care project, an effort to improve out-of-home care and early education for South Carolina's children; Growing Foods Locally, a project that seeks to improve the availability of nutritional foods for low-income families, improve small farm economies, and improve the food distribution system of food banks; Rural Capacity Building, a series of innovative projects over the last six years focused on strengthening the capacity of rural communities in Chesterfield County, SC relative to mental health and substance abuse service delivery, and youth violence; and Youth Development, a group of projects intended to professionalize youth workers. 

Publications

The work of the Institute and it's partners is disseminated through publications in professional journals, technical reports, and other scholarly products.  You can find a listing of publications from 1998 to the present here.

Affiliated organizations

The Institute is home to several outstanding organizations.  The American Orthopsychiatric Association is a membership organization focused on mental health and social justice.  The International Society for Child Indicators is a membership organization that brings experts from around the world together to share knowledge and experience to improve the lives of children.

Greenville Family Symposium

The international symposium, co-sponsored by the Clemson University Institute on Family and Neighborhood Life, the American Orthopsychiatric Association, the International Society for Child Indicators, and the International Family Therapy Association, brings together practitioners, educators, and students from around the world in exploration of themes related to strengthening families and communities. Hosted each spring, we are now planning for the 4th Annual Greenville Family Symposium to be held in spring 2012.

Participants listen to a presentation at the Greenville Family Symposium at University Center, Greenville, SC.