Certified Life Educators
Students who are interested in strengthening individuals and family life through educational and preventive efforts should consider the Family Life Education (FLE) track within the Family Services major. Family Life Educators work in a variety of settings bringing with them an understanding of how individuals and families develop, an understanding of the dynamics of families, the contexts in which families live and develop, as well as the knowledge of how to develop and implement programs that may enrich, and enhance the development of relationships within families and to intervene when problems begin to surface.
The Family Life Education track in the Family Services major was developed using the standards set by the National Council on Family Relations to enable graduates to apply to become Certified Family Life Educators (CFLE). The CFLE designation provides documentation of the quality of the academic and professional preparation Family Services graduates receive. The University of Northern Iowa is the only approved program by the National Council on Family Relations in Iowa. In order to receive this approval, the Family Services FLE track met academic standards in ten family life subject areas:
- Families in Society
- Internal Dynamics of Families
- Human Growth and Development
- Human Sexuality
- Interpersonal relationships
- Family Resources Management
- Parent Education and Guidance
- Family Law and Public Policy
- Ethics
- Family Life Education Methodology
Graduates taking the CFLE track are eligible to apply for provisional certification through an abbreviated process upon graduation. Full certification is granted by NCFR upon 2 years of experience.
- Abbreviated CFLE application (PDF)
- For more information on the certification process, visit NCFR.
Students who are interested in pursuing Certification as a Family Life Educator should contact Dr. Michael Fleming, CFLE Coordinator, and/or work closely with their adviser and follow the CFLE Course Track. For more information about Family Life Education visit http://www.ncfr.org/cfle-certification.