Diane Lyden Murphy, Dean
440 White Hall
315-443-2027

About the College

Welcome to the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics. The Falk College brings together Syracuse University’s departments of Human Development and Family Science, Marriage and Family Therapy, Nutrition and Food Studies, Public Health, Sport Management and Social Work in an environment of cross-disciplinary teaching, research, practice and service. Through classroom learning and hands-on experience, our students learn by example-and by doing-to become professionals who will provide services that enhance the emotional and physical well-being of individuals, families, and communities.

The Falk College leadership team includes:

James Byrne, Assistant Dean, Student Services
Eileen Lantier, Senior Associate Dean, Academic Affairs
Deborah J. Monahan, Associate Dean, Research

The Dean’s Office of the Falk College can be reached at 315-443-2027 for more information about academic programs, services and all other activities related to the College.

Accreditation

The Falk College offers accredited programs in Nutrition Science and Dietetics at the undergraduate level and Nutrition Science at the graduate level accredited by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics.  The MA and Ph.D. programs in Marriage and Family Therapy are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) and all Social Work programs are fully accredited through the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Falk College’s bachelor’s degree in public health is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH).

Mission and Goals

The Falk College is committed to improving the health and well-being of individuals of all ages, their families, and their communities through scholarship, practice, civic engagement, advocacy, and entrepreneurial leadership within the framework of principles of social justice. The Falk College brings together a rich history of academic programs whose signatures of social responsibility and justice join new and evolving majors reflective of educating global citizens whose leadership changes the places and people where they live and work.

Undergraduate Program Overview

Diane Lyden Murphy, Dean
315-443-2027

The David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics is Syracuse University’s most service-oriented college; cross-professional collaboration is the cornerstone of teaching, research, and practice. Like professionals in the field, students and faculty in the college work and learn together across disciplinary lines to find new, more effective approaches to important social issues. Through the bachelor’s degree programs in human development and family science, food studies, nutrition science and dietetics, public health, social work, sport analytics and sport management, students prepare to become professionals who will enhance the emotional and physical wellbeing of individuals, families, and communities.

Faculty members are current and former practitioners who provide a real-world perspective on the professional field. The small college atmosphere allows for personalized attention from the faculty and staff who guide students through the educational experience. In consultation with faculty and staff advisors, students choose a major program of study and select coursework that provides necessary professional preparation enhanced by a solid liberal arts education.

The integration of theory and practice lies at the heart of the college’s mission. Through the college’s extensive internship program, students gain valuable hands-on experience that complements their classroom learning and better prepares them for their careers. Our undergraduate academic programs in Falk College are supported by professionally trained internship and field placement coordinators who work one-on-one with every student to create an experiential learning opportunity that supports his or her future career goals.

A dedicated professional Student Services staff offers Falk students one-on-one, personalized support to track progress, address needs, and celebrate achievements. A strength-based advising and counseling approach is used to help address student concerns, identify strengths and challenges and work towards positive solutions. 

Our undergraduate students are uniquely advantaged by the Falk College facilities where they learn and study. The Nutrition Assessment, Consultation and Education (ACE) Center offers a hands-on learning laboratory to prepare students with traditional and emerging professional competencies critical to nutrition practice. In addition to the ACE Center, our food studies and nutrition faculty and professional chefs teach in state-of-the-art food labs. The Susan R. Klenk Learning Café and Kitchens provide a hands-on learning laboratory to prepare students with traditional and emerging professional competencies for careers in food, nutrition, dietetics, and public health.  The facility includes an experimental food lab kitchen, commercial kitchen, baking nook and café. A video camera system allows faculty and chef instructors to broadcast classes, food demonstrations and seminars from Falk College to anywhere on campus and across the country. The sport management program enjoys primary use of a state-of-the-art Daktronics computer lab, the only facility like it in the country. Undergraduate and graduate programs integrate learning with activities at the Carrier Dome as Syracuse University is the only institution in the nation with a sport facility of its size on the main campus. The Bernice M. Wright (BMW) Child Development Laboratory School is located on Syracuse University’s South Campus. Through collaboration with community-based service providers, the school enrolls children with varying developmental abilities, adding greatly to the overall classroom experience. The site serves as a teacher training facility and supports research in early childhood education.

General Regulations

For academic rules and regulations that apply to all University students, see the Academic Rules section of this catalog. This section also contains special regulations that apply to all students matriculated in the College.

Combined, Dual, and Double Programs

Approval for combined, dual, and double programs of study must be obtained from each academic unit involved.

PED General Electives

Up to 4 credits in physical education (PED) courses numbered 100-299 may be included among the general elective credits counted toward a degree in the college for singly enrolled students.

Fees

Laboratory fees are required in certain courses, where specialized equipment and materials are provided. A technology fee is assessed for all Falk College majors and minors, and all non-Falk students who take a Falk College course.  Complete breakdown for Falk College Fees may be found in the annual Tuition and Fees and Related Policies Bulletin.

Intra-University Transfer

Qualifying GPA varies, depending on the major. Departments may have additional criteria. Applicants are required to discuss tentative transfer plans with the academic chair or director of the proposed program of study. Students who meet department criteria will be admitted on a space-available basis. Transfer requests may be held until the end of the semester.

Part-Time Study

Students unable to enroll for full-time study may complete the bachelor’s degree on a part-time basis through University College (UC). Part-time students register through UC and are advised both by UC advisors and by faculty in the College.

Study Abroad

Falk College, in cooperation with Syracuse University Abroad (SU Abroad), strongly encourages students to take advantage of the opportunity to study abroad. Study abroad options include semester, summer, and short-stay immersion programs.

SU Abroad offers students the opportunity to participate in a program of study abroad in Santiago, Chile; London, England; Madrid, Spain; Strasbourg, France; Florence, Italy; Hong Kong, China; or Beijing, China. Syracuse University also builds strong overseas affiliations and partnerships, allowing students to be placed directly at other centers and universities.

No prior knowledge of a foreign language is required, with the exception of the Chile program, and students may choose from a variety of courses to fulfill requirements or elective credits for their program of study in the College. It is essential that students begin planning early for study abroad and work closely with their academic advisors.

For further information, contact the Office of Student Services in the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics 300 MacNaughton Hall, 315-443-3144, or Syracuse University Abroad, 106 Walnut Place, 315-443-3471.

Minors

Students in the College are strongly encouraged to complete a minor, and should seek assistance from their academic advisors in choosing a minor that will enhance their academic programs and add breadth and depth to their college experience. With careful and early planning, most minors can fit into the undergraduate curriculum without a need of extra coursework. Descriptions and requirements for minors in the College can be found in the list of programs below.