gives you the knowledge and skills that last a lifetime
Home Economics in years 9, 10 and 11 can be a very useful option subject. This webpage is about:
- What is Home Economics?
- The benefits of choosing Home Economics
- Who can choose Home Economics?
- The combination of subjects with Home Economics
- Post Secondary courses and related careers
- Conclusion
1. What is Home Economics?
Home Economics is a subject that involves various aspects which are beneficial for everyday life. This is because Home Economics is the study of:
- Food, Nutrition and Health
- Family Well-Being
- Financial Literacy and Consumer Education
- Sustainable Living and Effectvie Management of Resources
The following are some of the various topics taught in Home Economics:
- Different foods and their nutritional content
- Different dietary requirements
- Food labelling
- First Aid
- Safety inside and outside the home
- Personal and food hygiene
- The family
- Children, elderly and persons with disability
- Money management
- Kitchen planning
- Different types of accommodation and the process to acquire an accommodation
- Consumer rights and responsibilities
- Resource management and the environment
Home Economics includes both the theory and the practical aspects. The practical sessions include:
- Planning and preparation of food for a healthy balanced diet and for people with different needs
- Preparation of recipes which include different cooking skills
2. The benefits of choosing Home Economics
Choosing Home Economics is beneficial for the student due to a number of interesting aspects, among which:
- Learning various lifeskills which are needed for every stage of your life
- Learning the preparation and cooking of different food
- The development of your interest in different food, nutrition and healthy lifestyle
- As a result , Home Economics helps you and your families to live a healthy lifestyle with good choices in all aspects of life
- Last but not least, the subject helps you with problem solving, critical thinking and decision making
Different skills are practised during Home Economics. These include:
- How to weigh and measure ingredients
- How to sieve flour
- How to prepare the pastry
- How to pepare ingredients to be used in different recipes
- How to use kitchen equipment such as the food blender and the food mixer
In Home Economics, one learns how to plan and prepare food that is balanced in important nutrients for different dietary needs. One also learns how to decorate food and desserts and how to lay the table.
3. Who can choose Home Economics?
Home Economics is offered at an academic level and other levels too. Therefore it can be chosen by every student.
- Students who choose Home Economics in the SEC route, will obtain a certificate in MQF level 3.
- The Home Economics curriculum is adapted and offered to students of the Core Curriculum Progaramme (CCP). This programme contains more practicals and less theory lessons.
4. The combination of subjects with Home Economics
Owing to the nature of the subject, Home Economics can be easily combined with other option subjects, being either academic or science subjects, as well as with applied or vocational subjects. As an example, Home Economics matches well with Biology, P.E., Social Studies, Art, Health and Social Care, Hospitality, Textiles and Fashion, Hairdressing and Beauty, and Retail. Subjects from the finance sphere are also possible matches with Home Economics.
5. Post Secondary courses and related careers
The Home Economics course in Years 9, 10 and 11 leads to the attainment of SEC certificate (MQF Level 3) in Home Economics. Following that, students may continue to pursue their studies in Home Economics at intermediate and advanced level (MQF 4), offered at post-secondary institutions like Higher Secondary School in Naxxar, the Junior College in Imsida and other Sixth Forms.
Eventually, successful attainment in post-secondary certification allows students to continue their studies at the University of Malta, namely by choosing B.Sc. (Hons) course in Home Economics (MQF Level 6). Graduates in Home Economics can work in areas related to family, consumer, care services, food safety, sustainable production and consumption of food, textiles, energy and management of waste. They can also take jobs in mass media, advisory roles in the retail sector, and in the fashion industry. Graduates can also set up their business in areas related to food, catering, textiles, crafts, fashion and home decorating.
There is also the possibility to pursue the studies in Home Economics at Masters level (MQF Level 7) through the 2 year Masters in Teaching and Learning, required for a career in teaching Home Economics.
Students who successfully complete the B.Sc. (Hons) Home Economics, can opt to specialise further and seek employment in areas related to the family, the elderly and people with disabilities or venture into a personal business.
Students taking Home Economics till Year 11 find the subject an asset when pursuing their studies at the Institute for Tourism Studies (ITS). In fact, ITS values Home Economics at SEC level (MQF Level 3) in candidates willing to take courses related to:
- travel and tourism
- rooms division
- food preparation and service
- events.
These qualifications lead to higher education at the Diploma level, followed by Higher National Diploma and ultimately at the level of Bachelor (MQF Level 6). Successful candidates enjoy careers related to tourist information, tour operation, room attendance, front office management, chefs, bar supervisors, restaurant management, events coordination, planning or management.
Post-secondary studies at MCAST are another opportunity for successful Home Economics students. In particular, The Institute of Community Services offers courses related to various careers, namely hairdressing, beauty therapy and care for the elderly or children. At MCAST one can also choose to follow a course leading to a diploma in health and social care and pursue a career dealing with people with disabilities or with the elderly.
6. Conclusion
Home Economics is a subject that apart from helping you with everyday life, also offers opportunities to various careers in education, food industry, the hospitality industry as well as in employment related to the services in the community.
In fact, Home Economics offers a lot of opportunities to various interesting careers as well as helps you to develop on an individual level, in family and in the community and also on a national and global level.
Ms J. Baldacchino
Head of Department