The online encyclopedia Wikipedia has the following definition of home economics
... an academic discipline which combines aspects of consumer science, nutrition, cooking, parenting and human development, interior decoration, textiles, family economics, housing, apparel design and resource management as well as other related subjects.
It is not only academic but needs also practical training. Mackay College has for this reason a laboratory
The building for the Home Economics Laboratory as it was under construction. This picture is from September 2005.
The building as it is finished. This picture was taken in December 2006