Faculty of Human Ecology (FEMA) of IPB University, the youngest faculty in the university, was officially established on August 2, 2005 based on the Decision Letter of tthe Rector No. 112/K13/ot/2005. The establishment of FEMA IPB was a past of various changes happening in IPB in its attempt to move towards an automatic era of higher education (IPB BHMN), giving the university an authority to establish a new study program, a new department and a new faculty. 

The embryos of FEMA IPB were Department of Community Nutrition and Family Resources (GMSK), a department in Faculty of Agriculture: the study program of Agriculture Extension and Communication, a study program in Department of Social Economics of Agriculture in Faculty of Agriculture, and department of social economics in Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science, and Faculty of Animal Husbandry.

The formerly known Department of Community Nutrition and Family Resources (GMSK) of Faculty of Agriculture has developed into Department of Community Nutrition (GIZI) and Department of Family and Consumer Sciences (IKK). Similarly, the previously called Department of Social Economics of Agriculture (Sosek) in Faculty of Agriculture has grown into Department of Communication Science and Community Development (KPM), Department of Agribusiness, and Department of Resource Economics and Environment (ESL). In clustering processes, Department of Community Nutrition (GIZI), Department of Family and Consumer Sciences (IKK), as well as Department of Communication and Community Development Sciences (SKPM) formed a cluster under Faculty of Human Ecology (FEMA).

FEMA IPB is the first and the only Faculty of Human Ecology in Indonesia and it is also one of the three Faculties of Human Ecology of Human Ecology in South East Asia. The other two faculties in South East Asia are Colllege of Human Ecology University of Philippines at Los Banos (UPLB), and Faculty of Human Ecology, University Putra Malaysia (UPM).

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Perkembangan IPB dimulai dari tahapan embrional (1941-1963), tahap kelahiran dan pertumbuhan (1963-1975), tahap pendewasaan (1975-2000), tahap implementasi otonomi IPB (2000-2005) dan menuju IPB Badan Hukum Milik Negara (BHMN) yang akan dimulai pada tahun 2006. Pada tahun 2007 secara embrional IPB diharapkan siap manjadi universitas riset.

Fakultas Ekologi Manusia IPB merupakan fakultas yang baru di IPB lahir saat perkembangan IPB berada pada tahap implementasi otonomi IPB. FEMA IPB dibentuk pada tahun 2005 berdasarkan Surat Keputusan Rektor No.112/K13/OT/2005. Dengan status Perguruan Tinggi BHMN, IPB diberi kewenangan oleh Departemen Pendidikan Nasional untuk mengatur dan mengelola aset dan program pendidikan tinggi termasuk kewenangan membentuk mayor (Program Studi), Departemen atau Fakultas baru.

Pembentukan FEMA IPB sejalan dengan berbagai perubahan yang terjadi di IPB memasuki era otonomi perguruan tinggi (IPB BHMN) dalam proses klusterisasi departemen. Cikal bakal FEMA IPB adalah Departemen Gizi Masyarakat dan Sumberdaya Keluarga (GMSK) Fakultas Pertanian, Program Studi Penyuluhan dan Komunikasi Pertanian Departemen Sosek Pertanian Fakultas Pertanian, serta bagian sosial ekonomi dari berbagai fakultas di IPB.

Departemen Gizi Masyarakat dan Sumberdaya Keluarga (GMSK) Fakultas Pertanian berkembang menjadi Departemen Gizi Masyarakat (GIZ) dan Departemen Ilmu Keluarga dan Konsumen (IKK). Sementara Departemen Sosial Ekonomi Pertanian (Sosek) Fakultas Pertanian berkembang menjadi Departemen Komunikasi dan Pengembangan Masyarakat (KPM), Departemen Agribisnis, dan Departemen Ekonomi Sumberdaya dan Lingkungan (ESL).

Selanjutnya dalam proses klusterisasi, Departemen Gizi Masyarakat (GIZ) dan Departemen Ilmu keluarga dan Konsumen (IKK) dan Departemen Komunikasi dan Pengembangan Masyarakat (KPM) bergabung dalam suatu kluster yang disebut Fakultas Ekologi Manusia (FEMA).

FEMA merupakan Fakultas Ekologi Manusia yang pertama dan satu-satunya di Indonesia dan satu dari tiga Fakultas Ekologi Manusia di Asia Tenggara. Dua fakultas ekologi manusia lainnya di Asia Tenggara adalah College of Human Ecology University of Philippines at Los Banos (UPLB), dan Faculty of Human Ecology, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM).