The Human Development and Family Science (HDFS) program examines the ways people grow and develop, form relationships and families, and learn to cope with the common and uncommon events of life. The program integrates developmental and ecological systems perspectives and emphasizes information literacy, critical reflection, and community-engaged learning experiences rooted in social justice and strengths-based frameworks of human development and family science. Students learn basic and applied concepts of human development and acquire skills in working with individuals and families of different ages and backgrounds in a variety of settings. Community-engaged learning is required of all students, including 3 credits of civic learning in HDF 1010 and 6 credits of internship senior year in HDF 4991.
HDFS is also a minor available to students across the university.
HDFS is the name of the academic program. Integrated with human development, family science is a core disciplinary approach within the program. While the course prefixes are “HDF,” the program remains HDFS, with the "S" representing "Science" and emphasizing the program's commitment to a scientific, evidence-based approach.
Major Requirements
Students in the HDFS program are required to complete a minimum of 120 credits including University Catamount Core, College, HDFS General Major, and HDFS Professional Major courses. The professional requirements are designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of individual and family development across the life span and in diverse socio-cultural contexts. HDFS Professional courses are arranged in three blocks: introductory, intermediate, and advanced.
The introductory block includes four core courses. “Foundations of Human Development and Family Science” (HDF 1010) is a skill focused course that provides HDFS majors with an introduction to the discipline and practice of HDFS, with special emphasis on civic learning and preparing students for more advanced course work and professional practice. This course is specifically designed to examine how questions are pursued from a human development perspective, how these questions relate to everyday life, how knowledge in the discipline is constructed, and the types of skills necessary to both acquire and appropriately use this knowledge. “Human Development” (HDF 1050), “Family Context of Development” (HDF 1600), and “Human Relationships and Sexuality” (HDF 1650) introduce students to core topics in the field, including individual development across the life span. These courses also introduce students to experiences, changes and challenges typical at different points in the life course and to factors that influence individual development, such as gender, race and social class.
The intermediate block builds upon the introductory block through a set of 6 professional course requirements. “Writing, Literacy, and Research Skills” (HDF 2009) is a skill-based course that directly builds on “Foundations of Human Development and Family Science” (HDF 1010) to strengthen students’ writing, literacy, critical thinking, and research skills. In “The Helping Relationship (HDF 2010), students deepen their introduction to the HDFS profession through the study and practice of essential helping relationship skills and ethical practice. “Development Through Relationships” (HDF 2205) provides students with a relational framework for understanding development. “Interrogating White Identity” (HDF 2410) focuses in depth on white identity and the context of privileging whiteness. Through the “Social Context of Development” HDF 2610, students are offered a deeper introduction to and opportunity to critically analyze the major social institutions and cultural contexts that affect human development. Finally, in “Theories of Human Development” (HDF 2890), students critically examine many of the major theories of development used to help us understand individual development.
The advanced block consists of at least 3 advanced seminar courses and 6 credits of internship. Advanced seminar courses are selected in consultation with an advisor. The internship is the final professional requirement, consisting of a 2-semester intentionally sequenced internship and service-learning experience in the fall (3 credits) and spring (3 credits) of senior year. Internship students engage in direct field work and related academic work that focuses on deepening students’ knowledge of, and ability to apply, human development and ecological perspectives to direct practice; as well as developing as critically conscious and ethical human services professionals and citizens. Students choose a placement from a variety of local human service agencies and organizations. Internship placement sites have included after-school youth programs, rape crisis and intimate partner violence prevention and intervention programs, social justice advocacy groups, centers for children who have experienced abuse and neglect, city and state government agencies, public and private schools, group homes, rehabilitation centers, local business and industry, early childhood education settings, hospitals, and senior centers.