Human Development and Family Science B.S.
This 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 6 credits of internship senior year.
Human Development and Family Science is also a minor available to students across the university.
Major Requirements
Students in the Human Development and Family Science (HDFS) program are required to complete a minimum of 120 credits including University Catamount Core, College, HDFS General Education Major requirements and HDFS Professional courses. The professional courses are designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of individual and family development across the life span and in diverse socio-cultural contexts. These courses are arranged in three blocks: introductory, intermediate, and advanced.
The introductory block includes four core courses in Human Development and Family Science. Of these courses, three introduce students to core topics in the field, including individual development across the life span: “Human Development” (HDF 1050), “Family Context of Development” (HDF 1600), and “Human Relationships and Sexuality” (HDF 1650). 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 fourth course, “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 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.
The intermediate block builds upon the introductory block through a set of five professional course requirements. In 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. HDF 2410 focuses in depth on white identity and the context of privileging whiteness. The remaining three courses in this intermediate block introduce students to major theories of development used to help us understand individual development (HDF 2890), to a relational framework for understanding development (HDF 2205), and to the HDFS profession through the study and practice of essential helping relationship skills and ethical practice (HDF 2010). All three courses also provide students the opportunity to apply developmental theories to practice.
The advanced block consists of advanced seminars and 6 credits of internship. All majors take at least 3 advanced seminar courses selected in consultation with an advisor. The internship is the final professional requirement, consisting of a 2-semester intentionally sequenced internship 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.
All students must meet the Degree and University Requirements.
All students must meet the Catamount Core Curriculum Requirements.
All students must meet the College Requirements.
All students must meet HDFS General Education Requirements.
All students must meet HDFS Major Requirements. 1
HDFS GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS | ||
NFS 1043 | Fundamentals of Nutrition | 3 |
PSYS 1400 | Intro to Psychological Science | 3 |
ENGL 1001 | Written Expression 2 | 3 |
or ENGL 1002 | Topics In: Written Expression | |
or HCOL 1000 | FY Writing Seminar | |
BIOL 1100 | Human Biology w/lab 3 | 3 |
or BIOL 1105 | Human Biology | |
or BIOL 1150 | The Human Body w/lab | |
or BIOL 1155 | The Human Body | |
SPCH 1400 | Effective Speaking | 3 |
or CALS 2830 | Communication Methods | |
Intro-Level Sociology Course | 3 | |
Intro-Level Anthropology Course | 3 | |
Research Methods Course | ||
PSYS 2002 | Psych Research Methods 4 | 3-4 |
or SOC 2500 | Social Research Methods | |
or EDFS 3090 | Intro to Research Methods |
MAJOR REQUIREMENTS | ||
HDF 1010 | Fndn HumDev&FamSci for Majors | 3 |
HDF 1050 | Human Development | 3 |
HDF 1600 | Family Context of Development | 3 |
HDF 1650 | Human Relationships &Sexuality | 3 |
Intermediate Level Courses 5 | ||
HDF 2010 | The Helping Relationship | 3 |
HDF 2205 | Dev through Relationships | 3 |
HDF 2410 | Interrogatng White Identity 6 | 3 |
HDF 2610 | Social Context of Development | 3 |
HDF 2890 | Theories of Human Development | 3 |
Upper Level Courses 7 | ||
Select 3 approved upper level (3000-level) approved HDF seminars. 8 | 9 | |
HDF 4991 | Internship (3 credits in the fall, 3 credits in spring) | 6 |
- 1
Professional Requirements: HDFS majors must complete all HDFS Professional Requirements with no grades below a "C", earn a professional GPA no lower than 2.5, and earn an overall GPA no lower than 2.0.
- 2
Student may be required to take additional writing or other skill-focused courses depending on their performance in other courses, especially HDF 1010.
- 3
Must be a Human Biology course.
- 4
Complete Research Methods Requirement prior to HDF upper-level courses/seminars; HDFS faculty recommend PSYS 2002. Note that SOC 2500 and EDFS 3090 both have prerequisites.
- 5
Refer to specific prerequisites for all courses.
- 6
As per program policy, HDF 2410, HDF 2670 and HDF 3670 may not fulfill D1 and D2 Catamount Core diversity requirements. Students must take non-HDF D1 and D2 courses to fulfill the Catamount Core diversity requirements
- 7
HDF 2610, HDF 2890, and an approved Research Methods course are prerequisites for all 3000-level HDF courses. For HDF 4991, HDF 1010, HDF 2010 and HDF 2410 are all additional prerequisites.
- 8
Note that HDF 3993,HDF 3994 and HDF 3995 do not count as advanced seminar course.