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 program are required to complete a minimum of 120 credits including University and CESS General Education requirements in diversity, writing and information literacy, sustainability, quantitative reasoning, behavioral and social sciences, communication skills, humanities, physical and biological sciences, and research methods. They also enroll in a sequence of professional courses 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 (HDF). Of these courses, three introduce students to core topics in the field, including individual development across the life span: “Human Development” (HDF 005), “Family Context of Development” (HDF 060), and “Human Relationships and Sexuality” (HDF 065). 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 001), is a skills focused course that provides HDF majors with an introduction to the discipline and practice of HDF, 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 the next set of four professional course requirements. In HDF 161, students are offered a deeper introduction to and opportunity to critically analyze the major social institutions and cultural contexts that affect human development. HDF 141 focuses in depth on White identity and the context of privileging whiteness. The remaining two courses in this intermediate block introduce students to major theories of development used to help us understand individual development (HDF 189) and to the HDFS profession through the study and practice of essential helping relationship skills and ethical practice (HDF 101). Both 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.  For the internship, students engage in direct field work and related academic work that focuses on deepening students’ knowledge and understanding of, and ability to apply, human development and ecological perspectives to direct practice; and 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.

 Human Development and Family Science

All students must meet the University Requirements.

All students must meet the College Requirements.

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As per program policy, HDF 141 (D1) and HDF 167 (D2) may not fulfill BOTH the diversity and professional requirements.  Students must take another D1 and D2 to fulfill the University's Diversity requirements.

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Student may be required to fulfill this elective with a writing course and /or to take additional writing or other skill-focused courses depending on their performance in other courses, especially HDF 001.

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Complete prior to HDF upper level courses/seminars; HDF faculty recommend PSYS 053.  Note that SOC 100 and EDFS 209 both have pre-requisites.

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Professional Requirements: HDF majors must complete all HDF 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.

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Refer to specific prerequisites for all courses.

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HDF 161, HDF 189 and a Research Methods course are pre-requisites for all 200-level HDF courses.  For HDF 290, HDF 101 and HDF 141 are additional pre-requisites.

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Approved seminar courses will be identified by the Program Coordinator; students should check with their advisors to confirm any particular seminar courses.  Note that HDF 292 does not count as an advanced seminar course.  Students must take at least 2 advanced seminars with HDF faculty.

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Program completion in Human Development and Family Science requires a minimum of 120 approved credit hours.

HDF majors are encouraged (but not required) to complete a minor in a field of interest.  The required HDF professional courses add up to 39 credits; the required University (15) and College (30) requirements together add up to 45 credits. This leaves an expected 36 elective credits; most academic minors are 18 credits.