Family Science and Human Development - Family Services Concentration (B.A.)

The Bachelor of Arts degree in Family Science and Human Development prepares students for careers working with individuals, children, youth, and families as practitioners and educators in a multitude of community, school, and workplace settings. Our unique, interdisciplinary approach provides students with both theoretical foundations and their applications for working with people. Students examine the various cultural, community, and socioeconomic contexts in which families function and study interventions used to support individuals and families across the life span, from infancy to old age. They learn approaches grounded in social justice, diversity, and equity, and have opportunities to practice new skills with community engagement experiences.

Graduates from the Family Services concentration pursue careers in a variety of human services settings, including social services, state agencies, guidance counseling, social work, healthcare settings, adult care facilities, corrections, law, school administrators, college faculty and much more. This concentration offers students the flexibility to adapt coursework to match their specific career interests.

Program Requirements Overview

General Education Requirements39
World Languages and Cultures Requirements3-6
Major Requirements54
Free Electives24-21
Total Credits120

Major Requirements

Family Science and Human Development Core
FSHD 101Introduction to the Content Areas in Family Science and Human Development3
FSHD 248Family Life3
FSHD 304Research Methods for Studying Families and Human Development3
FSHD 315Community Engagement3
or FSHD 316 Service-Learning Experiences with Families and Children
FSHD 418Working with Diverse Families and Children3
FSHD 445Poverty and Families3
Family Services Required Courses
FSHD 141Interpersonal Relations3
FSHD 214Child Development I3
FSHD 409Internship9
Major Electives
Select any 9 credits in the Family Science and Human Development department9
Required Collaterals
PSYC 101Introduction to Psychology3
Elective Collaterals
Select 9 credits from one of the following areas of emphasis by advisement:9
African-American Studies (see African-American Studies minor for course list)
Arabic Studies (see Arabic Studies minor for course list)
Asian Studies (see Asian Studies minor for course list))
Child Advocacy-Social Work (any undergraduate CHAD or SOWK courses)
Entrepreneurship (any undergraduate ENTR courses)
Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies (any undergraduate GLQS or WMGS courses)
Jewish-American Studies (see Jewish-American Studies minor for course list)
Justice Studies (any undergraduate JUST or PALG courses)
Latin-American and Latino Studies (see Latin-American and Latino Studies minor for course list)
Political Science and Law (any undergraduate POLS or LAWS courses)
Psychology (any undergraduate PSYC courses)
Public Health (any undergraduate HLTH courses)
Sociology (any undergraduate SOCI courses)
Total Credits54

General Education Requirements

Click here for a list of courses that fulfill General Education categories.

A. New Student Seminar
Complete a 1 credit New Student Seminar course.1
C. Communication
1. Writing 3
2. Literature3
3. Communication3
D. Fine and Performing Arts
Complete a 3 credit Fine and Performing Arts course.3
F. Humanities
1. Great Works and Their Influences3
2. Philosophical and Religious Perspectives 3
G. Computer Science
Complete a 3 credit Computer Science course.3
H. Mathematics
Complete a 3 credit Mathematics course.3
I. Natural Science Laboratory
Complete a 4 credit Natural Science Laboratory course.4
J. Physical Education
Complete a 1 credit Physical Education course.1
K. Social Science
1. American and European History 3
2. Global Cultural Perspectives3
3. Social Science Perspectives
Introduction to Psychology (Fulfilled in the major.)
L. Interdisciplinary Studies
Complete a 3 credit Interdisciplinary Studies course.3
Total Credits39

World Languages and Cultures Requirements

Click here for a list of courses that fulfill World Languages and Cultures categories.

World Languages
Based on placement exam complete one or two sequential courses in one language.3-6
World Cultures
Poverty and Families (Fulfilled in the major.)
Total Credits3-6

Recommended Roadmap to Degree Completion

This four-year plan is provided as an outline for students to follow in order to complete their degree requirements within four years.  This plan is a recommendation and students should only use it in consultation with their academic advisor.

First Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
WRIT 1053WRIT 1063
FSHD 1013World Language 13
CMST 1013GENERAL EDUCATION (H) Mathematics3
GNED 1991PSYC 1013
GENERAL EDUCATION (F1) Humanities – Great Works and Their Influences3Free Elective3
CSIT 1003 
 16 15
Second Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
World Language 3FSHD 3153
FSHD 2143FSHD 2483
FSHD 1413GENERAL EDUCATION (I) Natural Science Laboratory4
GENERAL EDUCATION (F2) Humanities – Philosophical and Religious Perspectives3GENERAL EDUCATION (K2) Social Science – Global Cultural Perspectives3
GENERAL EDUCATION (K1) Social Science – American and European History3Free Elective3
 15 16
Third Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
FSHD 3043FSHD 4183
FSHD Major Elective3FSHD 4453
Family Services Collateral Course3FSHD Major Elective3
GENERAL EDUCATION (D) Fine and Performing Arts3Family Services Collateral Course3
Free Elective3Free Elective3
 GENERAL EDUCATION (J) Physical Education1
 15 16
Fourth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
FSHD Major Elective3FSHD 4099
Family Services Collateral Course3Free Elective3
GENERAL EDUCATION (L) Interdisciplinary Studies3 
Free Elective3 
Free Elective3 
 15 12
Total Credits 120