The Bachelor of Arts degree in Family Science and Human Development prepares students for careers working with youth and families in various settings. A major in Family Science and Human Development may be for you if you answer yes to any of the following questions:
- Are you curious about the way children and adults grow and develop?
- Have you wondered about how environmental and social factors affect physical, cognitive, and emotional development?
- Are you interested in learning more about specific stages of human development such as infancy, childhood, adolescence, and aging?
- Would you like to work with hospitalized children to help reduce the stress of medical treatment on them and their families?
- Have you ever thought about a career in family counseling, working with youth in various settings, working with older adults, or teaching at the preschool or elementary grades level?
Graduates from the program work in a variety of human service settings. These include family and community services; youth service organizations; health care settings; juvenile and adult corrections; family courts system; long term care facilities; and early childhood, elementary, and parent education programs. This degree also provides students with the educational background they need to pursue graduate study in a variety of areas.
The Family Services concentration emphasizes the study of the family. Students learn about family development, relationships, dynamics, functioning, health, and resource management. They examine the various cultural, community, and socioeconomic contexts in which families function and study interventions used to support families. The concentration combines family research and theory with application in a variety of human services organizations and community agencies.
Program Requirements Overview
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements | 39 | |
| World Languages and Cultures Requirements | 3-6 | |
| Major Requirements | 54 | |
| Free Electives | 24-21 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Family Science and Human Development Core | ||
| FSHD 200 | Introduction to the Content Areas in Family Science and Human Development | 3 |
| FSHD 304 | Research Methods for Studying Families and Human Development | 3 |
| FSHD 315 | Field Experiences in Family and Human Services | 3 |
| or FSHD 316 | Service-Learning Experiences with Families and Children | |
| FSHD 348 | Individual and Family Development Over the Life Course | 3 |
| FSHD 418 | Working with Diverse Families and Children | 3 |
| FSHD 445 | Poverty and Families | 3 |
| Family Services Required Courses | ||
| FSHD 141 | Interpersonal Relations | 3 |
| FSHD 214 | Child Development I | 3 |
| FSHD 409 | Internship | 9 |
| Major Electives | ||
| Select any 9 credits in the Family Science and Human Development department | 9 | |
| Required Collaterals | ||
| PSYC 101 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| 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 Credits | 54 | |
General Education Requirements
Click here for a list of courses that fulfill General Education categories.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| A. New Student Seminar | ||
| Complete a 1 credit New Student Seminar course. | 1 | |
| C. Communication | ||
| 1. Writing | 3 | |
| 2. Literature | 3 | |
| 3. Communication | 3 | |
| D. Fine and Performing Arts | ||
| Complete a 3 credit Fine and Performing Arts course. | 3 | |
| F. Humanities | ||
| 1. Great Works and Their Influences | 3 | |
| 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 Perspectives | 3 | |
| 3. Social Science Perspectives | ||
| Introduction to Psychology (Fulfilled in the major.) | ||
| L. Interdisciplinary Studies | ||
| Complete a 3 credit Interdisciplinary Studies course. | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 39 | |
World Languages and Cultures Requirements
Click here for a list of courses that fulfill World Languages and Cultures categories.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Credits | 3-6 | |
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 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| WRIT 105 | 3 | WRIT 106 | 3 |
| FSHD 200 | 3 | World Language 1 | 3 |
| CMST 101 | 3 | GENERAL EDUCATION (H) Mathematics | 3 |
| GNED 199 | 1 | PSYC 101 | 3 |
| GENERAL EDUCATION (F1) Humanities – Great Works and Their Influences | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
| CSIT 100 | 3 | ||
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| World Language | 3 | FSHD 315 | 3 |
| FSHD 214 | 3 | FSHD 348 | 3 |
| FSHD 141 | 3 | GENERAL EDUCATION (I) Natural Science Laboratory | 4 |
| GENERAL EDUCATION (F2) Humanities – Philosophical and Religious Perspectives | 3 | GENERAL EDUCATION (K2) Social Science – Global Cultural Perspectives | 3 |
| GENERAL EDUCATION (K1) Social Science – American and European History | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 16 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| FSHD 304 | 3 | FSHD 418 | 3 |
| FSHD Major Elective | 3 | FSHD 445 | 3 |
| Family Services Collateral Course | 3 | FSHD Major Elective | 3 |
| GENERAL EDUCATION (D) Fine and Performing Arts | 3 | Family Services Collateral Course | 3 |
| Free Elective | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
| GENERAL EDUCATION (J) Physical Education | 1 | ||
| 15 | 16 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| FSHD Major Elective | 3 | FSHD 409 | 9 |
| Family Services Collateral Course | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
| GENERAL EDUCATION (L) Interdisciplinary Studies | 3 | ||
| Free Elective | 3 | ||
| Free Elective | 3 | ||
| 15 | 12 | ||
| Total Credits 120 | |||