About the Human Development and Family Sciences Bachelor’s Program
From a foundation of research and theory, this degree focuses on development across the life span (prenatal to late adulthood) in the context of couple, family, and peer relationships as well as community influences. This program focuses on intrapersonal (e.g., personality, cognition), interpersonal (e.g., relationship conflict, self-disclosure), and societal (e.g., race-ethnicity, social class, public policy) influences as they affect personal and family well-being and development.
Many courses offer perspectives on interpersonal and family behavior through cognitive, socioemotional, and physical development of the infant, child, adolescent, young adult (dating, identity development), middle-aged adult (divorce-remarriage, parenthood, work-life balance), and older adult (widowhood, grandparenthood). Some courses also focus on important social issues that affect individual and family functioning (e.g., family violence, public policies, health care). Courses at the upper-division level provide professional training for students seeking employment in such diverse occupations as child advocacy, early intervention, youth development, human resources, social services, and social justice. In addition, HDFS is an ideal foundation for further study in areas such as allied health, nursing, medicine, law, education, and other related graduate programs.
Service and research skills are also enhanced by opportunities to observe and interact with infants, toddlers, and young children in the Child Development Research Center and TTU Center for Early Head Start. The centers are accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Students are required to pass a background check before working in these areas. Supervised practicum experiences with community groups provide opportunities for interaction with older children, adolescents, couples, families, and elderly adults. These experiences assist students in understanding developmental stages of human behavior and interpersonal relations as they occur in professional settings.
Enrollment in the department is based on a 2.5 GPA. To continue enrolling in human development and family sciences courses, students must maintain a GPA that meets or exceeds this standard. In addition, transfer students must have a 2.5 GPA.
Communication Literacy Requirement. Successfully working with individuals, families, and professionals in a variety of settings requires many different forms of communication, including oral interactions and professional presentations, written reports, and communication of data. HDFS students gain experience in collecting, examining, and reflecting upon scientific information and presenting their findings through formal and informal written communications as well as in oral presentations. HDFS Communication Literacy courses are uniquely designed to help prepare graduates to communicate successfully in their careers working with individuals, families, and professionals in diverse settings. The CL courses for this program are HDFS 3301 (scientific and graphical), HDFS 3320 (interpersonal/dyadic/small group), and HDFS 3350 (community/organizational/spoken).
Undergraduate students may want to focus in one or more of the following areas:
Intimate and Family Relationships
