Family Studies and Human Development

Overview

Family studies and human development programs teach people about the family unit and its influence on human growth and development.

Family studies and human development programs include topics such as:

Basic human development
Family/community development
Family support services
Social policy
Outreach and community education

Concentrations

In family studies and human development programs students may be able to specialize in:

Work and family studies
Human development and family studies
Family systems
Family and community services

Schools

A few community colleges offer associate degrees in family studies and human development. An associate degree program usually takes two years to complete.

Many colleges and universities also offer a bachelor's degree in family studies and human development. A bachelor's degree usually takes four years of full-time study. Some schools offer a post-bachelor's certificate program that usually requires one year of full-time study after getting a bachelor's degree.

Several universities offer graduate degrees in family studies and human development. A master's degree typically requires two years of study beyond a bachelor's degree. Doctoral (PhD) degree programs usually require two or more years of study beyond the master's degree.

See schools that offer this program.

Related Educational Programs

Related Careers

Careers Directly Related to this Program of Study

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Other Careers Related to this Program of Study

Program Admission

You can prepare for this program by taking courses in high school that prepare you for college. This typically includes four years of English, three years of math, three years of social studies, and two years of science. Some colleges also require two years of a second language.

Below is a list of high school courses that will help prepare you for this program of study:

Anthropology
Family Living
Issues of American Culture
Psychology
Social Science Research
Sociology

Graduate Admissions

Admission to graduate programs is competitive. You need a bachelor's degree, good grades, and good scores on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) General.

Your bachelor's degree should be in family studies and human development. If this is not possible at your college, you should take many courses in related subjects such as:

Anthropology
History
Psychology
Sociology

You also need to submit letters of recommendation and a statement of purpose describing your interests in the program and your educational goals.

Typical Course Work

Program Courses

This undergraduate program typically includes courses in the following subjects:

Abnormal Psychology
Adulthood and Aging
Children, Families, and Public Policy
Close Relationships in Families
Death and Dying
Family Communication
Family Dynamics and Intervention
Family Theories
Gender Roles in Families
Human Sexuality
Internal Dynamics of Families
Interpersonal Communication
Leisure and Aging
Leisure in Modern Society
Life Cycle Nutrition
Life-Span Human Growth and Development
Multicultural Study of Children and Families
Psychosocial Development
Remarriage and Stepfamilies
Research Methodology
Sociology of the Family
Stress in Families
Work and Family
Working with Parents

Graduate Program Courses

Course work in graduate programs that lead to a master's or doctoral degree varies, especially depending on your research focus. However, the typical outline for a graduate curriculum looks like the following:

Required core courses
Thesis (master's degree only)
Preliminary oral and written exams (doctoral degree only)
Dissertation and dissertation defense (doctoral degree only)

Because graduate work tends to be research-oriented, you will probably take courses in statistics, interviewing, and research methods also.

Things to Know

Internships allow students to develop skills at companies or organizations. Although internships are not required in this program of study, they are a way to meet prospective employers and acquire references.