Human Development & Family Studies

HDFS Minor Requirements

The objective of the Human Development and Family Studies minor  is to provide students with an integrated knowledge and interdisciplinary understanding of family relationships and individual development over the life course. The curriculum  is organized into two conceptual domains: human development and family studies. 

Human Development

• Mastery of the principles of human development, and an understanding of the key developmental task of each stage of life.
• Depth of understanding in one or more of the developmental stages, with particular emphasis on the family as a context for human development.

Family Studies

• Understanding of intra-family processes such as power, decision-making, and communication; mastery of family theories and conceptual frameworks, such as the systems perspective, constructivist, functional and conflict theories.
• Ability to analyze the internal workings of the family.
• Understanding of family ecological models, including principles of reciprocity and interdependence between larger contextual environments and the family, and an understanding of family policy.
• Examination of the interface between the family and various social/political/cultural environments.