Human Development & Family Science, Minor

The Human Development and Family Science (HDFS) Minor focuses on developmental change and processes in infants, children, adolescents and adults. You study psychological growth, cognitive development and complexity, emotional factors, and physical changes across the lifespan and within the context of families.

Through this minor, you gain subject matter expertise in developmental processes ranging from infancy through adulthood and in a familial context. In addition, you obtain practice in how to apply theoretical information to dynamic fields. The focus of instruction in the minor is on practical and applied content.

The minor in Human Development and Family Science supports individuals interested in classroom teaching, preschool teaching, human services, family services, social work, gerontology, geriatrics, probation and other related careers. The HDFS minor can be used for the depth of study requirement in the Liberal Studies major. In addition, the Human Development and Family Science minor provides evidence of expertise for majors such as Psychology, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Collaborative Health and Human Services, Biology, and others. In addition to your major, the minor in Human Development and Family Science is a marketing tool for students, demonstrating skills in understanding human growth and development and family science.

Required Courses

Please note: Twelve of the units taken to complete a minor (6 of which are upper division) may not be used in fulfillment of other minors, concentrations, or major requirements. This minor is not available for HDFS majors.

Complete one of the following courses:
HDFS 200 - Introduction to Child Development Units: 3
HDFS 350 - Lifespan Development: Transition and Change Units: 3
HDFS 360 - Child Development Units: 3
Complete two of the following courses:
*If one of the courses above is taken as part of a major requirement, complete three of the following courses
HDFS 310 - Parenting Across the Lifespan Units: 3
HDFS 315 - Risk and Resiliency in Families Units: 3
HDFS 321 - Diverse Families Units: 3
HDFS 322 - Immigrant Families Across the Lifespan Units: 3
HDFS 340 - Close Relationships and Family Development Units: 3
HDFS 341 - Family Violence: Identification, Prevention, and Intervention Units: 3
HDFS 342 - Human Development, Technology and the Media Units: 3
HDFS 344 - Death and Dying Units: 3
HDFS 353 - Cross-Cultural Human Development Units: 3
HDFS 355 - Behavioral and Emotional Disorders of Childhood and Adolescence Units: 3
HDFS 356 - Infancy and Early Childhood Units: 3
HDFS 358 - Middle Childhood Units: 3
HDFS 365 - Adolescence Units: 3
HDFS 371 - Adulthood & Aging Units: 3
HDFS 377 - Geriatrics & Gerontology Units: 3
Complete one of the following courses:
CHHS 450 - Introduction to Policy Analysis Units: 3
PH 417 - Global Women’s Health and Social Issues Units: 3
GS 350 - Global Gender Issues Units: 4
HCOM 306 - Gender and Communication Units: 4
HCOM 338 - Multicultural Adolescent Lit Units: 4
KIN 360 - Nutritional Science Units: 3
KIN 363 - Human Sexuality Units: 3
MPA 301 - Music for Children Units: 4
PSY 310 - Biological Psychology Units: 3
PSY 320 - Psychopathology Units: 3
SBS 345 - Cultural Anthropology Units: 3
VPA 312 - Vis Arts Ed For Teachers Units: 4

Learning Outcomes

Theories of Development and Family Science

Students utilize the major theories of human development and distinguish major psychological, cognitive, emotional, physical and environmental changes that take place over multiple phases of the lifespan and within and across families.

Focused Developmental Application in Human Development and Family Science

Students refine theoretical understandings of developmental inquiry to a specific phase in the lifespan, context of development, or concepts and issues in family science.

Situated Environments of Human Development and Family Science

Students contextualize developmental and familial issues within a cross-disciplinary and macro-level framework.