The Bachelor of Arts in Human Development and Family Studies focuses on the classic and contemporary theories of human life development from infancy through adulthood including family and societal issues.

In addition, courses in the program can help you prepare to pursue these certifications:

  • Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE®) sponsored by the National Council on Family Relations. To qualify for the academic portion of the CFLE, you’ll need to complete all core requirements as well as these specific courses:
  1. CHFD220 - Human Sexuality
  2. CHFD350 - Family Life Education
  3. CHFD360 - Family Resource Management
  4. CHFD348 - Marriage and the Family
  5. CHFD445 - Family Communications
  6. CHFD446 - Families and Social Action
  7. CHFD498 - Senior Seminar in Child and Family Development

NOTE – There is a work experience requirement for full certification by the CFLE which the University does not provide. More information is available at the CFLE website: https://www.ncfr.org/cfle-certification/become-certified/cfle-approved-application.

  • Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS®) sponsored by the Association for Child Life Professionals. To qualify for the academic portion of the CCLS, you’ll need to complete all core requirements as well as these specific courses:
  1. HDFS401 - Child Life Theory and Practice
  2. HDFS402 - Benefits of Therapeutic Play
  3. HDFS403 - Death, Dying and Grief
  4. CHFD340 - Family Development
  • Child Development Associate (CDA®) certification sponsored by the Early Childhood Education Training Institution and the Council for Professional Recognition. Courses in the program can help you prepare to pursue the CDA certification sponsored by the Early Childhood Education Training Institution and the Council for Professional Recognition by providing the required academic requirements for that certification. There are additional requirements regarding clinical hours that the University does not provide and students must secure their own placement. Additional information on those clinical requirements can be found at www.childlife.org.

Important note: This bachelor’s degree does not award professional licensure and does not qualify you to apply for a teaching licensure. In addition, individual states often require additional hands-on training, internships, or site visits not provided by our University. Students are encouraged to become familiar with all licensure/certification requirements in the state in which they plan to seek possible employment.

CFLE® is a registered trademark of the National Council on Family Relations.

CCLS® is a registered trademark of the Child Life Council.

CDA® is a registered trademark of the Council for Professional Recognition.

Degree Program Objectives

In addition to the institutional and degree level learning objectives, graduates of this program are expected to achieve these learning outcomes:

  • Demonstrate fluency in the terminology, tools, and methods used in the field of child and family development.
  • Describe the contributions of multiple theories or practices to the field of child and family development, both within and across disciplines.
  • Demonstrate the ability to synthesize multiple information sources and points of view into a discussion of major child and family development issues.
  • Present a project or paper linking knowledge from work, community, or research activities with knowledge acquired in the study of child and family development.
  • Explain diverse perspectives on contested issues in child and family development, including an articulation of how these issues might be addressed in social, political, or personal settings.

Degree at a Glance

General Education Requirements30
Major Required36
General Concentration27
Final Program Requirements3
Elective Requirements24
Total Semester Hours120

Degree Program Requirements

General Education Requirements (30 semester hours)

Arts and Humanities (6 semester hours) 1
Select 2 courses from the following:6
Arabic I
Arabic II
Art Appreciation
Survey of Photography
Film and Literature
Image Enhancement using Adobe Photoshop®
French I
French II
German I
German II
Introduction to Japanese
Literature of American Encounters, Revolution, and Rebellion
From Abolition to #MeToo: Literature of the American Civil Rights Movement
Pivotal Figures in Early British Literature
British Literature from Wordsworth through the Wasteland
Leadership in World Literature: Antiquity to the Early Modern Period
Literature of the Newly Globalized World: The Individual’s Struggle to Adapt
Music Appreciation
Jazz and Rock
World Music and Cultures
Introduction to Philosophy
Critical Thinking
Introduction to Ethics
Philosophy of Science
Introduction to Brazilian Portuguese
Introduction to the Study of Religion
Introduction to World Religions
Russian I
Spanish I
Spanish II
Thinking and Acting Ethically
Civics, Political and Social Sciences (6 semester hours) 1
Select 2 courses from the following:6
Introduction to Anthropology
World Archaeology
Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
Human Sexuality
Planning Your Future with Purpose in Humanities & Education
Social Media and Society
Intercultural Communication
Microeconomics
Macroeconomics
Humane Education: A Global Interdisciplinary Perspective
Introduction to Geography
Practical Food Safety and Awareness
International Relations I
Forgotten America--Under Represented Cultures in American Literature
Introduction to Political Science
American Government I
Introduction to Psychology
Death and Dying
Race & Religion
Hope and Resilience
Introduction to Sociology
Social Problems
American Popular Culture
Exploring Society and Cultures via Science Fiction
Communication: Writing, Oral, and Multimedia (9 semester hours)
COMM120Information and Digital Literacy3
ENGL110Making Writing Relevant3
ENGL101Proficiency in Writing3
History
Select 1 course from the following:3
American History to 1877
American History since 1877
World Civilization before 1650
World Civilization since 1650
Western Civilization before The Thirty Years War
Western Civilization since The Thirty Years War
African-American History before 1877
African-American History since 1877
History of the American Indian
History of Science
The History and Context of STEM
Mathematics and Applied Reasoning (3 semester hours)
Select 1 course from the following:3
Accounting I
Accounting for Non Accounting Majors
Fundamentals of Programming
College Algebra
College Trigonometry
Pre-Calculus
Introduction to Statistics
Math for Liberal Arts Majors
Calculus
Natural Sciences (3 semester hours)
Select 1 course from the following:3
Introduction to Biology
Introduction to Human Anatomy and Physiology
Introduction to Chemistry
Introduction to Meteorology
Introduction to Geology
Introduction to Environmental Science
Introduction to Physics
Introduction to Astronomy
Introduction to STEM Disciplines
Total Semester Hours30

Major Required (36 semester hours)

CHFD215Introduction to Child Development3
CHFD220Human Sexuality3
CHFD225Introduction to the American Family3
CHFD307Child and Adolescent Development3
CHFD308Infant-Toddler Development3
CHFD331Parenting3
CHFD340Family Development3
CHFD342Human Life Span Development3
MATH120Introduction to Statistics3
PSYC101Introduction to Psychology3
SOCI331Research Methods for Sociology3
SOCI332Statistics for Social Science3
Total Semester Hours36

General Concentration (27 semester hours)

A general concentration allows you to take courses across a number of areas of study within your program based on your own interests.

Child Development
Select 5 courses from the following:15
Childhood Educational Development
Infant and Toddler Programs
Child Welfare and Advocacy
Guidance in Early Childhood
Special Needs Students
Child Psychopathology
Children and Stress
Observation Techniques
Child Life Theory and Practice
Benefits of Therapeutic Play
Death, Dying, and Grief
Family Development
Select 4 courses from the following:12
Marriage and the Family
Family Life Education
Family Resource Management
Family Communications
Families and Social Action
Adult Development
Gender and Society
Transition and the Military Family
Total Semester Hours27

Final Program Requirements (3 semester hours)

CHFD498Senior Seminar in Child and Family Development 13
Total Semester Hours3

Elective Requirements (24 semester hours)

Select any courses not already taken to fulfill the requirements listed above. Credits applied toward a minor or certificate in an unrelated field may be used to fulfill elective credit for the major.24
Total Semester Hours24