Undergraduate Catalog 2004 - 2005

School of Family Studies

Charles M. Super, Ph.D., Dean, School of Family Studies

The School of Family Studies focuses on human development within the context of families and the broader social environment. Courses focus on contemporary issues and research concerning individual development and family processes. Curriculum in the Human Development and Family Studies Program emphasizes the following areas: Early Childhood Development and Education, Childhood and Adolescence, Family Relations and Counseling, Family Social Policy and Planning, and Adult Development and Aging.

Admission Requirements. See Admission to the University.

Bachelor's Degree Requirements

On the recommendation of the faculty of the school and by vote of the Board of Trustees, students who meet the specified requirements receive the degree of Bachelor of Science. Those requirements include: (1) earned a total of 120 credits, (2) a student earned at least a 2.0 grade point average for all calculable  course work, (3) met the General Education Requirements, and major and related requirements.

University General Education Requirements

The University Senate has adopted General Education Requirements in a variety of curricula areas which must be satisfied as part of every bachelor's degree program. These  are listed in the "Academic Regulations" section of this Catalog.

College Requirements

Students planning a major in Human Development and Family Studies must complete the following requirements. Students should note that these courses may also fulfill University General Education requirements.

Social Scientific and Comparative Analysis

HDFS 190 - Individual and Family Development
PSYC 135 (or 133) - General Psychology II
SOCI 107 - Introduction to Sociology
Science and Technology
PSYC 132 - General Psychology I

Human Development and Family Studies Major

The major in Human Development and Family Studies requires 48 credits in courses at the 200 level including 36 HDFS credits and 12 credits in courses related to but outside the major. No more than 3 credits are allowed for fieldwork, internship, and peer counseling courses.  A student completing requirements for a major must have a grade point average of 2.0 or better in the credits that count toward the major in Human Development and Family Studies. Students are allowed much flexibility in tailoring their major to meet their particular interests and educational goals. Most students choose to focus their work in one or more of the following concentrations:
· Early Childhood Development and Education
· Childhood and Adolescence
· Family Relationships: Services and Counseling
· Family in Society: Social Policy and Planning
· Adult Development and Aging
This major must include all of the following required courses:
Course, Title
Credits
HDFS 201 - Diversity Issues in Human Dev. and Family Relations 3
HDFS 202 - Human Development: Infancy through Adolescence 3
HDFS 204 - Human Development: Adulthood and Aging 3
HDFS 205 - Understanding Research Methods in Human Development and Family Studies or 3
HDFS 290 - Research Methods in Human Development and Family Studies 3
HDFS 273 - Family Interaction Processes 3

This major must include the completion of one of the following courses:
Course, Title
Credits
HDFS 264 - Legal Aspects of the Family 3
HDFS 274 - Public Policy and the Family 3
HDFS 276 - Planning and Managing Human Service Programs 3
HDFS 281 - Comparative Family Policy 3
HDFS 285 - Child Welfare, Law, and Social Policy 3

This major also must include at least 18 credits from the following courses. These courses may include courses listed above which were not taken to meet that requirement (HDFS 264, 274, 276, 281, 285). No more than 3 credits from the following group of courses may be used toward completion of these 18 credits: HDFS 221, 224, 228, 288, 292, 299.
Course, Title
Credits
HDFS 218 - Observational Child Study 3
HDFS 220 - Introduction to Programs for Young Children 3
HDFS 221 - Programs for Young Children: Introductory Laboratory 1
HDFS 222 - Integrated Curriculum in Early Childhood Education I 3
HDFS 223 - Integrated Curriculum in Early Childhood Education II 3
HDFS 224 - Child Development Laboratory: Practicum I 3
HDFS 225 - Analysis of Programs for Young Children 3
HDFS 227 - Supervised Practicum in Early Childhood Programs 9
HDFS 228 - Advanced Practicum in Early Childhood Programs 6
HDFS 230 - Current Topics in Early Childhood Education 3
HDFS 231 - Infancy 3
HDFS 234 - Social and Personality Development During Childhood 3
HDFS 240 - The Family-School Partnership 3
HDFS 245 - Parent-Child Relations in Cross-Cultural Perspective 3
HDFS 248 - Aging in American Society 3
HDFS 250 - Gender and Aging 3
HDFS 252 - Death, Dying, and Bereavement 3
HDFS 259 - Men and Masculinity: A Social Psychological Perspective 3
HDFS 260 - Woman: A Developmental Perspective 3
HDFS 264 - Legal Aspects of Family Life 3
HDFS 266 -Introduction to Counseling 3
HDFS 267 - Latino Health and Health Care 3
HDFS 268 - Latinos: Sexuality and Gender 3
HDFS 269 - Family Violence 3
HDFS 270 - Low Income Families 3
HDFS 271 - Black American Family Patterns 3
HDFS 272 - Family and Work 3
HDFS 274 - Public Policy and the Family 3
HDFS 275 - Family Pathology 3
HDFS 276 - Planning and Managing Human Services Programs 3
HDFS 277 - Issues in Human Sexuality 3
HDFS 278 - Family in Society 3
HDFS 279 - History of the Family 3
HDFS 280 - Material Culture in American Family Life 3
HDFS 281 - Comparative Family Policy 3
HDFS 283 - Family Resource Management 3
HDFS 284 - Adolescence: Youth and Society 3
HDFS 285 - Child Welfare, Law, and Social Policy 3
HDFS 287 - Parenthood 3
HDFS 288 - Supervised Field Experience Arr
HDFS 292 - Research Practicum in Human Dev. and Family Studies Arr
HDFS 295 -  Senior Seminar in Research Methods  3
HDFS 298 - Selected Topics in Human Dev. and Family Studies Arr
HDFS 299 - Independent Study for Undergraduates Arr

Individualized Major

Students who are not on scholastic probation and have a total GPA of 2.5 may apply for an individualized major program. The major consists of 36 credits, all numbered 200 or above, from HDFS and at least one other department. No more than 3 credits of internship or fieldwork from any school or college may be used towards the 36 credits. A minimum of 18 credits must be in HDFS. The student must follow the General Education Requirements of HDFS. Students should submit proposals after they have earned at least 30 credits, but prior to beginning their final 30 credits of study. The student must maintain an overall GPA of 2.5 and graduate with both a total and major GPA of 2.5.

For further information and application forms, contact the Director of the  Individualized Major Program, (860) 486-3631.

A minor in Gerontology is administered under the auspices of the Center on Aging and Human Development in the School of Family Studies. Please refer to its description in the Minors section of this Catalog.