Human Development and Family Studies, Minor

A minor in Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) requires 18 semester hours of HDFS courses with at least 9 semester hours of upper-level work. The curriculum is flexible enough to plan an 18 hour minor program that will prepare the student to work with children and adolescents or with adults and elder care. This program provides a developmental approach to understanding human growth from prenatal development to old age. Study of the family as a system and as the basic unit of society undergirds the curriculum. Concepts covered include marital adjustment, sexual relationships, prenatal development and birth of children, parenting, child care and development, aging and the life cycle of the family. The Marc Cisneros Center for Young Children provides opportunities for students to gain experience in working with preschool-age children and their parents in a closely supervised stetting. Courses are offered in flexible formats are interactive and engaging.