Human and Family Development is an interdisciplinary minor concerned with the study of life-span human development and family relations, and the impact of biological, environmental and socio-cultural factors on both. The minor is designed to supplement the knowledge base of students by providing a human and family development specialty orientation to their fields of major interest. Students with career goals that include communications, psychology, education, social work, sociology, anthropology, pre-medical sciences, nursing, and physical therapy will benefit from the specialty orientation in human and family development. Students with other career goals also will find the program rewarding; a business major interested in family service administration or consumer economics; a radio-television major interested in children's programming; a forestry major interested in recreational management appropriate for a particular population.
Human and family development encompasses a broad range of topics, all of which share the view that human growth is a valid subject of scientific study. Knowledge of the processes and contents of psychological, social and biological growth of the individual separately and within the family context will benefit the quality of life of both the student/investigator and the public. The purpose of this program is to equip students with a general knowledge of isues relevant to normal and atypical patterns of human and family development and to provide them with some practical skills and insights which will enhance their abilities in a variety of professions which deal with developmental and family issues. The minor has geneal, early intervention, and gerontology tracks.
The interdisciplinary curriculum reflects four specific goals: (1) to provide students with an extensive knowledge base of theory and research concerning lifespan development and the role of the family in development; (2) to train students to be critical consumers of research and evaluation results in the human and family development areas; (3) to provide students with practical experience in at least one applied service discipline in the human development areas; and (4) to provide students with the opportunity to take topical courses in normal and atypical development of the individual and family.
All students seeking a minor must formally enroll in the minor and select a faculty advisor from the Human and Family Development Committee.
To earn a minor the student must complete 23 credits, with 11 at the 300 level or above. All students are required to take an 11-credit core curriculum and, with the help of a faculty advisor, to develop a written statement of goals and interests along with a planned curriculum that includes 12 additional credits of electives consistent with the stated goals and interests. At least 6 credits of electives must be outside of the student's major.
Core Curriculum:
The following list of electives is categorized to assist the student wishing to focus on one of these areas. Students may plan curricula which do not correspond to these categories, but should choose among courses from this list. Occasionally "special topics" courses are offered. Students may use these as electives with the consent of their advisors.
Normal Development
Early Intervention
Exceptional Development
Family Development
Gerontology
Human and Family Development Committee
U = for undergraduate credit only, UG = for undergraduate or graduate credit, G = for graduate credit. R after the credit indicates the course may be repeated for credit to the maximum indicated after the R.
UG 401 Research Methods in Human Development 2 cr. Prereq., Psyc 240S or consent of instr. Fundamental techniques of research design, data collection, and analysis in human development. Emphasis on evaluation of published research. Consideration of ethics in research and evaluation.
UG 411 Infant and Toddler Development and Variability 3 cr. Foundation of knowledge and practical experiences in infant and toddler development and its variability. Development of the child within the family and social context.
UG 412 Family Development 3 cr. Foundation of knowledge and practical experiences in family development from an ecological, family systems perspective. Focus on families who have children with disabilities.
UG 413 Assessment and Program Planning 4 cr. Prereq., consent of instr. Foundation of knowledge and practical experiences in child assessments and family information gathering. Primary focus on birth through two years of age.
UG 414 Community Service Delivery I 2 cr. Foundation of knowledge and practical experiences in early intervention service models and their theoretical orientation, roles of other agencies and professional disciplines, teaming models and techniques, support coordination models and techniques, community collaboration, and current early intervention trends and models.
UG 415 Program Implementation and Evaluation 4 cr. Prereq., consent of instr. Foundation of knowledge and practical experiences in program planning, implementation and evaluation. Focus on birth through two years of age.
UG 416 Community Service Delivery II 2 cr. Prereq., consent of instr. Foundation of knowledge and practical experience in professional ethics and standards, early intervention research techniques and designs, efficacy research, characteristics of quality environments, funding, advocacy, professional resources, proposal writing, and supervision of paraprofessionals and volunteers.
UG 490 Practicum in Human Development Variable cr. (R-4) Prereq., 12 credits in HFD. Supervised fieldwork in settings relevant to developmental topics, including school classrooms; child/family welfare agencies; various institutions and programs for children, juveniles, or the aged.
UG 494 Seminar in Human Development 1 cr. (R-3) Discussion of selected problems in human development. Emphasis on integrating theory and practice.
UG 495 Special Topics Variable cr. (R-9) Experimental offerings of visiting professors, new courses, or one-time offerings of current topics.