Iowa State University
About the Program
For decades Iowa State University's Department of Human Development and Family Studies has been investigating and teaching aspiring professionals how to help address the daily challenges of individuals and families. It combines a rich history of dedication to lifespan development and family issues with the pursuit of innovative strategies for the future. Its very existence centers on caring, thinking and planning for and about individuals and families. The department has a mission to enhance the well-being of individuals and families utilizing state-of-the-art clinics and laboratory school programs. Prospects for employment are outstanding. As one of the top programs in the nation, nearly all graduates are employed within six months of graduation.
Program Overview
| Area | Percentage | |
|---|---|---|
| Child/Human Development | 30% | |
| Family Studies | 20% | |
| Early Childhood Education | 20% | |
| Family Finance/Family Policy | 10% | |
| Gerontology | 10% | |
| Family Consumer Science Studies/Education | 10% |
Address & Contact Information
Undergraduate Program
- Individual and Family Life Development
- Freshman Learning Community Orientation
- Orientation
- Personal Finance in Early Adulthood
- Early Childhood Education Orientation
- Professional Orientation and Service Learning
- Development in Young Children: Birth through Age 8
- Development and Guidance in Middle Childhood
- Adolescent Development
- Young Adulthood and Midlife Development
- Housing and Consumer Issues
- Literature for Children
- Parenting and Family Diversity Issues
- Research in Human Development and Family Studies
- Family Relationships
- Human Sexuality
- Personal and Family Finance
- Field Experiences
- Assessment and Curricula: Ages Birth through 2 Years
- Housing Finance and Policy
- Guidance and Group Management in Early Childhood
- Assessment and Programming: Ages 3 through 6 years
- Programming for Children in Early Care and Education
- Adapting Programming in Inclusive Settings
- Parenting and Family Diversity Issues
- Housing and Services for Families and Children
- Abuse and Illness in Families
- Death as a Part of Living
- Aging and the Family
- Economics of Aging
- Children, Families, and Public Policy
- Human Development and Family Studies Seminar
- Supervised Student Teaching
- Linking Families and Communities
- Curricula for Ages 3 through 6 Years
- Family Centered Supports for Young Children and their Families
- Environments for the Aging
- Family Interaction Dynamics
- Advanced Personal and Family Finance
- Administration of Human Service Programs
- Families in the Economy
- Financial Counseling
- Financial Counseling Laboratory
- Independent Study
- Internships
- Professional Roles in Family and Consumer Sciences
- Pre-Student Teaching Experience
- Educational Principles for Family and Consumer Sciences
- Curriculum Planning and Assessment for Family and Consumer Sciences and Family Life Education
- Supervised Teaching in Vocational Family and Consumer Sciences
- Independent Study
- Supervised Experiences in a Professional Setting
The program focuses on the interactions among individuals, families, their resources, and their environments throughout the life span. The department offers work for the Bachelors of Science degree in four curricula: Child, Adult and Family Services; Early Childhood Education, Family and Consumer Sciences Education and Studies; Family Finance, Housing, and Policy.
Human Development and Family Studies undergraduate curriculum emphasizes the following outcomes:
1. Communication. Communicate with clear purpose, workable organization and effective style in written, oral, visual and electronic formats to foster collaboration, provide information and advance knowledge related to child, adult, and family services.
2. Self-assessment/self-reflection. Consistently and realistically analyze and evaluate one's own knowledge, abilities and actions in comparison to professional standards and create action plans to enhance personal and professional efficacy related to working with children, adults, and families.
3. Critical thinking and content knowledge. Understands content related to working with children, adults and families within chosen program. Uses critical thinking skills to evaluate and utilize evidence-based practices. Uses logical and ethical reasoning to make decisions and solve problems.
4. Diversity and social justice. Understand the diverse needs of children, adults, and families. Ensure equitable access of children, adults and families to appropriate environments that support healthy living. Engage children, adults, and families with socially responsible and respectful behavior.
Career options include work serving children, youth, families and the elderly. Graduates may teach in public school early childhood programs as well as, middle and secondary Family and Consumer Science classrooms, serve as financial counselors, become public policy analysts, youth specialists, gerontologists, writers for Food, Family and Parenting publications, adult educators, or housing industry leaders.
Graduate Program
- Graduate Study Orientation.
- Quantitative Research Methods.
- Application of Quantitative Research Methodology.
- Theories of Human Development.
- Family Theory.
- Perspectives in Gerontology.
- Adult Development.
- Developmental Disabilities.
- Housing and Real Estate in Family Financial Planning.
- Economics, Public Policy, and Aging.
- Current Issues and Research in Early Childhood Services.
- Environments for the Aging.
- Family Policy.
- Family Stress, Abuse, and Illness.
- Developmental Assessment.
- Cross-cultural Perspectives about Families and Children.
- Aging in the Family Setting.
- Family Well-being across the Lifespan
- Investing for the Family's Future.
- Program Evaluation and Research Methods in Gerontology.
- Program Evaluation.
- Family Economics .
- Financial Counseling.
- Financial Counseling Laboratory.
- Professional Seminar in Gerontology.
- Advanced Quantitative Methods.
- Advanced Qualitative Methods.
- Multi-level Modeling
- Advanced Structural Equation and Longitudinal Modeling
- Mixed-Methods and Observational Assessments.
- Grant Writing for Research.
- Seminar.
- Child Development.
- Support and Interventions in Early Childhood.
- Infant Mental Health.
Master's Level
Doctoral Level
The Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies is a research intensive degree. The Department of HDFS offers educational programs covering a range of human sciences and services related to children, youth, adults, and families. Graduate study in HDFS at Iowa State University is multidisciplinary and focuses on research, intervention, and outreach in several content areas such as: adolescent/youth development; adult development and aging; family studies; family policy; family economic well-being and financial planning; health and well-being; infant and child development; and lifespan development. The HDFS graduate curriculum offered provides current research based coursework to prepare professionals for exciting opportunities in human development and family studies. Students may be admitted to our doctoral program with either a bachelor's (MS/PhD Track, 5 years) or a master's degree (PhD Track only, 3 years). Students admitted without a prior master's degree complete requirements for a thesis-based master's degree at Iowa State University as part of their doctoral program of study. Depending on the emphasis selected, graduates are prepared for college and university teaching, research, or human service/family policy work in public or private agencies. HDFS Alumni have been successful nationally and internationally in obtaining teaching, research, and service positions in research institutes, human service agencies, colleges and universities, including the cooperative extension service.
CFLE Information
NCFR recognizes schools offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs with course work that follows the Standards and Criteria required for approval as a Provisional Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE). NCFR approval allows the school to offer their graduates the opportunity to apply for Provisional Certification using the Abbreviated Application process. The CFLE Checklist represents the courses that meet the CFLE criteria at that school. Students must complete all the courses on a checklist in order to qualify to apply for the CFLE designation through the Abbreviated Application process.
NCFR recognizes schools offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs with course work that follows the Standards and Criteria required for approval as a Provisional Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE). NCFR approval allows the school to offer their graduates the opportunity to apply for Provisional Certification using the Abbreviated Application process. The CFLE Checklist represents the courses that meet the CFLE criteria at that school. Students must complete all the courses on a checklist in order to qualify to apply for the CFLE designation through the Abbreviated Application process.
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The Department of Human Development and Family Studies at Iowa State University offers a thesis and non-thesis option. The Department of HDFS offers educational programs covering a range of human sciences and services related to children, youth, adults, and families. Graduate study in HDFS at Iowa State University is multidisciplinary and focuses on research, intervention, and outreach in several content areas such as: adolescent/youth development; adult development and aging; family studies; family policy; family economic well-being and financial planning; health and well-being; infant and child development; and lifespan development. The master's degree, depending on the research/content emphasis selected, prepares graduates for careers in fields such as extension, college teaching and research, child care and family service administration, parent education, early childhood education, early childhood special education, hospitals, state government (departments of human services, health, and education), and private and public agencies.