University of Georgia
About the Program
The Department offers diverse programs that cover all aspects of families throughout the life cycle: infancy, childhood, adolescence, emerging adulthood, midlife, and aging. The goal of the department is to provide an educational experience that promotes the integration of knowledge and professional practice from the fields of human development and family science. Primary objectives are to prepare researchers and scholars to generate knowledge about individual and family development and behavior over the life span, as well as educate professionals who will provide educational, counseling, and advocacy services needed for children and families to function more effectively. These objectives are consistent with the goals of The University of Georgia, particularly with regard to its land-grant mission of fostering research and its application to enhance the quality of life for all citizens. The department includes a marriage and family therapy clinic, a child development lab, and an extensive outreach program.
Program Overview
| Area | Percentage | |
|---|---|---|
| Family Studies | 50% | |
| Human Development | 30% | |
| Marriage and Family Therapy | 10% | |
| Child Life | 10% |
Address & Contact Information
Undergraduate Program
- Development Within the Family
- Introduction to Life Span Development
- Introduction to Child Development with Lab
- Directed Study in Human Development and Family Sciences
- Professional Development/Community Activities
- Adolescence & Young Adulthood Survey
- Midlife/Elder Years Survey
- Prenatal & Infant Development
- Issues in Family Systems
- Development of Interpersonal Relationships
- Advanced Human Development
- Advanced Infant Development
- Family Policy
- Diversity in Human Development & Family Systems
- Aging & the Family
- The Family
- The Family & Adolescence
- Hospitalized Child & the Family
- Child Life interventions fr Children & Families in Health Care settings
- Family Development
- Parenting Education & Child Guidance
- Aging & Social Inequalities
- Human Sexuality Across the Life Span
- Seminar in Human Development & Family Science
- Directed Reading and/or Projects (Honors)
- Honors Thesis
- Family Life Education Methodology
- Family Intervention
- Research Methods in Human Development & Family Science
- Creative Activities for Young Children
- Study Tour in Human Development & Family Science
- Preinternship Orientation
- Applied Internship
- Research Internship
The CFD undergrad program serves 450 majors and 200 minors. Average class size is 60. Inquiries regarding the Undergraduate Program should be directed to the CFD undergraduate program coordinator, Dr. Jennifer Gonyea (jlgonyea@uga.edu), or to the Undergraduate Program Assistant, Ms. Marilyn Rodriguez (mrod67@uga.edu). A current program description appears at: http://fcs.uga.edu/cfd/undergraduate
Graduate Program
- In addition to a number of graduate courses on theory, methods, human development at various stages of development, and many courses pertaining to family studies (see list below), our department also regularly offers Special Topics Seminars related to the areas of expertise of our faculty. Recent and upcoming seminar topics include: Grant Writing, Prevention Science, Premarital and Marital Relationships, Social Epidemiology & Health Disparities, Gerontology, and Aging among Immigrant Populations.
Courses:
- Theories and Issues in Human Development
- Adolescence and the Family
- Aging and the Family
- Advanced Human Development Across the Lifespan
- Adult Development and Aging
- Family Theory
- Contemporary Research on Issues in Family Relationships
- Women in the Family and Society
- Human Sexuality Across the Lifespan
- Family Policy
- Diversity in Families
- Philosophy of Science
- Research Methods
- Quantitative Methods
- Qualitative Methods
- Evaluation Methods in Human Development & Family Science
- Advanced Statistics (multiple courses)
- Observation and Assessment Techniques
- Working with Families in Early Intervention
- Creative Activities for Young Children
- Hospitalized Children and the Family
- Marriage & Family Assessment
- Couple and Family Intervention Methods
- Practicum in Marriage and family Therapy
- Supervision of Marriage & Family Therapy
- Internship in Marriage and Family Therapy
It is also possible for our graduate students to pursue interdisciplinary certifications in other areas of interest such as Human Development and Disability, Women's Studies, African American Studies, Gerontology, Qualitative Research,Teaching, and Non-Profit Management.
To find out more about our Graduate Program admission requirements, please visit our website: www.fcs.uga.edu/hdfs/graduate
Master's Level
Doctoral Level
The Ph.D. program in Human Development and Family Science is designed to enable each student to gain and to demonstrate competence in acquiring, integrating, applying and generating: 1) substantive and theoretical knowledge of individuals and families over the life course; 2) knowledge of and skills for conducting research on individual and family development and behavior; and 3) skills for engaging with individuals, families, and other professionals in processes that prevent or solve problems and promote competence and well-being. To accomplish these goals, both formal course work and practicum experience in research, teaching, and service are required. To learn more our about our Ph.D. program, please visit our website: http://fcs.uga.edu/hdfs/graduate/phdhdfs.html
The Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Science with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy trains students to be couple and family therapists and scholars. To develop all facets of professional role, the program is guided by the scientist-practitioner model and biopsychosocial model. Students are provided opportunities to: 1) build clinical skills in family therapy practice, 2) gain research skills that focus on individuals, couples, and families, and 3) develop quality teaching skills. To learn more about The Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Science with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy, please visit our website: www.fcs.uga.edu/hdfs/mft or email Dr. Jerry Gale, the Director of Marriage and Family Therapy (jgale@uga.edu)
Graduates of our Doctoral program are conducting research, teaching and administering child and family programs at leading universities and agencies nationwide.
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.
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The goal of the Department of Human Development and Family Science's graduate program is to promote the integration of knowledge and professional practice in child development and family studies. To accomplish this goal, Master's students achieve three objectives:
To learn more about the M.S. in Human Development and Family Science, please visit our website: http://fcs.uga.edu/hdfs/graduate/mscfd.html
The M.S. in Child and Family Development with an emphasis in Child Life is offered for students wishing work with children and families in healthcare settings. This program allows a dual focus on the study of issues and development in children and families, along with theory, practice, and research in Child Life. Students in this specialization will complete the required Human Development and Family Science and Child Life coursework listed in their program of study. Upon fulfillment of the program requirements, students will graduate with a Master of Science degree in Human Development and Family Science with a Specialization in Child Life. To learn more, please visit our website: http://fcs.uga.edu/hdfs/graduate/mscl.html or Contact Dr. Charlotte Wallinga, the Director of Child Life (cwallinga@fcs.uga.edu)
Graduates of our Master's program are prepared to either begin doctoral work or to transition to professional employment, depending on their goals.