The Child Development and Family Studies (CDFS) major focuses on both human development across the lifecycle and family relations, including diverse family related issues such as resource management and housing. Graduates are prepared to work with children, adults, and families in a variety of human services, educational, and leadership settings. Students may also choose this major as preparation for further graduate study in marriage and family therapy, human services professions, or university teaching. Courses in this area are also popular electives frequently utilized to enhance other majors or interpersonal relationships. Students may consult with an advisor to develop a plan of study that works best for each individual.

Since Child Development and Family Studies is a diverse field, it is possible to focus the elements of your program toward a specific goal. Students may take the general CDFS area of concentration or they may focus in several different directions: child related focus, parenting related focus, and resource management/consumer focus. To achieve a specific focus within our program, please work with an advisor.