Human Development and Family Science is a professional area of study that focuses on the family as a system of interacting persons. This major prepares students to work in a variety of settings including, but not limited to: childcare, family life education, Human Services Agencies, and therapy.

The underlying assumption of the profession is that the family is the most basic unit in society. The more effective the family unit is in meeting the needs and goals of its members, the more society benefits by receiving contented, well-adapted and productive citizens. The goal of professionals in HDFS is to help families grow and develop in positive ways.