Family Studies Major, B.A.; B.A.A.; B.S.
B.A. degree; B.S. degree; B.A.A. degree
Major Map
Some of the most important things we do in life happen at home. Raising children. Relating to a spouse. Coping with financial pressures. Dealing with substance abuse. In CMU's family studies program, you'll build the skills to help families confront these challenges and many others. . The program prepares students for careers working in human service settings to help individuals and families build life skills using prevention and intervention-based educational programs (e.g., child and family services, crises intervention, adoption, and foster care). With appropriate graduate education, potential career options include: marriage and family therapy, counseling, social work, family law, family research and/or college instruction.
Admission Requirements, Retention & Termination Standards
- Student must have a minimum program GPA of 2.5 in order to graduate with this major.
- Student must receive a grade of C+ or better in HDF 219, HDF 319, and HDF 419 in order to graduate with this major.
- Students who take the Family Studies major cannot minor in Family Studies or double major in Child Development.
- Students may only double count 9 credits when combining the Family Studies Major with the Child Development Minor.
Program Requirements
Core Courses (9 hours)
Core HDFS
| HDF 100 | Lifespan Development | 3(3-0) |
| HDF 211 | Marriage and Close Relationships | 3(3-0) |
| HDF 307 | Parent-Child Relations | 3(3-0) |
Required Courses I (9 hours)
Family Studies Content
| HDF 213/WGS 213 | Introduction to Human Sexuality | 3(3-0) |
| HDF 411 | Families in Social, Legal, and Political Contexts | 3(3-0) |
| HDF 418 | Family Development in Late Life | 3(3-0) |
Required Courses II (3 hours)
Family Studies Content
Required Courses III (12 hours)
Professional Skills and Methods
| HDF 207 | Introduction to Research Methods in HDFS | 3(3-0) |
| HDF 219 | Applied HDFS: Introduction to the Field | 3(Spec) |
| HDF 319 | Applied HDFS: Developing Programs for Children and Families | 3(3-0) |
| HDF 419 | Applied HDFS: Internship | 1-12(Spec) |
Electives (6 hours)
Select additional hours from the following list:
| HDF 110 | Oppression: Roots and Impact on Human Development in the United States | 3(3-0) |
| HDF 212 | Families in Cultural Perspective | 3(3-0) |
| HDF 247 | Introduction to Gerontology | 3(3-0) |
| HDF 302 | Infant and Toddler Development | 3(Spec) |
| HDF 306 | Adolescent Development | 3(3-0) |
| HDF 320 | HDFS International Service Learning | 3-6(Spec) |
| HDF 413 | Facilitating Discussion in Human Sexuality Groups | 3(3-0) |
| HDF 414 | Human Development and Family Studies Applied Quantitative Research | 3(3-0) |
| HDF 511 | Seminar in Human Sexuality | 3(3-0) |
| HDF 513 | Readings in the Family | 3(3-0) |
| HDF 517 | Readings in Marital Counseling and Divorce | 3(3-0) |
| HSC 519 | Death Education and Suicide Prevention | 3(3-0) |
| HSC 523 | AIDS Education | 1(1-0) |
| HSC 524 | Workshop on Health Fitness | 2(Spec) |
| HSC 525 | Sexually Transmitted Disease Workshop | 1(Spec) |
| HSC 526 | Behavioral Health | 3(3-0) |
| HSC 527 | Sex Education Workshop | 1(Spec) |
| HSC 528 | Smoking and Health Education Workshop | 1(Spec) |
| HSC 529 | Alcohol Education Workshop | 1(1-0) |
| HSC 530 | Drug Abuse Workshop | 1(Spec) |
| REL 334 | Death and Dying | 3(3-0) |
| SWK 100 | Introduction to Social Work | 3(3-0) |
Total: 39 Semester hours