This degree prepares its graduates to use family-centered and strengths-based approaches to support the health and well-being of individuals and families in diverse communities. Graduates will have a strong interdisciplinary foundation in the HDFS field and competencies in 10 areas as established by the National Council on Family Relations, including:
- internal dynamics of relationships and families
- human growth and development
- family-and community-based program planning, implementation, and evaluation
- social policies and laws affecting families
- family diversity
- research methodology
- professional ethics as related to the HDFS field
The HDFS curriculum prepares students to effectively engage with families across the lifespan and in a variety of service settings and professions, from early childhood education and care to family law and policy advocacy. We offer students 5 concentrations, including:
- child development, education, and services
- adolescent development and services
- adult development and aging
- family health and well-being
- family research, policy, and advocacy
Our program prepares students to critically analyze complex family issues, advocate for families in schools, communities, and in the policy arena, and address social-structural factors contributing to and influencing family functioning, health, and well-being (e.g., poverty and wealth inequality, immigration and illegalization, family homelessness, incarceration, family violence, and discrimination and structural violence such as racism, nationalism, or heterosexism). Students are required to complete a 6-credit internship and integrate research training with service fieldwork. Such an experience is a critical component of HDFS student development and will further prepare our students for graduate education and diverse careers in the human development and family science field.
The HDFS program is a joint academic degree program sponsored by the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS).
Banner Code: E1-BA-HDFS
Degree Requirements
Total credits: minimum 120
Mason Core
Course List | Code | Title | Credits |
| 6 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 7 |
| 3 |
| Total Credits | 40 |
Additional Requirements for the BA
Course List | Code | Title | Credits |
| 3 |
| |
| |
| 1 | 3 |
| 3 |
| 0-12 |
| Total Credits | 9-21 |
Major Requirements
Course List | Code | Title | Credits |
| ECED 401 | Developmental Pathways of Diverse Learners, Birth-Adolescence | 3 |
| or PSYC 313 | Child Development |
| ECED 404 | Engaging Families of Diverse Learners, Birth – Grade 6 | 3 |
| or INTS 321 | Parent-Child Relations (Mason Core) |
| HDFS 200 | Individual and Family Development (Mason Core) | 3 |
| HDFS 250 | Family Financial Literacy and Resource Management | 3 |
| HDFS 300 | Individual and Family Services Delivery | 3 |
| HDFS 400 | Advanced Family Processes (Mason Core) | 3 |
| HDFS 401 | Family Law and Public Policy 1 | 3 |
| HDFS 498 | Internship and Analysis in Human Development and Family Science | 3 |
| HDFS 499 | Advanced Internship and Analysis in Human Development and Family Science | 3 |
| SOCI 303 | Methods and Logic of Inquiry | 3 |
| or PSYC 301 | Research Methods in Psychology |
| 3 |
| Psychological Factors in Aging | |
| Healthy Aging | |
| Sociology of Aging | |
| Total Credits | 33 |
Concentration in Adolescent Development and Services (ADS)
Course List | Code | Title | Credits |
| 1 | 15 |
| Family and Health Communication | |
| Delinquency | |
| Law and Justice around the World (Mason Core) | |
| Facilitating Literacy in School or Community Settings | |
| The Hospitalized Child and Family | |
| Images and Experiences of Childhood: Social Construct, Literature, and Film | |
| Conflict, Trauma and Healing (Mason Core) | |
| Introduction to Childhood Studies (Mason Core) | |
| Issues in Family Relationships (Mason Core) | |
| Contemporary Youth Studies (Mason Core) | |
| Social Justice Education (Mason Core) | |
| Developmental Psychology (Mason Core) | |
| Principles of Learning | |
| Adolescent Development | |
| Applied Cross-Cultural Psychology (Mason Core) | |
| Psychology of Intimate Relationships | |
| Sociology of Delinquency | |
| Race and Ethnicity in a Changing World | |
| Marriage, Families, and Intimate Life | |
| Sociology of Deviance | |
| Youth Culture and Society | |
| Child and Family Welfare | |
| Total Credits | 15 |
Concentration in Adult Development and Aging (ADA)
Course List | Code | Title | Credits |
| 1 | 15 |
| Family and Health Communication | |
| Special Topics in Communication | |
| Disability in American Culture (Mason Core) | |
| Health Maintenance and Health Aspects of Aging | |
| Health Care Delivery in the United States | |
| Assisted Living/Senior Housing Management and Philosophy | |
| Introduction to Health Services Research | |
| Dimensions of Mental Health | |
| Drugs and Health | |
| Women's Health | |
| Men's Health | |
| Relationship Health | |
| Health Communication | |
| Healthy Aging | |
| Violence and Gender | |
| Conflict, Trauma and Healing (Mason Core) | |
| Issues in Family Relationships (Mason Core) | |
| Women and Leadership | |
| Contemporary Health Issues | |
| Death, Dying, and Decision Making | |
| Psychology of Gender | |
| Applied Cross-Cultural Psychology (Mason Core) | |
| Psychological Factors in Aging | |
| Death, Dying, and Grieving | |
| Psychology of Intimate Relationships | |
| Race and Ethnicity in a Changing World | |
| Marriage, Families, and Intimate Life | |
| Contemporary Gender Relations | |
| Sociology of Aging | |
| Sociology of Health, Illness, and Disability | |
| Introduction to Gerontology | |
| Current Issues in Women and Gender Studies | |
| Women and Work | |
| Total Credits | 15 |
Concentration in Child Development, Education, and Services (CDES)
Course List | Code | Title | Credits |
| 1 | 15 |
| Family and Health Communication | |
| Foundations of Language and Literacy for Diverse Prekindergarten and Kindergarten Learners | |
| Inclusive Curriculum for Young Learners: Planning Instruction and Guidance | |
| Introduction to Early Childhood Special Education | |
| Medical and Developmental Aspects of Disabilities of Diverse Young Learners | |
| Developing Language, Literacy, and Communication of Diverse Infants and Toddlers | |
| Early Intervention for Infants Toddlers with Disabilities: Collaborative Consultative Approaches | |
| Facilitating Literacy in School or Community Settings | |
| The Hospitalized Child and Family | |
| Images and Experiences of Childhood: Social Construct, Literature, and Film | |
| Conflict, Trauma and Healing (Mason Core) | |
| Introduction to Childhood Studies (Mason Core) | |
| Issues in Family Relationships (Mason Core) | |
| Contemporary Youth Studies (Mason Core) | |
| Social Psychology (Mason Core) | |
| Principles of Learning | |
| Cognitive Psychology | |
| Applied Cross-Cultural Psychology (Mason Core) | |
| Behavior Disorders of Childhood | |
| Sociology of Delinquency | |
| Marriage, Families, and Intimate Life | |
| Youth Culture and Society | |
| Child and Family Welfare | |
| Total Credits | 15 |
Concentration in Family Health and Well-Being (FHW)
Course List | Code | Title | Credits |
| 1 | 15 |
| Family and Health Communication | |
| Disability in American Culture (Mason Core) | |
| Introduction to Public Health | |
| Health Behavior Theories | |
| Health and Disease | |
| Health Promotion and Education | |
| Social Determinants of Health | |
| Health Care Delivery in the United States | |
| Introduction to Health Services Research | |
| Personal Health | |
| Dimensions of Mental Health | |
| Introduction to Health Behavior (Mason Core) | |
| Drugs and Health | |
| Health Aspects of Human Sexuality | |
| Women's Health | |
| Men's Health | |
| Relationship Health | |
| Health Communication | |
| Conflict, Trauma and Healing (Mason Core) | |
| Issues in Family Relationships (Mason Core) | |
| Contemporary Health Issues | |
| Death, Dying, and Decision Making | |
| Nutrition throughout the Life Cycle | |
| Applied Cross-Cultural Psychology (Mason Core) | |
| Death, Dying, and Grieving | |
| Psychology of Intimate Relationships | |
| Race and Ethnicity in a Changing World | |
| Marriage, Families, and Intimate Life | |
| Social Inequality (Mason Core) | |
| Sociology of Health, Illness, and Disability | |
| Current Issues in Women and Gender Studies | |
| Total Credits | 15 |
Concentration in Family Research, Policy, and Advocacy (FRPA)
Course List | Code | Title | Credits |
| 1 | 15 |
| Introduction to Law and Society | |
| Law and Justice around the World (Mason Core) | |
| Health Ethics, Leadership, and Advocacy | |
| Public Law and the Judicial Process | |
| Interest Groups, Lobbying, and the Political Process | |
| Social Entrepreneurship | |
| Public Policy Making | |
| Public Policy Analysis | |
| Law and Society | |
| Politics of Race and Gender | |
| Feminist Political Thought | |
| Human Rights | |
| Health Care Delivery in the United States | |
| Healthcare Law | |
| Introduction to Health Care Politics and Policy | |
| Introduction to Health Services Research | |
| Issues in Family Relationships (Mason Core) | |
| Social Justice Consciousness and Personal Transformation | |
| Social Justice and Human Rights (Mason Core) | |
| Women and Leadership | |
| Psychology of Gender | |
| Applied Cross-Cultural Psychology (Mason Core) | |
| Psychology of Intimate Relationships | |
| Race and Ethnicity in a Changing World | |
| Marriage, Families, and Intimate Life | |
| Qualitative Research Methods | |
| Contemporary Gender Relations | |
| Social Inequality (Mason Core) | |
| Changing Social Policies and Systems | |
| Legal and Ethical Issues in Human Services | |
| Introductory Statistics I (Mason Core) | |
| Introductory Statistics II | |
| Total Credits | 15 |
Electives
Course List | Code | Title | Credits |
| 14-23 |
| Total Credits | 14-23 |
