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.
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).
Degree Requirements
Total credits: 120
Mason Core
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Written Communication | 6 | |
| Oral Communication | 3 | |
| Information Technology and Ethics | 3 | |
| Quantitative Reasoning | 3 | |
| Literature | 3 | |
| Arts | 3 | |
| Western Civilization/World History | 3 | |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences | 3 | |
| Global Understanding | 3 | |
| Natural Science | 7 | |
| Synthesis | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 40 | |
Additional Requirements for the BA
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| One PHIL or one RELI course: | 3 | |
| Social and behavioral sciences course 1 | 3 | |
| Non-Western culture | 3 | |
| Proficiency in a foreign language through the intermediate level (coursework or testing to determine proficiency) | 0-12 | |
| Total Credits | 9-21 | |
| 1 | This requirement is additional to the Mason Core social and behavioral sciences requirement. |
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| INTS 321 | Parent-Child Relations (Mason Core) | 3 |
| PSYC 211 | Developmental Psychology (Mason Core) | 3 |
| Select one from the following: | 3 | |
| Methods and Logic of Inquiry | ||
| Research Methods in Psychology | ||
| Research for Social Change | ||
| Total Credits | 30 | |
| 1 | Fulfills writing intensive requirement. |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Major Elective Choices | 12 | |
| Elective choices follow career and professional interests. Elective courses are suggested by advisors and mentors and approved by the Academic Program Coordinator. See below for areas of focus. | ||
Families and Individuals Across the Life Span | ||
| Human Anatomy and Physiology | ||
| Family and Health Communication | ||
| Delinquency and the Juvenile Justice System | ||
| Law and Justice around the World (Mason Core) | ||
| 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 | ||
| Disability in American Culture (Mason Core) | ||
| Facilitating Literacy in School or Community Settings | ||
| Children's Literature for Teaching in Diverse Settings (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 | ||
| The Hospitalized Child and Family | ||
| Dimensions of Mental Health | ||
| Drugs and Health | ||
| Women's Health | ||
| Men's Health | ||
| Relationship Health | ||
| Health Communication | ||
| Healthy Aging | ||
| Violence and Gender | ||
| Images and Experiences of Childhood: Social Construct, Literature, and Film | ||
| Conflict, Trauma and Healing | ||
| Introduction to Childhood Studies (Mason Core) | ||
| Issues in Family Relationships (Mason Core) | ||
| Contemporary Youth Studies (Mason Core) | ||
| Women and Leadership | ||
| Contemporary Health Issues | ||
| Social Justice Education (Mason Core) | ||
| Death, Dying, and Decision Making | ||
| Introduction to Nutrition (Mason Core) | ||
| Social Psychology (Mason Core) | ||
| Principles of Learning | ||
| Child Development | ||
| Adolescent Development | ||
| Cognitive Psychology | ||
| Psychology of Gender | ||
| Applied Cross-Cultural Psychology (Mason Core) | ||
| Behavior Disorders of Childhood | ||
| Psychological Factors in Aging | ||
| Death, Dying, and Grieving | ||
| Psychology of Intimate Relationships | ||
| Sociology of Delinquency | ||
| Race and Ethnicity in a Changing World (Mason Core) | ||
| Marriage, Families, and Intimate Life | ||
| Sociology of Deviance | ||
| Contemporary Gender Relations (Mason Core) | ||
| Youth Culture and Society (Mason Core) | ||
| Sociology of Health, Illness, and Disability | ||
| Child and Family Welfare | ||
| Introduction to Gerontology | ||
| Current Issues in Women and Gender Studies | ||
| Women and Work | ||
Family Advocacy | ||
| 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 | ||
| Human Sexuality | ||
| Women's Health | ||
| Men's Health | ||
| Relationship Health | ||
| Health Communication | ||
| Conflict, Trauma and Healing | ||
| 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 (Mason Core) | ||
| Marriage, Families, and Intimate Life | ||
| Social Inequality (Mason Core) | ||
| Sociology of Health, Illness, and Disability | ||
| Current Issues in Women and Gender Studies | ||
Research and Policy | ||
| 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 Action | ||
| 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 (Mason Core) | ||
| Marriage, Families, and Intimate Life | ||
| Qualitative Research Methods | ||
| Contemporary Gender Relations (Mason Core) | ||
| Social Inequality (Mason Core) | ||
| Changing Social Policies and Systems | ||
| Legal and Ethical Issues in Human Services | ||
| Introductory Statistics I (Mason Core) | ||
| Introductory Statistics II | ||
Electives
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Students choose additional elective courses. | 17-29 | |
| Total Credits | 17-29 | |