Human Development and Family Science - B.S.

Full Description

The Bachelor of Science degree in Human Development and Family Science offers an interdisciplinary approach to individual and family development. Students receive the knowledge and skills needed to help individuals and families across the lifespan to flourish in a global society. The degree prepares students for a wide range of careers in diverse settings, including family and community-based social services, prevention, nonprofit administration and family and community intervention. Core coursework focuses on development across the lifespan and understanding family relationships, the environments in which individuals live and learn and the unique strengths and needs of diverse individuals and families.

The Human Development and Family Science major comprises the following concentrations:

• The Case Management for Individuals and Families concentration provides training in needs assessment and the utilization of available public and private resources. Case managers provide assistance to individuals and families by coordinating services and access to resources. Students in this concentration learn the skills necessary to understand clients' needs and goals, and develop a plan to achieve these goals with the resources and services available to them. Graduates are eligible for securing positions in a wide array of social service agencies.
• The Child and Youth Development concentration prepares students for working with children and adolescents in non-school settings such as residential treatment, group care, community youth services, foster care and after-school programs. Graduates are able to design and deliver developmentally appropriate programs, preparing children and youth for productive adulthood by emphasizing skills and competency development.
• The Family Life Education concentration prepares graduates to develop and implement educational programming for parents, couples and families in a variety of education and human service settings. Family life educators teach individuals and families effective communication skills, positive self-esteem, parenting skills and healthy interpersonal skills. Graduates are eligible to apply to be certified family life educators (CFLE), a credential granted by the National Council on Family Relations. 
• The Gerontology concentration prepares graduates for professional positions in the diverse field of aging, including health and wellness, community-based social services, retirement communities, adult-care centers and nursing homes. The curriculum provides students with a solid understanding of typical age-related changes and how these changes affect a person physiologically, psychologically and socially. According to the U.S. Census, 20 percent of the total population will be 65 or older by 2030. Because of the increasing number of older persons and the fact that people are generally living longer, there is a growing need for people to work in the field of aging.
• The Human Services concentration is a completer program for students who hold an associate degree in human services. This concentration prepares graduates for entry-level positions in a variety of human service agencies, including child and family welfare agencies, mental health centers, developmental disability facilities and substance abuse treatment centers.

Students may apply early to the following master's degree programs and double count graduate courses toward both degrees. See the Combined Bachelor's/Master's Degree Program Policy in the University Catalog for more information.

• Combined degree with M.A. degree in Human Development and Family Science — double count 9 credit hours of graduate courses
• Combined degree with M.Ed. degree in Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling — double count 9 credit hours of graduate courses

Professional Licensure Disclosure

This program is designed to prepare students to sit for applicable licensure or certification in Ohio. If you plan to pursue licensure or certification in a state other than Ohio, please review state educational requirements for licensure or certification and contact information for state licensing boards at Kent State's website for professional licensure disclosure.

Admission Requirements

The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students who graduated from high school three or more years ago.

First-Year Students on the Kent Campus: First-year admission policy on the Kent Campus is selective. Admission decisions are based upon cumulative grade point average, strength of high school college preparatory curriculum and grade trends. Students not admissible to the Kent Campus may be administratively referred to one of the seven regional campuses to begin their college coursework. For more information, visit the admissions website for first-year students.

First-Year Students on the Regional Campuses: First-year admission to Kent State’s campuses at Ashtabula, East Liverpool, Geauga, Salem, Stark, Trumbull and Tuscarawas, as well as the Twinsburg Academic Center, is open to anyone with a high school diploma or its equivalent. For more information on admissions, contact the Regional Campuses admissions offices.

International Students: All international students must provide proof of English language proficiency unless they meet specific exceptions. For more information, visit the admissions website for international students.

Transfer Students: Students who have attended any other educational institution after graduating from high school must apply as undergraduate transfer students. For more information, visit the admissions website for transfer students.

Former Students: Former Kent State students or graduates who have not attended another college or university since Kent State may complete the reenrollment or reinstatement form on the University Registrar’s website.

Admission policies for undergraduate students may be found in the University Catalog.

Some programs may require that students meet certain requirements before progressing through the program. For programs with progression requirements, the information is shown on the Coursework tab.

Current Kent State and Transfer Students: Active Kent State students who wish to change their major must have attempted a minimum 12 credit hours at Kent State and earned a minimum 2.000 overall Kent State GPA to be admitted. Students who have not attempted 12 credit hours at Kent State will be evaluated for admission based on their high school GPA for new students or transfer GPA for transfer students. Transfer students who have not attempted 12 credit hours of college-level coursework at Kent State and/or other institutions will be evaluated based on both their high school GPA and college GPA.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

1. Identify (a) physical, cognitive, emotional and social dimensions of human development and family relationships; and (b) reciprocal influences of family, school, work and community contexts on human development.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of program development, delivery and evaluation and identify practical implications of human development and family relationship concepts.
3. Access scholarly sources and critically evaluate empirical research; demonstrate an understanding of theories, methods and principles of research; and effectively communicate ideas.
4. Recognize the unique strengths and needs of individuals and families and apply knowledge through involvement with and study of diverse populations.

Program Requirements

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A minimum C grade must be earned to fulfill the writing-intensive requirement.

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Professional Phase coursework

Case Management for Individuals and Families Concentration Requirements

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Professional Phase coursework

Child and Youth Development Concentration Requirements

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Professional Phase coursework

Family Life Education Concentration Requirements

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Professional Phase coursework

Gerontology Concentration Requirements

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Students who have successfully completed any prerequisite course requirements for BSCI 40020 may use that coursework in place of ATTR 25057 (or EXSC 25057) or ATTR 25058 (or EXSC 25058); however, additional coursework may be required to fulfill Kent Core requirements.

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Maximum of 6 credit hours of GERO 44092 may be applied towards the HDFS program requirements.

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Professional Phase coursework

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Students who have successfully completed BSCI 11010 may use that course in place of ATTR 25057 or EXSC 25057.

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Students who have successfully completed BSCI 11020 may use that course in place of  ATTR 25058 or EXSC 25058.

Human Services Concentration Requirements

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Professional Phase coursework

Progression Requirements

To be able to register for Human Development and Family Science (HDFS) upper-division (30000 or 40000 level) courses, students must be admitted to the professional phase of the program. Admittance is a selective process. Criteria for acceptance are the following:

• Minimum 2.500 overall GPA earned in the following courses: ENG 11011, ENG 21011, HDF 14027, HDF 24011, HDF 24012, PSYC 11762, SOC 12050
• Minimum 3.000 overall GPA earned in the following courses: HDF 14027, HDF 24011, HDF 24012
• For students in the Human Services concentration, completion of the Associate of Applied Science degree in Human Service is required prior to being admitted to the professional phase

Graduation Requirements

• State/federal background checks may be required for some practicum/internship sites. Results indicating one of the disqualifying offenses, whether expunged or current, may result in the inability to be placed in select practicum/internship sites.

Roadmap

Case Management For Individuals and Family Study Concentration

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this major. However, courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

Child and Youth Development Concentration

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this major. However, courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

Family Life Education Concentration

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this major. However, courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

Gerontology Concentration

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this major. However, courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

• Delivery:
  • In person
• Location:
  • Kent Campus
  • Salem Campus (Human Services, Family Life Education and Case Management for Individuals and Families concentrations only)
  • Stark Campus (Family Life Education and Gerontology concentrations only)