At which campus can I study this program?
Program Description
This major integrates practical and academic experiences to provide the student with entry-level professional competence in the human service field. The objective of the major is to offer a general education background, a knowledge base in life span and family development, and a core of professional skills that may be applied in program planning and service delivery activities. The major is offered part-time, in the evening, and through independent learning.
Adult Development and Aging Services Option
Available at the following campuses: Altoona, Brandywine, DuBois, Fayette, Mont Alto, Schuylkill, Scranton, Shenango, World Campus, York
This option is designed to prepare students for a wide variety of service roles in mental health facilities, nursing homes and other institutions for the aged, area agencies on aging, public welfare and family service agencies, women's resource centers, human relations programs, employee assistance programs and customer services and consumer relations programs in business and industry. An approved field experience in any of a wide variety of settings that serve adults, the aged, and their families, is required for this option.
Children, Youth, and Family Services Option
Available at the following campuses: Altoona, Brandywine, DuBois, Fayette, Mont Alto, Schuylkill, Scranton, Shenango, World Campus, York
This option is designed to prepare students for service roles in preschools; day care centers; hospitals; institutional and community programs for emotionally disturbed, abused, or neglected children and adolescents; as well as a variety of public welfare and family service agencies. An approved field experience in a children, youth, or family services setting is required for this option.
Early Childhood Care and Education Option
Available at the following campuses: DuBois, Fayette, Shenango, York
This option is designed to increase professional capabilities in child care training in regard to issues of quality, affordability, and accessibility of programming. The primary foci are on language, literacy, and science reasoning. In the coursework, there is a blending of theory and practice that requires experience in a group setting with young children. Courses concentrate on infants and toddlers as well as older preschoolers. Each course has a strong parent/family communications component and stresses observation techniques appropriate for assessing and evaluating the development of young children.
What is Human Development and Family Studies?
Penn State's Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) program prepares students for careers across a wide range of human service, healthcare, and helping professions. The HDFS degree is grounded in research-based knowledge on the psychological, biological, social, cultural, and economic influences that impact the well-being of individuals, families, and communities across the lifespan. HDFS coursework guides students to develop skills for working with and caring for diverse individuals and groups through emphasizing mindfulness, compassion, diversity, equity, advocacy and inclusion. Students take courses on infancy, childhood, and adolescent development, transitioning and thriving in adulthood, and healthy aging. Classroom experiences are supplemented by a range of engaged learning opportunities, including internships, research participation, and community partnerships through which HDFS students acquire skills preparing them for impactful careers. The program's flexible curriculum allows academic pathways and engagement experiences to be customized to align with students’ career goals.
You Might Like This Program If...
- You are passionate about pursuing work focused on improving the lives and wellness of individuals, families, and communities.
- You are interested to learn about individual, family, community, and social factors influencing development as well as evidence-based practices that promote the cognitive, social, physical, and emotional well-being of children, adults, families, organizations, and communities.
- You are enthusiastic to use flexible degree requirements and integrated opportunities to pursue career exploration, experiential and engaged learning, and skill development specialized to your specific career goals.
Entrance to Major
Students must have a minimum 2.0 GPA to change to this Associate degree after admission to the University.
Degree Requirements
For the Associate in Science degree in Human Development and Family Studies, a minimum of 60 credits is required:
| Requirement | Credits |
|---|---|
| General Education | 21 |
| Electives | 0-3 |
| Requirements for the Major | 51-55 |
15 of the 21 credits for General Education are included in the Requirements for the Major. This includes: 6 credits of GWS courses; 3 credits of GS courses; 3 credits of GN courses; and 3 credits of GQ courses.
Requirements for the Major
To graduate, a student enrolled in the major must earn a grade of C or better in each course designated by the major as a C-required course, as specified by Senate Policy 82-44.
Common Requirements for the Major (All Options)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Prescribed Courses | ||
| CAS 100 | Effective Speech | 3 |
| ENGL 15 | Rhetoric and Composition  | 3 |
| HDFS 395 | Internship | 6 |
| PSYCH 100 | Introductory Psychology | 3 |
| Prescribed Courses: Require a grade of C or better | ||
| HDFS 129 | Introduction to Human Development and Family Studies | 3 |
| HDFS 301 | Values and Ethics in Health and Human Development Professions | 3 |
| Additional Courses | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Human Physiology | ||
| Introduction to the Biology of Aging | ||
| Human Body: Form and Function | ||
| Additional Courses: Require a grade of C or better | ||
| SOC 30 | Sociology of the Family (SOC 30 does not require a grade of C or better) | 3 |
| or HDFS 315 | Family Development | |
| Select one of the following: | 3-4 | |
| Analysis and Interpretation of Statistical Data in Education | ||
| Statistical Concepts and Reasoning | ||
| Elementary Statistics | ||
| Requirements for the Option | ||
| Select an option | 21-24 | |
Requirements for the Option
Adult Development and Aging Services Option (21 credits)
Available at the following campuses: Altoona, Brandywine, DuBois, Fayette, Mont Alto, Schuylkill, Scranton, Shenango, World Campus, York
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Prescribed Courses | ||
| Prescribed Courses: Require a grade of C or better | ||
| HDFS 249N | Adult Development and Aging | 3 |
| HDFS 311 | Human Development and Family Studies Interventions | 3 |
| Supporting Courses and Related Areas | ||
| Select 15 credits in consultation with the adviser from University-wide offerings that enhance competence in the option | 15 | |
Children, Youth, and Family Services Option (24 credits)
Available at the following campuses: Altoona, Brandywine, DuBois, Fayette, Mont Alto, Schuylkill, Scranton, Shenango, World Campus, York
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Prescribed Courses | ||
| Prescribed Courses: Require a grade of C or better | ||
| HDFS 229 | Infant and Child Development | 3 |
| HDFS 239 | Adolescent Development | 3 |
| HDFS 311 | Human Development and Family Studies Interventions | 3 |
| Supporting Courses and Related Areas | ||
| Select 15 credits in consultation with the adviser from University-wide offerings that enhance competence in the option | 15 | |
Early Childhood Care and Education Option (24 credits)
Available at the following campuses: DuBois, Fayette, Shenango, York
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Prescribed Courses | ||
| Prescribed Courses: Require a grade of C or better | ||
| HDFS 229 | Infant and Child Development | 3 |
| HDFS 230 | Overview of Curricular Practices in Early Childhood Care and Education | 3 |
| HDFS 231 | Guidance in Early Childhood Care and Education | 3 |
| HDFS 232 | Creativity and Play in Early Childhood Care and Education | 3 |
| HDFS 233 | Emergent Language and Literacy: Development and Practice in Early Childhood Care and Educat | 3 |
| HDFS 234 | 3 | |
| HDFS 311 | Human Development and Family Studies Interventions | 3 |
| HDFS 330 | Observation or Experience with Children, Youth, and Families | 3 |
General Education
Connecting career and curiosity, the General Education curriculum provides the opportunity for students to acquire transferable skills necessary to be successful in the future and to thrive while living in interconnected contexts. General Education aids students in developing intellectual curiosity, a strengthened ability to think, and a deeper sense of aesthetic appreciation. These are requirements for all associate degree students and are often partially incorporated into the requirements of a program. For additional information, see the General Education Requirements section of the Bulletin and consult your academic adviser.
The keystone symbol appears next to the title of any course that is designated as a General Education course. Program requirements may also satisfy General Education requirements and vary for each program.
Foundations (grade of C or better is required and Inter-Domain courses do not meet this requirement.)
- Quantification (GQ): 3 credits
- Writing and Speaking (GWS): 3 credits
Knowledge Domains
- Arts (GA): 3 credits
- Humanities (GH): 3 credits
- Social and Behavioral Sciences (GS): 3 credits
- Natural Sciences (GN): 3 credits
Note: Up to six credits of Inter-Domain courses may be used for any Knowledge Domain requirement, but when a course may be used to satisfy more than one requirement, the credits from the course can be counted only once.
Exploration
- Any General Education course (including GHW and Inter-Domain): 3 credits
University Degree Requirements
Cultures Requirement
3 credits of United States (US) or International (IL) cultures coursework are required and may satisfy other requirements
Writing Across the Curriculum
3 credits required from the college of graduation and likely prescribed as part of major requirements.
Total Minimum Credits
A minimum of 60 degree credits must be earned for a associates degree. The requirements for some programs may exceed 60 credits. Students should consult with their college or department adviser for information on specific credit requirements.
Quality of Work
Candidates must complete the degree requirements for their major and earn at least a 2.00 grade-point average for all courses completed within their degree program.
Limitations on Source and Time for Credit Acquisition
Credit used toward degree programs may need to be earned from a particular source or within time constraints (see Senate Policy 83-80). For more information, check the Suggested Academic Plan for your intended program.
Program Learning Objectives
- Understanding of the complexity of individual and family development across the lifespan in diverse contexts and in changing environments.
- Evaluate and Apply Research and Theory to Practice and Policy.
- Ability to analyze processes, policies, and contextual factors that affect the delivery of human services to individuals and families.
- Professional ethical and culturally sensitive standards of conduct.
- Knowledge and competence in helping, leadership, and administrative human service skills.
Academic Advising
The objectives of the university's academic advising program are to help advisees identify and achieve their academic goals, to promote their intellectual discovery, and to encourage students to take advantage of both in-and out-of class educational opportunities in order that they become self-directed learners and decision makers.
Both advisers and advisees share responsibility for making the advising relationship succeed. By encouraging their advisees to become engaged in their education, to meet their educational goals, and to develop the habit of learning, advisers assume a significant educational role. The advisee's unit of enrollment will provide each advisee with a primary academic adviser, the information needed to plan the chosen program of study, and referrals to other specialized resources.
READ SENATE POLICY 32-00: ADVISING POLICY
Altoona
Lauren Jacobson
Associate Teaching Professor
123 Hawthorn Building
3000 Ivyside Park
Altoona, PA 16601
814-949-5333
lpj100@psu.edu
DuBois
Jessica Clontz, M.Ed., CRC
Assistant Teaching Professor, Human Development and Family Studies
1 College Place
DuBois, PA 15801
814-375-4833
jlb5810@psu.edu
Fayette
Elaine Barry
Associate Professor
2201 University Drive
Lemont Furnace, PA 15456
724-430-4284
esb12@psu.edu
Mont Alto
Jacqueline Schwab
Associate Professor, HDFS
11 Bookstore Building
Mont Alto, PA 17237
717-749-6034
sen@psu.edu
Schuylkill
Anne Mercuri
Human Development and Family Studies Coordinator
A112 200 University Drive
Schuylkill Haven, PA 17972
570-385-6083
aem141@psu.edu
Scranton
Janet Melnick
Senior Instructor
Associate Teaching Professor
Dunmore, PA 18512
570-963-2674
jam81@psu.edu
Shenango
Roxanne Atterholt
Associate Teaching Professor and Program Coordinator
147 Shenango Avenue
102 McDowell Hall
Sharon, PA 16146
724-983-2953
rxa32@psu.edu
University Park
Melissa Wetzel, M.A., LPC, NCC
Academic Adviser
119 Health and Human Development Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-863-8000
mup874@psu.edu
World Campus
Undergraduate Academic Advising
100 Innovation Blvd
Suite 225
University Park, PA 16803
814-863-3283
advising@worldcampus.psu.edu
York
Amber Majeske, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Human Development and Family Studies
13 John J. Romano Administrative Building
York, PA 17403
717-771-4029
ajs49@psu.edu
Career Paths
The Associate's Degree in HDFS provides students with a valuable foundation of skills and knowledge for pursuing entry level positions in careers focused on helping promote health and wellness across the lifespan. Many graduates of the A.S. in HDFS program also continue to pursue their B.S. in HDFS. Our A.S. degree is designed to allow for a smooth transition into the B.S. degree, after which graduates are positioned for career advancement or to work in additional areas described in the B.S. degree. HDFS Students are encouraged to customize their degree to align with their career interests.
Careers
Students graduating with their A.S. degree in HDFS pursue a range of positions in areas that include:
- Health and Human Services (e.g. youth and family services, child advocacy, health education)
- Early Childhood Development (e.g. early childhood education, early intervention specialist)
- Child and Youth Services
- Foster Care and Adoption
- Services for Older Adults
- Services for Individuals with Disabilities
Opportunities for Graduate Studies
After completing their associate's degree, many HDFS students go on to complete their Bachelor of Science degree in HDFS. This degree opens up opportunities for students to attend graduate research or professional programs in several fields, including:
- Counseling (e.g., addiction counseling, marriage and family therapy, mental health counseling, counseling psychology, educational and vocational counseling)
- Social Work and Public Health
- Clinical Health Professions (e.g. psychiatry, pediatrics, adolescent medicine, family medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, geriatrics, occupational therapy)
- Program Administration and Management
- Special Education
- Family Law
- Public Policy and Advocacy
- Research (e.g., on lifespan human development, psychology, sociology, prevention)
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES FOR GRADUATE STUDIES
Professional Resources
Contact
Altoona
DIVISION OF EDUCATION, HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
123 Hawthorn Building
3000 Ivyside Park
Altoona, PA 16601
814-949-5333
lpj100@psu.edu
https://altoona.psu.edu/academics/associate-degrees/human-development-family-studies
DuBois
1 College Place
DuBois, PA 15801
814-375-4833
jlb5810@psu.edu
https://dubois.psu.edu/academics/degrees/hdfs
Fayette
2201 University Drive
Lemont Furnace, PA 15456
724-430-4284
esb12@psu.edu
https://fayette.psu.edu/academics/associate/assoc-human-development-and-family-studies
Mont Alto
11 Bookstore Building
Mont Alto, PA 17237
717-749-6034
sen@psu.edu
https://montalto.psu.edu/academics/associate/associate-human-development-family-studies-degree
Schuylkill
ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
A112 200 University Drive
Schuylkill Haven, PA 17972
570-385-6083
aem141@psu.edu
https://schuylkill.psu.edu/academics/assoc-degrees/hdfs
Scranton
111B Dawson Building
Dunmore, PA 18512
570-963-2674
jam81@psu.edu
https://scranton.psu.edu/academics/degrees/associate/hdfs
Shenango
147 Shenango Avenue
102 McDowell Hall
Sharon, PA 16146
724-983-2953
rxa32@psu.edu
https://shenango.psu.edu/academics/degrees/2-year-human-development-family-studies
University Park
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND FAMILY STUDIES
119 Health and Human Development Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-863-8000
HDFSinfo@psu.edu
World Campus
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND FAMILY STUDIES
119 Health and Human Development Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-863-8000
HDFSinfo@psu.edu
York
13 John J. Romano Administrative Building
York, PA 17403
717-771-4029
ajs49@psu.edu
https://www.york.psu.edu/academics/associate/human-development-and-family-studies