At which campus can I study this program?
Program Description
This certificate program is designed to improve the quality of planned programs in a wide variety of community settings. The primary goal of the program is to provide a flexible and convenient opportunity for self-enhancement, further education and professional development for those currently working or considering a career in human service settings. Courses are required in three areas:
- Foundation Courses (9 credits)
- Professional Core (15 credits) and
- Professional Electives (6 credits).
What is Children, Youth, and Family Services?
This certificate program is designed to prepare you for a variety of roles in child and youth service settings and family health and welfare agencies. If you want to begin a career in human services, this online certificate can give you the opportunity to learn about psychosocial and family development at all stages of the life cycle — and you won’t have to set foot on campus.
You Might Like This Program If...
- You plan to begin a career in a human services-related profession.
- You want to work with various age groups in centers, institutions, and agencies.
Program Requirements
To earn an undergraduate certificate in Children, Youth and Family Services, a minimum of 30 credits is required.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Prescribed Courses | ||
| BBH 101 | Introduction to Biobehavioral Health  | 3 |
| ENGL 15 | Rhetoric and Composition | 3 |
| or CAS 100 | Effective Speech | |
| HDFS 315 | Family Development | 3 |
| or HDFS 315Y | Family Development | |
| HDFS 330 | Observation or Experience with Children, Youth, and Families | 6 |
| PSYCH 100 | Introductory Psychology | 3 |
| or SOC 1 | Introductory Sociology | |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Human Physiology | ||
| Human Body: Form and Function | ||
| Introductory Principles of Nutrition | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Human Development and Family Studies | ||
| Infant and Child Development | ||
| Adolescent Development | ||
| Human Development and Family Studies Interventions | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Personal Finance | ||
| Internship | ||
| Personal and Interpersonal Skills | ||
HDFS 218 | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Ethics | ||
| Ethics | ||
| Values and Ethics in Health and Human Development Professions | ||
Prerequisites Required.
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
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
301 Outreach Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-863-3283
advising@outreach.psu.edu
York
Jean Marie St. Clair-Christman
Assistant Teaching Professor in HDFS / Field Coordinator
15 Romano Adminstration Building
York, PA 17403
717-771-4161
jxs176@psu.edu
Career Paths
This program is designed to prepare students for service roles in:
- preschools or day care centers
- social work
- home care settings
- hospitals
- programs for emotionally disturbed, abused, or neglected children and adolescents.
Contact
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
sac301@psu.edu
York
15 Romano Administration Building
York, PA 17403
717-771-4161
jxs176@psu.edu