The Child Development option within the Human Development & Family Studies (HDFS) major offers a focused study of human development and relationships during childhood. It includes foundational HDFS courses as well as specialized advanced courses and applied experiences that are focused on children’s development and relationships.
The Child Development option within the HDFS major prepares students for a variety of careers related to the health and well-being of children and their families, including healthcare, mental health, family support services, public policy, and family law. The curriculum of the Child Development track also meets the requirements for pursuing professional credentials, such as the Infant Mental Health Endorsement®, an internationally recognized credential for professionals who work with infants, toddlers, and their families, as well as the Certified Family Life Education (CFLE) national credential provided by the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR) and recognized in the U.S. and Canada for Family Life Education professions.
Students can take advantage of learning opportunities and paid internships offered by centers and initiatives in the School of Human Ecology (SoHE), including the Child Development Lab (CDL), an onsite laboratory preschool supporting applied learning, research, and class observations, and the PELICAN Center, an interdisciplinary coalition of students and professionals working to support children and families through early literacy, child health advocacy, and early relational health. Students who pursue the Child Development track are given priority for CDL and PELICAN Center internships, including those with partners like the Early Childhood Health Consultation and Reach Out and Read Wisconsin.
Requirements
Core requirements for the named option are below. Students should follow the curriculum requirements in place at the time they entered the major. This requirement list should be used in combination with a DARS report.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation | ||
| Human Development in Context | ||
| HDFS 174 | Introduction into Cultural Diversity of Families | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Development of the Young Child | ||
| Human Development in Infancy and Childhood | ||
| Child Development | ||
| HDFS 263 | Development from Adolescence to Old Age | 3 |
| HDFS 516 | Stress and Resilience in Families Across the Lifespan | 3 |
| HDFS 345 | Ecology of Child Health and Well-Being | 3 |
| Research Foundations | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3-4 | |
| Research Methods in Human Development and Family Studies | ||
| Research Methods | ||
| Methods of Sociological Inquiry | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Statistics for Sociologists I | ||
| Data Science Modeling I | ||
| Introduction to Statistical Methods | ||
| Introduction to Statistics for Science and Engineering | ||
| Introductory Applied Statistics for the Life Sciences | ||
| Basic Statistics for Psychology | ||
| Career Foundations | ||
| HDFS 253 | Human Development & Family Studies Leadership Symposium | 1 |
| INTER-HE 202 | SoHE Career & Leadership Development | 1 |
| Depth | ||
| Select 3 of the following courses: | 9 | |
| Infant/Toddler Development & Group Care | ||
| Family and Community Influences on the Young Child | ||
| Parent - Child Relations | ||
| Parent Education and Support Programs | ||
| Advanced Study of the Young Child | ||
| Race and the Developing Child | ||
| Language Development in Children and Adolescents | ||
| The Human Rights of Children and Youth: Global and Local Perspectives | ||
| Human Development From Childhood Through Adolescence | ||
| Cognitive Development | ||
| Social Development | ||
| Critical Issues in Child Psychopathology | ||
| Individuals with Disabilities | ||
| Child Welfare | ||
| Application | ||
| Career/Research Practice Focused on Birth-5 | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Internship | ||
| Research Experience in Human Development and Family Studies | ||
| Capstone | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Developmental and Family Assessment | ||
| Electives | ||
| Select courses to bring degree credit total to 120 | ||
| Total Credits | 38-39 | |
Four-Year Plan
This is a sample four-year plan for Human Development and Family Studies. We encourage all students to consult with their academic advisor to develop an individualized plan that meets their specific needs.
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| HDFS 262, PSYCH 460, or ED PSYCH 320 | 3 | HDFS 174 (Satisfies Ethnic Studies) | 3 |
| Communications A | 3 | INTER-HE 201 (or other Human Ecology Breadth) | 3 |
| Quantitative Reasoning A | 3 | Communications B | 3-4 |
| Science | 3 | PSYCH 202 | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Science | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| HDFS 253 | 1 | INTER-HE 202 | 1 |
| HDFS 263 | 3 | HDFS 345 | 3 |
| Humanities | 3 | Literature | 3 |
| Science | 3 | Social Science | 3 |
| Social Science | 3 | Science | 3 |
| Elective | 2 | Elective | 2 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| HDFS 516 | 3 | STAT 301, 371, PSYCH 210, or SOC 360 (Statistics - Quantitative Reasoning B) | 3 |
| HDFS 425 | 3 | HDFS:CD Depth #2 | 3 |
| HDFS:CD Depth #1 | 3 | HDFS:CD Depth #3 | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Senior | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| HDFS Application #1 (Internship or Research Focused on Birth-5) | 3 | HDFS Application #2 (Capstone) | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Credits 120 | |||