The Human Development and Family Studies discipline emphasizes diverse ways that persons develop within their social and familial contexts. Graduate study includes examinations of theory, research, and intervention/practice, and their interplay across the full lifespan of individual development and within the context of family and social systems. . There is a core curriculum designed to provide all students with this foundation. All areas of specialization within the graduate program involve an emphasis on:
- Lifespan Human Development (in ecological context)
- Diversity & Culture
- Promoting Healthy Individuals and Families (prevention, intervention, and policy)
- Basic and Applied Research
| The research interests of the Department's faculty and graduate students currently cluster in six overlapping areas of specialization:
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The HDFS program at UConn is one of a very select number of programs in the U.S. that offer Doctoral studies in Human Development and Family Studies including a doctoral level training program in marriage and family therapy. Qualified applicants to the PhD program may enter with either a BA/BS or MA/MS degree in a related profession or discipline including but not limited to: nursing, education, psychology, sociology, rehabilitation, counseling, marriage and family therapy, social work, parent education, public health and health psychology, early intervention services, and positive youth development. Students design programs of study that will advance their skills in intervention /clinical practice (through acceptance into the Marriage and Family Therapy area of specialization) as well as program evaluation, policy studies, and research methods. All students accepted for doctoral studies receive support (including tuition waivers, stipends, and access to health insurance) through fellowships or graduate assistantships.
Upon completion of the PhD program, many graduates enter post-doctoral fellowships or traditional academic positions. Others are employed by non-profit agencies, state and federal government agencies, health/hospital research, and human services research or policy positions.
The HDFS program also offers graduate study leading to a Masters’ degree in Human Development and Family Studies. Individuals interested in advancing their professional skills in marriage and family therapy, parent education, prevention and health promotion, or program evaluation may apply for a Master’s degree to pursue study in one of the areas of specialization listed above. M.A. applicants should contact faculty in their interest-area to learn about opportunities. MA-only students are not guaranteed support through departmental assistantships, but are offered these opportunities whenever possible.
Specialized MA and PhD tracks offer a program of study in Marriage and Family Therapy. The graduate programs in Marriage and Family Therapy are approved by the Commission on Accreditation of Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE). The COAMFTE has defined a Standard Curriculum with requirements that, if fulfilled, provide acceptable training for the field of Marriage and Family Therapy.
Master’s and PhD students may apply for Graduate Certificates in related areas:
As part of their individualized plans of study, Doctoral students may also apply for Graduate Certificates in related disciplines, including:
Additional credentials that MA and PhD students may pursue within the Department include:
- The Family Life Educator (Provisional) Certificate of the National Council on Family Relations is available to those students who have pursued training and experiences in human development, family systems and preventive approaches to promoting healthy family functioning and avoiding societal problems.
- The Gerontology Certificate may be attained by students from many disciplines across the University who concentrate their training experiences in aging studies.
- The Certificate in Culture, Health, and Human Development is a multidisciplinary certificate that supports graduate student training in the scientific understanding and active promotion of healthy human development in its cultural context.
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