The graduate programs within HDFS include 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. The program includes, as well, an exploration of diversity in the ways persons develop within their social and familial contexts. There is a core curriculum designed to provide all students with this foundation. All programs of study 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 several overlapping areas of focus:
At the graduate level, the Department awards an M.A. and Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies. The vast majority of the students within the M.A. program are enrolled in the Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) Program, accredited 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 entry-level training for the field of Marriage and Family Therapy. In a typical year, between 8 and 12 students are admitted to the MFT program.
The HDFS program at UConn is one of a very limited number of programs in the U.S. that offers a Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS). In a typical year, between 4 and 6 students are admitted to this deliberately small and selective program. The majority of graduates from the Ph.D. program work in academic settings. Others work in direct service positions or have positions in government and non-profit agencies.
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