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  1. Home
  2. Academics
  3. Bachelor's Degrees
  4. Human Development and Family Studies

Requirements

For the B.S. degree in Human Development and Family Studies, a minimum of 120 credits is required.

GENERAL EDUCATION: 45 credits
(3-4 of these 45 credits are included in the REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR)
(See description of General Education in this bulletin.)
FIRST-YEAR SEMINAR:
(Included in ELECTIVES or GENERAL EDUCATION course selection)
UNITED STATES CULTURES AND INTERNATIONAL CULTURES:
(Included in ELECTIVES, GENERAL EDUCATION course selections, or REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR)
WRITING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM:
(Included in REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR)
ELECTIVES: 3-5 credits

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR: 73-76 credits
(This includes 3-4 credits of General Education GQ courses.)

COMMON REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR (ALL OPTIONS): 30-31 credits

PRESCRIBED COURSES (18 credits)[1]
HD FS 129 GS(3), HD FS 301(3), HD FS 311(3), HD FS 312W(3), HD FS 315 US(3)[93], HD FS 418(3) (Sem: 3-6)

ADDITIONAL COURSES (12-13 credits)[1]
Select 6 credits from HD FS 229 GS(3), HD FS 239 GS(3), HD FS 249 GS(3) (Sem: 1-4)
STAT 200 GQ(4) or EDPSY 101 GQ(3) (Sem: 1-4)
Select 3 credits of United States Cultures (US)[92] (Sem: 4-8)

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE OPTION: 43-45 credits

Life Span Human Services Option: (43-45 credits)

PRESCRIBED COURSES (9 credits)[1]
HD FS 411(3), HD FS 414(3), HD FS 455(3) (Sem: 5-8)

ADDITIONAL COURSES (22-24 credits)[1]
Select 3 credits from HD FS 428(3), HD FS 429(3), HD FS 433(3) or HD FS 445(3) (Sem: 5-8)
Select 6 credits from 300- or 400-level HD FS courses (Sem: 5-8)
Approved field practice in a human service setting: HD FS 490(2), HD FS 495A(9), HD FS 495B(3) (Sem: 5-8)

SUPPORTING COURSES AND RELATED AREAS (12 credits)
Select 12 credits (minimum of 6 credits at the 400 level) in consultation with adviser from University-wide offerings that develop competency in the option (a grade of C or better is required in any HD FS course taken to satisfy this requirement) (Sem: 5-8)

Life Span Developmental Science Option: 45 credits

See adviser for application materials in 5th or 6th semester.

PRESCRIBED COURSES (6 credits)[1]
HD FS 494(6) or HD FS 494H(6) (Sem: 5-8)

ADDITIONAL COURSES (21 credits)[1]
Select 6 credits from HD FS 428(3), HD FS 429(3), HD FS 433(3), HD FS 445(3) (Sem: 5-8)
Select 15 credits (minimum of 9 credits at the 400-level) from HD FS courses (Sem: 5-8)

SUPPORTING COURSES AND RELATED AREAS (18 credits)
Select 18 credits (minimum of 9 credits at the 400 level) in consultation with adviser from University-wide offerings that develop competency in option (a grade of C or better is required in any HD FS course taken to satisfy this requirement) (Sem: 5-8)

[1] A student enrolled in this major must receive a grade of C or better, as specified in Senate Policy 82-44.
[92] This course is in addition to the 6 credits of United States Cultures and International Cultures.
[93] This course fulfills the University's United States Cultures requirement.

Human Development and Family Studies

  • Curriculum Overview
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See Also

  • University Bulletin
  • Suggested Academic Plans - Life Span Human Services and Life Span Developmental…
  • Youth Development and Social Justice Certificate
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Penn State Brandywine

Penn State Brandywine is Philadelphia's "next-door" neighbor. The 112-acre campus lies just 20 miles west of Center City and offers four-year baccalaureate degree programs, associate degree programs and workplace professional education programs.
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