Human Development and Family Studies

About This Degree

The master’s degree in human development and family studies is designed to provide students with both theoretical and practical knowledge.

The Department of Human Development and Family Studies is housed in the College of Education and Human Services, which is in the top 2% of all graduate colleges of education in the nation and is ranked third in total research dollars received.

What You Will Learn

In the program, students learn research methodology and statistics and have applied practicum experiences. Students are able to choose a specialization where they can gain in-depth expertise in their area of interest. Each specialization focuses on current issues affecting individuals and families, and students gain an education that prepares them for a career in teaching, research, or a variety of agencies serving consumers, individuals, families, and children.

Specialization:

Adolescence and Youth:

Students in this specialization study young people in the second decade of life as they interact with their families, peers, the educational system, and related social issues pertaining to achieving maturity in a modern world.

Adult Development and Aging:

This specialization deals with issues facing young, middle-aged, and older adults as they develop within the context of families, the work environment, institutions, and the larger social structure.

Infancy and Childhood:

Students in this specialization study birth through the school-age years. Examples of current research opportunities include infant development, attachment, social development and competence, language development, early parent-child interaction, and developmentally appropriate practice.

Marriage and Family Relationships:

This specialization is concerned with the study of marital formation, marriage and family interaction, socialization for parenthood, interface of marriage and family with other social structures, family crises, and various forms of marriage and family.

Marriage and Family Therapy:

Students in this specialization study human development and marital and family relations. Students are provided with basic academic and initial clinical practice requirements for Utah state licensure as marriage and family therapists and for clinical membership in the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. The program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education. This specialization is only available for students admitted into the MMFT program.

At a Glance

College: Emma Eccles Jones College of Education & Human Services

Department: Human Development and Family Studies Department

Faculty: View profiles of faculty members on the department directory.

Program Requirements

Delivery

MS: Logan (Main Campus)

Request update for this degree

Career And Outcomes

Career Opportunities

Recent graduates have found employment as teachers and counselors in the following areas:

Public schools
Academic departments at colleges and universities
Research centers
Hospitals
Head Start
Child care programs
Social services agencies
Mental health agencies
Private and clinical practice settings
Extension services
Financial institutions and agencies
Any related agencies that teach about, study, or serve individuals, families, and consumers

Job Outlook

Advising

Travis Dorsch

Associate Professor, Program Director
Email: travis.dorsch@usu.edu
Office: FL 111B
Phone: (435) 797-4565

Admission

Admission Requirements

It is preferred that applicants have the equivalent of at least a minor in family, consumer, or child studies. However, competent students have been admitted from a variety of backgrounds. We require an upper-division statistics and upper-division research methods course of all incoming graduate students. If a student does not have a family, consumer, or child studies background, they may be required to take prerequisite courses depending on their experience and desired specialization.

Application Requirements:

Complete the online application
Pay the $55 application fee
Submit an academic writing sample of at least five double-spaced pages in length. Examples may include a class paper, literature review, undergraduate or master's thesis, or an in-progress or published scholarly manuscript.
Have a 3.0 or higher GPA on your last 60 semester or 90 quarter credits
Provide transcripts of all college/university credits
Provide three contacts for letters of recommendation
For students interested in the MFT specialization, please visit our website for additional application materials beyond what is required for other MS specializations.

International students have additional admissions requirements.

Deadlines

The department has the following deadline:

Fall semester – December 15

Plan Options

Students can receive the MS by pursuing the following option:

In the Plan A option, students complete graduate-level coursework and must write a thesis.

Financial Aid

The department tries to arrange funding for all first-year students. After the student’s first year, they must find their own funding, but various funding opportunities are still available.

A variety of funding opportunities are available on the graduate school website.