College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences

Human Development

Overview

The Department of Human Development offers undergraduate study of the family and its relationships and of human development across the lifespan. The department's mission is to understand and improve the lives of people of all ages in relationships, families, organizations, and communities. The Human Services option leading to the B.S. prepares students for a variety of professional careers.

The program participates in the University Honors Program.

The department also offers a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Program (PBCP) in administration of community-based services for older adults. For more information, contact the Center for Gerontology, 237 Wallace Hall, 540/231-7657.

The department also offers graduate programs leading to the M.S. in human development (applied masters) and child development at the Blacksburg campus, and adult learning and human resource development, and marriage and family therapy at the Northern Virginia campus, and to the Ph.D. in adult development and aging, adult learning and human resource development, child development, family studies, and marriage and family therapy. (See Graduate Catalog)

Requirements for all HD Majors:
HD 1004: Human Dev. I: Childhood and Adolescence	3
HD 3004: Human Dev. II: Adulthood and Aging	3

Human Services

Career Advisors: M. E. Verdu; F. Piercy
The Human Services Option is for students interested in a wide variety of careers and graduate school programs. The option provides undergraduate majors with a theoretical and experiential grounding in child and adult development and in family and relational dynamics. Course work includes emphases on how individuals and families develop over the life cycle, on the critical issues and events that influence families, and on family transitions and dynamics. The curriculum also focuses on human sexuality, family diversity, and social and public policies that affect individuals and their families. Through course work and field placement experiences, human services students learn strategies for improving the quality of family life. In addition to course work with the Department of Human Development, human services students take courses in the areas of psychology, sociology, biology, statistics and mathematics, writing and communication, family economics, creative arts, cultural traditions, and international perspectives on human concerns. Students may tailor their studies to their particular professional goals and interests through the use of free electives.

The field study, which integrates theory, research and practice, is a pivotal experience in students' career development. It increases students' communication and practice skills and helps narrow career interests. Field study placement sites have included Adult Day Services; New River Valley Hospice Program; Headstart; Blacksburg and Christiansburg Middle Schools; Blacksburg and Christiansburg High Schools; New River Valley Community Services Board; Voluntary Action Center; Big Brothers, Big Sisters; YMCA Student Programs; Montgomery County Office on Youth; Department of Social Services (Montgomery, Giles, Radford, and Roanoke); New River Community Sentencing; Women's Resource Center; Virginia Special Olympics; Blacksburg Planned Parenthood; Intercountry Adoption Program; and Carillon Hospital Child Life Program.

Careers open to human services graduates include: educational programs, employment and job training services, health and wellness programs, housing services, income programs, mental health services, nutrition and meals programs, protective services, recreation programs, respite services, social services, substance abuse programs, volunteer programs, and child care services. Graduate and professional options that human services graduates may consider include business, community health and public health, law, education, family studies, gerontology, marriage and family therapy, medicine and nursing, psychology and sociology, public administration, rehabilitation, and social work.

A. Required (51 credits)
COMM 2004: Public Speaking	3
HD 1004: Human Development I: Childhood and Adolescence	3
HD 3004: Human Development II: Adulthood and Aging	3
*HD 2335-2336: Principles of Human Services	3-3
HD 3114: Issues in Aging or HD 4114: Community Based Services for Older Adults	3
HD 3314: Human Sexuality	3
HD 3324: Family Relationships	3
HD 4324: Families and Children Under Stress	3
HD 4344: Community Programs in Family Life	3
HD 4354: The Family, Law, and Public Policy	3
HD 4364: Gender and Family Diversity	3
HD 4374: Special Study--Parent Education and Practice	3
HD 4964: Field Study	6
NERM 2304: Family Financial Management or NERM 2404: Consumer Problems	3
STAT 3604: Statistics for the Social Sciences	3
B. Free Electives (Select 31 credits)
Students are encouraged to consider the wide array of courses across the university curriculum as potential choices for electives to support their Human Services major. In consultation with the major advisor, each student should confirm that prerequisite requirements have been met before enrolling in elective courses. Courses used in Section A cannot be counted again in Section B.
Total Credits	120
*Writing Intensive Course Note: Please consult the appropriate catalog course list or the departmental checksheet for prerequisites to required courses.

Satisfactory Progress

A student will be considered to have made satisfactory progress toward the degree when he/she has successfully completed the Curriculum for Liberal Education (a.k.a. University Core Curriculum) requirements for English, mathematics, and biology, and HD 1004, by the time the student has attempted 72 semester credits.

Course Descriptions (HD)

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