Human Development and Family Studies

Degree Requirements and Curriculum

Requirements

This degree completion program requires that you have completed:

• 60 semester hours of transferable college credit with a GPA of 2.0 or better.
  OR
• An associate's degree at the community college level. An AA in Early Childhood Education from a Colorado community college provides the greatest transferability of credits.

A total of 120 credits is required for graduation. Of these 120 credits, a total of 42 upper-division credits (300- or 400-level) is required with a minimum of 30 upper-division credits earned at Colorado State University.

The number of courses needed for completion of the program depends on the number of transfer credits awarded and their fulfillment of All University Core Curriculum and degree course work requirements. Download the curriculum check sheet to help determine your progress in completing the degree requirements.

Curriculum

Through the course work and supervised field experience in this program, you learn to identify factors that influence an individual's development through infancy, childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, within the contexts of culture and family. This comprehensive curriculum is immediately career-applicable as it covers a range of topics such as early childhood development, marriage and family relationships, and emotional and language development. You also gain skills in observation, program development and implementation, grant writing, and social policy as these relate to diverse populations of people.

Most courses are offered every semester, including summer, although summer courses are not required. Throughout the program, you are allowed to repeat courses if necessary.

Prerequisites for this program are strictly enforced. Prerequisites must be completed or consent from the instructor must be given prior to registration.

Required Courses

Field Experience (1 course, 5-8 credits)

In this program, you participate in a hands-on, intensive work experience in a setting closely aligned with your career plan. 5-8 credits must be taken from a single field placement course. This course must be taken in conjunction with HDFS 477.

Career Interest Electives (Minimum 14 credits, 5 courses)

If you are transferring in courses or find other CSU courses which are more appropriate to your career goals than the career interest option electives above, please speak to your advisor about substituting courses. Keep in mind that 30 upper division credits must be completed through CSU course work.