Human Development and Family Studies - B.S. Download to print

The Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Studies comprises six concentrations: Case Management for Individuals and Families, Child and Youth Development, Family Life Education, Gerontology, Nursing Home Administration and Human Services Technology.

The Case Management for Individuals and Families concentration provides training in needs assessment and the utilization of available public and private resources. Graduates are eligible for securing positions in a wide array of social service agencies.

The Child and Youth Development concentration prepares students for working with children and adolescents in non-school settings such as residential treatment, group care, community youth services, foster care and after-school programs. Graduates are able to design and deliver developmentally appropriate programs, preparing children and youth for productive adulthood by emphasizing skills and competency development. The curriculum prepares students for provisional national certification as child and youth care professionals.

The Family Life Education concentration prepares graduates to develop and implement family life programs in a variety of education and human service settings. Graduates are eligible to apply to be Certified Family Life Educators (CFLE), a credential granted by the National Council on Family Relations.

The Gerontology concentration prepares graduates for professional positions in the diverse field of aging, including health and wellness, community-based social services, retirement communities, adult-care centers and nursing homes. The curriculum provides students with a solid understanding of typical age-related changes and how these changes affect a person physiologically, psychologically and socially. According to the U.S. Census, 20 percent of the total population will be 65 or older by 2030. Because of the increasing number of older persons and the fact that people are generally living longer, there is a growing need for people to work in the field of aging.

The Nursing Home Administration concentration qualifies students for employment as administrators in long-term care settings, including nursing homes, assisted living facilities and congregate living settings. Upon completion of the program, graduates will be eligible to sit for the national exam offered through the National Association of Long Term Care Administrator Boards and the state exam offered by the Ohio Board of Examiners of Nursing Home Administrators (BENHA) through the Ohio Department of Health. Graduates of the Program perform well on both exams due to the interdisciplinary coursework and high quality practicum sites offered in KSU’s program.

Minors in Human Development and Family Studies, Gerontology and Nonprofit Studies are also offered. These allow students to develop expertise in either lifespan development and family relationships (HDFS), aging (GERO) or nonprofit management (NPST) while completing requirements in their selected major.

Both the four-year concentrations and minors provide strong interdisciplinary knowledge base, research skills and preparation for graduate study in a wide variety of disciplines, such as human development and family studies, sociology, public administration, social work, counseling and gerontology.

The Human Services Technology concentration is for associate degree holders and is offered at the Ashtabula and Salem campuses. This program prepares graduates for entry-level positions in a variety of human service agencies, including child and family welfare agencies, mental health centers, developmental disability facilities, and substance abuse treatment centers.

Note: State/federal background checks may be required for some practicum/internship sites. Please see Program Coordinator for more information.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projections for 2008-2018 include a 47 percent increase in the number of jobs in individual and family services and a 23 percent increase in aging related jobs.

Students graduating with a degree in HDFS find employment in a variety of human services setting and non-profit organizations such as children’s services, early head start, residential youth centers, after-school programs, domestic violence shelters, homeless services, mandatory family support services, retirement communities, nursing homes and many more. Students graduating with a degree in HDFS are not eligible for social work licensure.

Admission to the college does not guarantee admission to a major and/or admission to professional coursework for a selective admission program.

For admissions, the College of Education, Health and Human Services considers a student to have established a Kent State University GPA after the student has successfully completed a minimum of 12 Kent State University credit hours. Undergraduate students who have not completed a minimum of 12 Kent State University credit hours will be evaluated for admission into programs, Advanced Study, and the Professional phase based on their high school GPA for new freshmen, or transfer GPA for transfer students. Once a student has successfully completed a minimum of 12 Kent State University credit hours, only the student’s Kent State cumulative GPA will be considered for admission into a program, Advanced Study, and Professional Phase.

General Admissions for Freshman Students: Admission Requirements at the Kent Campus: The freshman admission policy at the Kent Campus is selective. Admission decisions are based upon the following: cumulative grade point average, ACT and/or SAT scores, strength of high school college preparatory curriculum and grade trends.

The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students who graduated from high school three or more years ago. For more information on admissions, visit the admissions website for new freshmen.

For more information about admission criteria for transfer, transitioning and former students, please visit the admissions website.

Admission to the Professional Phase of the degree (i.e., upper-division human development and family studies courses):

• a minimum 2.500 cumulative GPA in the following courses: ENG 11011, ENG 21011, PSYC 11762, SOC 12050, HDFS 14027, HDFS 24011 and HDFS 24012.
• a minimum 3.000 cumulative GPA must be earned in the three HDFS courses; HDFS 14027, 24011 and 24012.

The purpose of the Professional Phase admission requirements are to ensure that students in the major have adequate preparation necessary to successfully complete upper-division human development and family studies courses, including a senior-level practicum, which provides students with professional training in the field of human/social services.

Minimum 120 credit hours, minimum 39 upper-division credit hours. Minimum 2.250 major GPA and 2.000 cumulative GPA.

The Nursing Home Administration concentration: National Association of Long Term Care Administrator Boards (NAB)