Master of Science in Human Development and Family Studies
Students who seek the Master of Science degree with a major in HDFS must meet the following requirements before they begin graduate-level study:
- Earn a bachelor’s degree from an accredited educational institution with course credit and/or work experience in human development, interpersonal relationships, families, or family economics
- Maintain an overall undergraduate grade-point average of at least 3.0
- Earn acceptable scores on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE)
In the graduate program, students may specialize in an area of academic interest through the selection of electives and a thesis topic or professional paper.
Twelve hours of credit in courses numbered 700 or above are required.
At least 6 credits are required HDFS 796 (thesis) or 3 credits in HDFS 796 (professional paper).
At least 24 of the total credits taken for the degree must be in human development and family studies, as listed below:
Foundation Courses (12 credits)
- Human Development (3 credits):
- HDFS 720* – Theories of Human Development or
- HDFS 631 (a, b, c, d, or e) – Advanced Studies in Human Development
- Family Studies (3 credits):
- HDFS 730* – Family Theories or
- HDFS 636 – Family Interaction or
- HDFS 638 – Children and Families in a Multiethnic Society or
- HDFS 658 – Families and Public Policy
- Ethics (3 credits):
- HDFS 680 – Ethics in Human Sciences
- Resilience (3 credits):
- HDFS 745 – Individual and Family Resilience
- Research Courses (6 credits):
- HDFS 771 – Research Methods
- Statistics (must be 600 level or above)
- Thesis or Professional Paper (6 or 3 credits):
- HDFS 797 – Thesis or
- HDFS 796 – Professional Paper
*Students must include either HDFS 720 or HDFS 730 in their Foundation credits
Area of Specialization (14-20 credits)
All students take a series of foundation courses in human development, family studies, research, and theory. Students take additional courses in an area of specialization based on a topic of interest in conjunction with their faculty advisor. Examples include topics related to early childhood education, child and adolescent development, adulthood and aging, family studies, or addiction treatment services. The specialization in Addiction Treatment Services has specific courses that student must take (see below) and requires an internship in addition to a professional paper or thesis. All other areas of specialization require at least 14 credits of elective coursework chosen by the student and his/her faculty advisor.
Area of Specialization in Addiction Treatment Services (20 credits)
- Required Courses * (9 credits):
- HCS 759 – Assessment, Treatment and Care Management or
- CEP 642 – Assessment and Diagnosis I: Marriage and Family/Community Counseling
- HCS 760 – Addiction Counseling in Community Settings
- HCS 761 – Couple and Family Treatment of Addiction
*HCS 600 – Overview of Addiction, Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery or its equivalent is a prerequisite for completing the “Required Courses”
- Electives (5 credits chosen from the following):
- HCS 658 – Prevention and Early Intervention Strategies
- HCS 712 – The Neuroscience of Addiction
- HCS 659 – Special Topics in Addiction
- Internship (6 credits):
- HDFS 792 – Internship in Addiction Services
Contact Information
For more information, contact Dr. Karen Kopera-Frye, HDFS Director of Graduate Studies, at (775) 784-7010 or kfrye@unr.edu.