Bachelor of Science
If you care about improving family well-being and supporting communities, like to lead and teach, enjoy critical thinking and problem solving, and value working with diverse populations, then human development and family studies could be the field for you. The B.S. in Human Development and Family Studies is a nationally recognized program by the National Council on Family Relations. Graduates are eligible to receive the Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE) national credential. This degree program opens the door to a wide variety of career opportunities. Students choose to specialize in the following: child and adolescent studies, child and family services, or a minor in gerontology.
Learn moreSome of the graduates of this program have gone on to work for:
Graduates of this program have gone on to become:
Many of the graduates of this program find themselves working in:
In addition to the core professional courses in human development and family studies, students will choose an area of concentration.
This concentration includes courses in childhood education and development; racial, cultural, and ethnic influences on identity development; the context of poverty; and more.
This concentration includes courses in abnormal and social psychology, working with multicultural populations, special education, and more.
This concentration focuses on working with aging populations.
Winthrop's HDFS program was the first academic program in South Carolina to achieve Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE) approved program status.
Students complete at least 300 hours of work experience with internship placements at a variety of agencies, organizations and corporations.
Learn from faculty who are committed to research and scholarly endeavors that both inform the profession and enhance public education in our society.
Robert Harris
Human Development and Family Studies, Class of 2012
"[Former sociology professor Kelly James] was very influential to me during my time at Winthrop. Her classes taught us how to live our truth. She made content meaningful, relevant and engaging. I model my teaching style after hers and have seen great success because of it!"
Read more