• Students gain valuable career experiences through a semester-long internship in an employment setting in which they serve children and families.
• Develop skills for working in a variety of human service and educational settings.
• Gain a broad perspective of individual and family development through faculty from a range of disciplines and professional areas.
• Focus on physical, social, cognitive, and affective development with an emphasis on development within the family.

Requirements for the family studies certificate

HD 301—Family Stress and Coping
HD 302—Parent-Child Relationships
HD 320—Resource Management 
HD 350—Diversity in Contemporary Families
HD 403—Families in Poverty

Bachelor of arts in human development

REQUIREMENTS FOR JOINING PROGRAM
Students can certify as a human development major after taking 24 credit hours and earning at least a 2.35 GPA. Certified human development majors are required to maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.6 or better in human development courses and other courses accepted for the required human development core.

Human development core courses

HD 101—Human Development Across the Lifespan
HD 200—Introduction to the Field of Human Development
HD 204—Family Systems: Understanding Family Interaction 
HD 220—Human Development Theories 
HD 306—Child Development
HD 307—Middle Childhood and Adolescent Development 
HD 308—Adult Development
HD 310—Research Methods
HD 350—Family Diversity
HD 410—Public Policy Issues in Human Development
HD 497—Professional Preparation Seminar
HD 498—Field Placement

Graduation requirements

See the WSU Catalog for degree requirements and talk with your academic advisor about planning and scheduling your courses. All students must meet requirements as outlined in the catalog in order to graduate.

For family studies students

The Department of Human Development awards more than $14,000 in scholarships annually. Students in the program are also eligible to compete for the College of Agriculture and Home Economics’ Dean’s Merit Scholarship and for general University scholarships. Details regarding scholarship criteria are available on the CAHE and Human Development websites.

For all students

A variety of state, federal, and university-sponsored programs are available to help students with educational costs. Washington State University awards millions of dollars in financial aid and scholarships to students every year based on financial need, academic merit, or a combination of the two.

Students should complete the Washington State University general scholarship application and the FAFSA to ensure their eligibility for the widest range of scholarships and need-based financial aid.

For information or to apply for financial aid and scholarships from WSU, see the Scholarships and Finances section of the WSU website.

• Desire to strengthen individuals, families, and communities
• Interest in current social issues and policies that impact families or individual family members
• Sensitivity to the valuable contributions and unique needs of all people
• Desire to learn about the development of individuals, families, and communities
• Desire to learn how a variety of educational approaches, social policies, and prevention/intervention strategies can influence the development of children, youth, and families

Human development graduates with a family studies specialty are employed in family support centers, community action centers, parent education organizations, family crisis centers, domestic violence programs, and many other organizations that address family needs and issues. Students are also prepared to pursue graduate education in family therapy and human development.