Catalog

Family & Human Development Major & Minor

The family and human development major prepares students for careers serving families and children. The major also prepares students for graduate programs in the social sciences. Courses emphasize research-based knowledge about marriage, contemporary families and human development. Family and human development majors learn about families in society, internal family dynamics, human growth and development over the life span, human sexuality, interpersonal relationships, family resources management, parent education and guidance, family law and family policy, ethics, and family life education methodology.

Learning Objectives

Students completing Southern Virginia’s family and human development major are expected to acquire the following:

  1. Basic knowledge of families in society. (Society)
  2. Basic knowledge of internal family dynamics. (Dynamics)
  3. Basic knowledge of child and adolescent development. (Development
  4. Basic knowledge of parent education and guidance. (Parenting)
  5. Basic knowledge of family life education methodology. (Methodology)
  6. Ability to locate, understand, interpret, evaluate, properly cite, and write about family and human development research. (Research)
  7. Ability to create and deliver effective research-based outreach education products and presentations in family life education settings. (Education)

Program coordinator: Dr. Ariel Rodriguez

Major Requirements (39 credit hours)

Major Core (21 credit hours):

Major Developmental Elective (3 credit hours):

Major Electives: 15 credit hours from among the following:

Download the Family & Human Development Major Checklist

Minor Requirements (18 credit hours)

Minor Core (9 credit hours):

Minor Electives: 9 credit hours from among the following:

Download the Family & Human Development Minor Checklist