B.S. in Human Development & Family Science
The B.S. in Human Development & Family Science empowers you to launch your career in a hands-on helping profession. Whether you pursue social work, counseling or other work in human services, our multidimensional approach to understanding human behavior and relationships will give you the tools you need to thrive. Partner with experienced faculty to explore topics like child development, family relationships and mental health and discover real-world applications.
Guide people-focused work in your community with a degree in Human Development and Family Science.
In the HDFS program, you will explore topics like adolescence, child development, family relationships, mental health, counseling, youth programs, and more. You will partner with expert faculty who have worked with families and individuals in many contexts. Our program has an excellent network of community agencies and programs that provide internship opportunities and hands-on learning for our students to apply what they learn in real-world settings.
Why major in Human Development and Family Science?
Whether you’re stepping directly into a people-focused career after graduation or using your degree as a launch-pad into a graduate program, we will provide you with the knowledge, skills and opportunities to to be a competitive applicant.
A degree in Human Development & Family Science prepares you for a career that helps people, serves others, and gives back to society. It can also serve as a springboard for graduate school. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median pay for social and community service managers was $77,030 per year (2023).
Although your career possibilities are limitless, here are some example career paths our students follow:
- Marriage and Family Counseling: diagnose and treat cognitive, behavioral, or similar disorders in the context of couples and other relationships.
- Rehabilitation/Mental Health Counseling: study cognitive, emotional, and social processes and behavior by observing, interpreting, and recording how people relate to one another and to their environments.
- Occupational Therapy: evaluate and treat people who have injuries, illnesses, or disabilities to help them with vocational, daily living, and other skills that promote independence.
- Human Resources: plan, coordinate, and direct the administrative functions of an organization's personnel.
- Healthcare: help clients maintain and improve wellbeing in various specializations.
- Social Work: provide support, advocacy, and resources to improve the well-being and quality of life for those in need.
Learn more about the career planning resources available to you at the University of Arizona.
As a Human Development & Family Sciences student at the University of Arizona, you'll take unique and informative courses such as Sexuality Across the Lifespan, Basic Skills in Counseling, and Mental Health & The Family. Courses required to complete a bachelor in Human Development & Family Science (HDFS) are subject to change, so remember to meet with your advisor to review your course plan regularly.
View the HDFS degree checklist, then visit the course catalog to review courses like:
- Love, Intimacy & Relationships
- Mental Health & the Family
- Human Sexuality & Relations
- Basic Skills in Counseling
- Infancy & Child Development
As a student in the Norton School of Human Ecology, you have exclusive access to nearly $230,000 program-specific scholarships and another $230,000 in scholarships that are available to all or most students in the College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences (CALES).
Apply your learning to real-world experiences.
Work alongside faculty and researchers, or participate in active research labs and conferences to become a competitive applicant for graduate programs in fields like counseling, psychology, nursing and more.
Expand your worldview through study abroad.
Broaden your perspective and build intercultural skills by studying abroad as an HDFS student. Whether you're exploring family systems in Dublin, community life in Barcelona, or cultural development in London or Rome, you'll gain global insights that prepare you to work with diverse people and populations. These experiences will boost your confidence, independence and career readiness.