Bachelor of Science in Family Studies
Website: https://twu.edu/human-development-family-studies-counseling/undergraduate-programs/family-studies/
The Bachelor of Science degree in Family Studies is a broad human services degree that may lead to employment working with families in social service agencies ranging from child to geriatric services, as well as church and family planning agencies. It is also an appropriate major for those interested in graduate degrees leading to careers in family therapy, family life education, occupational therapy, and counseling and development.
The Family Studies curriculum has been approved by the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR) as meeting the Standards and Criteria required for the Provisional Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE) designation. Relevant course work for each of the 10 family life substance areas needed for the Provisional Certified Family Life Educator designation is included in the degree program. Courses noted with an asterisk (*) must be completed in order to qualify for the abbreviated CFLE application process.
Marketable Skills
Defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's 60x30 Strategic Plan as, "Those skills valued by employers that can be applied in a variety of work settings, including interpersonal, cognitive, and applied skills areas. These skills can be either primary or complementary to a major and are acquired by students through education, including curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular activities."
- Deliver family services to individuals, families, and communities.
- Written communication skills.
- Interpersonal skills.
- Leadership skills.
Degree Requirements
Total Semester Credit Hours (SCH): 120
Major: 64 SCH
Program Code: FAMLYSTUD.BS; CIP Code: 19.0701.00
Texas Core Curriculum
| Code | Title | SCHs |
|---|---|---|
| ENG 1013 | Composition I | 3 |
| ENG 1023 | Composition II | 3 |
| Mathematics | 3 | |
| Life & Physical Sciences | 6 | |
| Language, Philosophy, & Culture | 3 | |
| Creative Arts | 3 | |
| HIST 1013 | History of the United States, 1492-1865 | 3 |
| HIST 1023 | History of the United States, 1865 to the Present | 3 |
| POLS 2013 | U.S. National Government | 3 |
| POLS 2023 | Texas Government | 3 |
| Social & Behavioral Sciences | 3 | |
| CAO: Women's Studies | 3 | |
| CAO: First Year Seminar, Wellness or Mathematics | 3 | |
| Total SCHs | 42 | |
Courses Required for Major
| Code | Title | SCHs |
|---|---|---|
| HDFS 1001 | Seminar in Family Sciences | 1 |
| HDFS 1513 | Human Development (*) | 3 |
| HDFS 1603 | Child in the Family and Community | 3 |
| HDFS 2003 | Diversity in Contemporary Families: A Global Perspective (*) | 3 |
| HDFS 2513 | Early Childhood Development | 3 |
| HDFS 3513 | Childhood and Adolescence | 3 |
| or HDFS 2503 | Development of Infants and Toddlers | |
| HDFS 3533 | Research Methods in Family Sciences | 3 |
| HDFS 3613 | Crisis in the American Family (*) | 3 |
| HDFS 3633 | Older Persons and the Family | 3 |
| HDFS 3733 | Family Life and Consumer Education (*) | 3 |
| HDFS 4103 | Issues and Trends in Family Sciences | 3 |
| HDFS 4523 | Family Development (*) | 3 |
| HDFS 4533 | Communication and the Family (*) | 3 |
| HDFS 4543 | Developmental Sexuality (*) | 3 |
| HDFS 4583 | Parenting Issues and Education (*) | 3 |
| HDFS 4603 | Occupational Issues in Family Sciences (*) | 3 |
| HDFS 4713 | Family Economics | 3 |
| or HDFS 3713 | Family Housing | |
| HDFS 4733 | Family Financial Planning | 3 |
| HDFS 4773 | Family Resource Management (*) | 3 |
| HDFS 4803 | Public Policy: Family Sciences Perspectives (*) | 3 |
| HDFS 4923 | Professional Development in Family Sciences (Grade of "B" or better required) | 3 |
| HDFS 4943 | Practicum in Family Sciences (*) Grade of "B" or better required) | 3 |
| Total SCHs | 64 | |
The Family Studies curriculum has been approved by the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR) as meeting the Standards and Criteria required for the Provisional Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE) designation. Relevant course work for each of the 10 family life substance areas needed for the Provisional Certified Family Life Educator designation is included in the degree program. Courses noted with an asterisk (*) must be completed in order to qualify for the abbreviated CFLE application process.
Departmental Requirements
| Code | Title | SCHs |
|---|---|---|
| NFS 2343 | Nutritional Management for the Family and Child | 3 |
| Electives | 11 | |
| Total SCHs | 14 | |
Recommended Plan of Study
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | TCCN | SCHs | |
| UNIV 1231 | Learning Frameworks: The First Year Experience | EDUC 1100, EDUC 1200, EDUC 1300 | 1 |
| ENG 1013 | Composition I | ENGL 1301 | 3 |
| HDFS 1513 | Human Development | 3 | |
| HIST 1013 | History of the United States, 1492-1865 | HIST 1301 | 3 |
| MATH 1013 | Financial and Quantitative Literacy | MATH 1332 | 3 |
| Elective | 2 | ||
| SCHs | 15 | ||
| Spring | TCCN | ||
| HDFS 1001 | Seminar in Family Sciences (Must take during 1st or 2nd semester) | 1 | |
| ENG 1023 | Composition II | ENGL 1302 | 3 |
| HIST 1023 | History of the United States, 1865 to the Present | HIST 1302 | 3 |
| Creative Arts Core | 3 | ||
| Social & Behavioral Sciences Core | 3 | ||
| Wellness Core | 2 | ||
| SCHs | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | TCCN | ||
| HDFS 1603 | Child in the Family and Community | TECA 1303 | 3 |
| POLS 2013 | U.S. National Government | GOVT 2305 | 3 |
| Language, Philosophy, and Culture Core | 3 | ||
| Life & Physical Sciences Core | 3 | ||
| Multicultural Women's Studies Core | 3 | ||
| SCHs | 15 | ||
| Spring | TCCN | ||
| HDFS 2003 | Diversity in Contemporary Families: A Global Perspective | 3 | |
| HDFS 2513 | Early Childhood Development | TECA 1354 | 3 |
| HDFS 3513 or 2503 | Childhood and Adolescence or Development of Infants and Toddlers | 3 | |
| POLS 2023 | Texas Government | GOVT 2306 | 3 |
| Life & Physical Sciences Core | 3 | ||
| SCHs | 15 | ||
| Summer | TCCN | ||
| NFS 2343 | Nutritional Management for the Family and Child (only offered in the summer) | 3 | |
| SCHs | 3 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | TCCN | ||
| HDFS 3613 | Crisis in the American Family | 3 | |
| HDFS 3733 | Family Life and Consumer Education | 3 | |
| HDFS 4103 | Issues and Trends in Family Sciences | 3 | |
| HDFS 4523 | Family Development | 3 | |
| Electives | 3 | ||
| SCHs | 15 | ||
| Spring | TCCN | ||
| HDFS 3533 | Research Methods in Family Sciences | 3 | |
| HDFS 3633 | Older Persons and the Family | 3 | |
| HDFS 4533 | Communication and the Family | 3 | |
| HDFS 4543 | Developmental Sexuality | 3 | |
| Electives | 3 | ||
| SCHs | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | TCCN | ||
| HDFS 4603 | Occupational Issues in Family Sciences | 3 | |
| HDFS 4713 | Family Economics | 3 | |
| HDFS 4773 | Family Resource Management | 3 | |
| HDFS 4923 | Professional Development in Family Sciences | 3 | |
| Electives | 3 | ||
| SCHs | 15 | ||
| Spring | TCCN | ||
| HDFS 4583 | Parenting Issues and Education | 3 | |
| HDFS 4733 | Family Financial Planning | 3 | |
| HDFS 4803 | Public Policy: Family Sciences Perspectives | 3 | |
| HDFS 4943 | Practicum in Family Sciences | 3 | |
| SCHs | 12 | ||
| Total SCHs: | 120 | ||
** Please note that this plan of study only includes one summer course. Students can reduce the number of courses taken in Fall and Spring if they opt to take additional courses in the summer.
