The Department of Human Development and Family Studies offers courses that focus on the interactions among individuals, families, their resources, and their environments throughout the life span. The department offers work for the Bachelor of Science degree in five curricula: Early Childhood Education, Family and Consumer Sciences Education and Studies, Financial Counseling and Planning, Human Development and Family Studies, and an affiliated program: Early Childcare Education and Programming (a distance education program offered in collaboration with six other universities).
Students graduating in Human Development and Family Studies will
1. Communicate with clear purpose, workable organization and effective style in written, oral, visual and electronic (WOVE) formats to foster collaboration, provide information and advance knowledge related to child, adult, family, and community services.
2. Consistently and realistically analyze and evaluate one’s own knowledge, abilities and actions in comparison to professional standards and create action plans to enhance personal and professional efficacy related to working with children, adults, families and communities.
3. Understand content related to working with children, adults, families, and communities within a chosen program. Use critical thinking skills to evaluate and utilize evidence-based practices. Use logical and ethical reasoning to make decisions and solve problems.
4. Understand the diverse needs of children, adults, and families. Ensure equitable access of children, adults, and families to appropriate environments that support healthy living. Engage children, adults, and families with socially responsible and respectful behavior.
Communication Proficiency requirement: A student must achieve a grade of C or higher in ENGL 1500, Critical Thinking and Communication, and ENGL 2500, Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition. A student achieving a grade of C– or lower in 150 0 and/or 2500 must either repeat the course(s), earning a minimum grade of C, or, in consultation with the advisor and the coordinator of freshman English, complete another appropriate English writing course with a minimum grade of C.
The Human Development and Family Studies curriculum leads to work in helping professions with employment opportunities in public and private agencies. Graduates of the program are prepared for employment in agencies and organizations serving children, youth, families, and adults in the areas of education/prevention, treatment, and administration. This flexible program provides a broad emphasis in theory, research, and application in child, adult and family services including attention to community issues and public policy.
Students in Human Development and Family Studies may choose coursework that leads to becoming a Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE), a program that has been approved by the National Council on Family Relations. These courses provide the basic education for students interested in working with families, including adolescents, parents, or adults working to strengthen relationships. The student takes courses that support the development of knowledge and skills in family life content areas selected by the National Council on Family Relations. The certification is a voluntary credential that requires the individual to complete a degree in an approved program and to have at least two years of work experience in family life education settings. Iowa State University does not grant the Certified Family Life Educator credential. The certification is granted only by the National Council on Family Relations. See https://hdfs.hs.iastate.edu/future-students/find-your-major/certified-family-life-educator/ and/or http://www.ncfr.org/cfle-certification.
The curriculum in Early Childhood Education – Unified prepares graduates to teach young children and work with their families. This curriculum has been approved by the Iowa Department of Education and meets requirements for candidates to seek teacher licensure in early childhood education – unified, which permits individuals to teach general and special education for children from birth through third grade. Graduates may be employed by either public or private agencies or schools to teach in early childhood classrooms (preschool through third grade) or in home-based programs. The program is an interdepartmental major administered by the Department of Human Development and Family Studies and the School of Education. For more information about the program, see https://hdfs.hs.iastate.edu/find-your-major/early-childhood-education/.
Students who enroll in the early childhood education – unified program must apply to and be accepted into the teacher education program prior to enrolling in advanced courses.
Family and Consumer Sciences Education and Studies offers a curriculum for the Bachelor of Science degree. (http://catalog.iastate.edu/collegeofhumansciences/familyandconsumerscienceseducationandstudies)
The curriculum in Family and Consumer Sciences Education and Studies (FCEDS) prepares graduates with a broad understanding of individual and family well-being. Graduates apply knowledge and research in family and consumer sciences content in global professional settings. They work in an integrative fashion to improve well-being by addressing and acting on complex problems confronting individuals, families, and communities. The study of Family and Consumer Sciences Education incorporates the following 16 content areas: Career, Community and Family Connections; Consumer and Family Resources; Consumer Services; Education and Early Childhood; Facilities Management and Maintenance; Family; Family and Community Services; Food Production and Services; Food Science, Dietetics, and Nutrition; Hospitality, Tourism and Recreation; Housing and Interior Design; Human Development; Interpersonal Relationship; Nutrition and Wellness; Parenting; and Textiles, Fashion and Apparel.
Students in the program choose one of three options, Teacher Licensure, Communications, or Professional Studies.
Students in Family and Consumer Sciences Education and Studies may choose coursework that leads to becoming a Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE), a program that has been approved by the National Council on Family Relations. These courses provide the basic education for students interested in working with families, including adolescents, parents, or adults working to strengthen relationships. The student takes courses that support the development of knowledge and skills in family life content areas selected by the National Council on Family Relations. The certification is a voluntary credential that requires the individual to complete a degree in an approved program and to have at least two years of work experience in family life education settings. Iowa State University does not grant the Certified Family Life Educator credential. The certification is granted only by the National Council on Family Relations. See https://hdfs.hs.iastate.edu/future-students/find-your-major/certified-family-life-educator/ and/or http://www.ncfr.org/cfle-certification.
Graduates may also choose from one of several nationally recognized professional certifications available from the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) Council for Certification. This program measures competencies of FCS professionals using high-quality, rigorous assessments. Certifications that are currently available are (http://www.aafcs.org/home): CFCS: Certified in Family and Consumer Sciences; CFCS-HDFS: Certified in Human Development and Family Studies; CFCS-HNFS: Certified in Hospitality, Nutrition, and Food Science; and CPFFE: Certified Personal and Family Finance Educator.
There is also an opportunity to take courses that will allow you to be recommended for a family and consumer sciences endorsement or teacher licensure as a post baccalaureate student.
The Financial Counseling and Planning (FCP) curriculum prepares students for careers in family financial services. Financial Counseling and Planning is a growing career field and appeals to students who want to work with individuals and families to help them meet their financial goals and improve their financial capability to better meet financial challenges. Coursework provides students with the family resource management and interpersonal skills needed to help families remain financially secure. Based on career goals, students select a path that leads to fulfilling the education requirements for the leading designations and certifications in financial counseling and planning. Graduates of the program are prepared for employment in personal banking, financial services, insurance, financial counseling and planning, and human service organizations. Laboratory and practicum opportunities exist in the Iowa State University Financial Counseling Clinic and with program partners in the financial services industry. A field work experience helps students apply their studies and experience the profession in real-world settings.
Financial Counseling and Planning majors are also prepared to enter graduate programs in family financial planning, financial education, economics, finance, and law.
Juniors and seniors in Financial Counseling and Planning who are interested in graduate study may apply for concurrent enrollment in the Graduate College to simultaneously pursue both a B.S. in Financial Counseling and Planning and a M.S. in Human Development and Family Studies or a B.S. in Financial Counseling and Planning and a Graduate Certificate in Family Financial Planning. Under concurrent enrollment, students simultaneously take undergraduate and graduate courses and may be eligible for assistantships. See Graduate Study for more information (https://hdfs.hs.iastate.edu/graduate-students/graduate-programs/).
The Financial Counseling and Planning major is registered with Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. as a CFP Board-registered Program. ISU courses satisfy CFP Board's education requirement, allowing an individual to sit for the CFP® Certification Examination.
Iowa State University does not certify individuals to use the CFP® CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ title. CFP certification is granted only by Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. to those persons who, in addition to completing an educational requirement such as this CFP Board-Registered Program, have met its ethics, experience and examination requirements (CFP Board of Standards website https://www.cfp.net/).
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and the federally registered CFP (with flame logo), which it awards to individuals who successfully complete initial and ongoing certification requirements.
FCP majors also satisfy the education requirements for the Accredited Financial Counselor (AFC®) designation offered through the Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education (AFCPE).
Affiliated Programs
The Early Childcare Education and Programming (ECP) curriculum, offered by the Great Plains Interactive Distance Education Alliance (GPIDEA), is designed to prepare graduates to work in a variety of early care and education programs in local communities and on military installations. Some of these programs are childcare centers and homes, infant/toddler and preschool programs, Head Start programs, and before and after-school programs for children ages birth to eight. This is an online program offered through a collaboration of seven universities as part of GPIDEA where the program is referred to as Early Care and Education for a Mobile Society. For more information see https://www.gpidea.org/program/early-care-and-education-in-a-mobile-society.
The ECP curriculum is designed to provide content for the final two years of a student’s program; the content is focused specifically on topics directly relevant to the major. Students will complete a total of 120 credits for the major, 51 of which are specific to the ECP curriculum. These 51 credit hours are comprised of 12 core courses and 3 practica; the final practicum will be a 6-credit capstone experience. Students must complete 30 credits of college work, a lifespan development course, and have a 2.5 GPA to be admitted to ECP. If students prefer to be admitted to ISU before being admitted to the ECP major, they can enroll as Pre ECP (PECP) students until they are eligible for the ECP major. For more information about the program at Iowa State, see https://online.hs.iastate.edu/early-childcare-programming.