Overview

The Human Development and Family Studies major at Pennsylvania State University enables students to prepare for professional, managerial, or scientific roles in health and human services professions, in public and nonprofit agencies, and in business and industry, as well as for advanced professional or graduate study.
Students obtain a broad background in individual and family development across the life span.

Courses emphasize biological, psychological, social/cultural, and economic aspects of development.
Through coursework and undergraduate internships or research projects, students develop skills relevant to career objectives, such as counseling, human assessment, program planning and evaluation, and research.

Careers

Many HDFS graduates go directly to the workplace based on their understanding of people, their knowledge of group dynamics, and their skills in training and in program development and evaluation.
Many positions are in human services and health care settings while others are in business and industry: assisted living, adult day services and nursing homes, day-care centers and preschools, drug and alcohol treatment centers and hospitals, child and domestic abuse centers and runaway shelters, human resources or marketing departments of large companies, development/fundraising for educational or nonprofit organizations.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Values and Ethics in Health and Human Development Professions
Human Development and Family Studies Interventions
Empirical Inquiry in Human Development
Family Development
Family Relationships
Elementary Statistics
Analysis and Interpretation of Statistical Data in Education
Infant and Child Development
Adolescent Development
Adult Development and Aging

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 48 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-01-12 00:00:00
- Apply before 2025-10-01 00:00:00
Starting 2026-05-18 00:00:00
- Apply before 2025-11-01 00:00:00
Starting 2026-08-25 00:00:00
- Apply before 2025-11-01 00:00:00

Language

English

IELTS

6.5

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Credits

120 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

University Park, United States

Disciplines

Family & Consumer Science View 287 other Bachelors in Family & Consumer Science in United States

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Academic requirements

We are not aware of any specific GRE, GMAT or GPA grading score requirements for this programme.

English requirements

IELTS

6.5

Free IELTS Mock Tests!

TOEFL^® IBT

Schedule TOEFL®

Duolingo English Test

120

Take A Free Practice Test!

Check IELTS test dates and locations. Book an IELTS test now!

Other requirements

General requirements

Application
Official secondary school records
Official test scores: SAT or ACT
English language proficiency, if your native language is not English

Student insurance

Make sure to cover your health, travel, and stay while studying abroad. Even global coverages can miss important items, so make sure your student insurance ticks all the following:

Additional medical costs (i.e. dental)
Repatriation, if something happens to you or your family
Liability
Home contents and baggage
Accidents
Legal aid

We partnered with Aon to provide you with the best affordable student insurance, for a carefree experience away from home.

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Starting from €0.53/day, free cancellation any time.

Remember, countries and universities may have specific insurance requirements. To learn more about how student insurance work at Pennsylvania State University and/or in United States, please visit Student Insurance Portal.

Tuition Fee

To always see correct tuition fees

International

43490 USD/year

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 43490 USD per year during 48 months.
National

43490 USD/year

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 43490 USD per year during 48 months.
In-State

21098 USD/year

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 21098 USD per year during 48 months.

Living costs for University Park

1000 - 1500 USD /month

Living costs

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Bachelor's scholarship opportunities for Human Development and Family Studies.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

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