Masters Program - Required Courses

The master's degree requires completion of at least 36 semester hours of coursework to be distributed as shown below.


3 of the Following Core Courses (9 hours)

  • HDF 395 Topic 1: Child and Adolescent Development
  • HDF 395 Topic 2: Contextual Influences on Individual and Family Development
  • HDF 395 Topic 3: Adult Development and Aging
  • HDF 395 Topic 4: Intimate Relationship Formation and Development

3 of the Following Methods Courses (minimum 9 hours)

  • Research Methods (HDF 380K.1)
  • Advanced statistics, HDF 380K.2, HDF 380K.3, HDF 380K.4
  • Outside methods or statistics elective

2 Substantive or Electives (minimum 6 hours)

  • HDF 395 or HDF 394 or Elective
  • Other (minimum 12 hours)
    Individual Research courses (192, 292, 392, 692)
  • NSC 088L
  • Thesis 698A and 698B


Note: Students must take NSC 088L before their first AI assignment. Six semester hours of credit are granted for researching and writing the Master’s thesis. Course 698A (research project) must precede course 698B (writing period); 698A may not be repeated for credit. Both 698A and 698B must be taken on a credit/no credit basis. The student must register for 698B the semester he or she intends to graduate. The thesis cannot be accepted before the semester in which the student applies for graduation.




PhD Program - Required Courses

2 of the Following Core Content (6 hours)

  • HDF 395 Topic 1: Child and Adolescent Development
  • HDF 395 Topic 2: Contextual Influences on Individual and Family Development
  • HDF 395 Topic 3: Adult Development and Aging
  • HDF 395 Topic 4: Intimate Relationship Formation and Development

All 4 of the Following Core Methods and Statistics or 3 of the 4 plus an Elective (12 hours)

  • HDF 380K.1 Research Methods in Human Development and Family Science
  • HDF 380K.2 Intermediate Statistics for Behavioral Science
  • HDF 380K.3 Analyzing Development and Change
  • HDF 480K.4 Advanced Regression and Structural Models
  • Elective in methods/statistics

Electives (12 hours)

  • At least two HDF 395 or HDF 394
  • Out of department elective
  • Four 3-credit organized courses are required.
  • One of the four courses may be a methods or statistics course

Research (variable)

  • Individual Research (192,292,392,692) – to be taken each semester when not otherwise enrolled for at least 9 credits
  • Master’s thesis (if completing M.A.) 698A and 698B (6 credits total)
  • Dissertation 399R/W, 699 R/W, 999 R/W (at least 2 semesters). “R” section is taken only during the first semester after the student is accepted into candidacy. Thereafter, the “W” section is taken each additional semester until the student graduates.
  • Teaching hours or a professional development class in NSC
    NSC 088L


Sample Course Schedule for First Three Years of PhD


Fall SemesterSpring Semester
Year 1HDF 395.1
HDF 380K.1
HDF 394 (elective)		HDF 380K.2
HDF 394 (elective)
HDF 392 (research hours)
Year 2HDF 394 (elective)
HDF 380K.3
HDF 398A (thesis)		HDF 395.3
HDF 380K.3
HDF 398B (thesis)
Year 3HDF 380K.4
Elective outside HDFS
HDF 392 (research hours)		HDF 395.4
HDF 392 (elective)
HDF 392 (research hours)


This is a sample only. The particular semesters in which various courses are offered may vary, and the electives other than HDF 394 are unrestricted in content.