This is an archived copy of the 2014-16 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.utexas.edu/.

Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Sciences

The Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Sciences focuses on the study of human development, individuals in a family context, relationships, and well-being within the family and the broader social, economic, community, and governmental environment. Students in the program are expected to develop knowledge and understanding about human development and family dynamics through classroom experiences, observation of children and families, and research. They have opportunities to apply their knowledge through practicum experiences in research and placements in the field. The program is designed to give students excellent preparation for graduate training that leads to careers in academia, research, medicine, and other health professions, as well as for employment in a field involving work with children, families, and adults.

Students seeking the Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Sciences must choose one of the six options described below. Those who plan to follow option V must be admitted to the Dean’s Scholars Honors Program and those who plan to follow option VI must be admitted to the Honors in Advanced Human Development and Family Sciences Program .

Prescribed Work Common to All Options

All students pursuing an undergraduate degree must complete the University’s Core Curriculum . 

In addition, students seeking the Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Sciences must complete the following degree-level requirements. In some cases, courses that fulfill degree-level requirements also meet the requirements of the core.

  1. Two courses with a writing flag; one of these courses must be upper-division.
  2. One course with a quantitative reasoning flag.

Courses with flags are identified in the Course Schedule . They may be used simultaneously to fulfill other requirements, unless otherwise specified.

  1. Psychology 301; and six semester hours, at least three of which must be upper-division, chosen from courses in economics, social or cultural anthropology, sociology, and psychology; Psychology 304, 333D, and 339 may not be counted toward this degree.
  2. At least thirty-six semester hours of upper-division coursework; at least twenty-one semester hours must be completed in residence at the University.
  3. Eighteen semester hours in the School of Human Ecology must be completed in residence at the University.

Additional Prescribed Work for Each Option

Option I: Early Childhood

This option is designed to provide the necessary foundation for further study or a career in working with children in applied settings.

  1. Statistics and Data Sciences 302; Mathematics 408C, 408N, or Statistics and Data Sciences 332.
  2. Chemistry 301 or 301H; Biology 311C; Biology 311D or Chemistry 302 or 302H; and three additional semester hours of coursework in astronomy, biology, chemistry, computer science, geological sciences, mathematics, nutrition (other than Nutrition 306), or physics. Courses designed for non-science majors may not be counted toward this requirement; students should consult the School of Human Ecology for a list of courses that may be counted.
  3. Nine semester hours from an approved list of supporting courses available from the School of Human Ecology. Students should confer with their advisers about courses appropriate to their career goals.
  4. Nutrition 306; Human Development and Family Sciences 304, 312, 313, 113L, 315L, and 340; six hours chosen from Human Development and Family Sciences 352, 652F, 352L, 652P, and 355; and three additional hours of coursework in human development and family sciences. Registration for Human Development and Family Sciences 352, 652F, 352L, 652P, and 355 is restricted to students whose practicum applications have been approved. Practicum applications are available in the School of Human Ecology advising office; application deadlines are May 1 for enrollment the following spring semester and December 1 for enrollment the following fall semester. If either May 1 or December 1 falls on a weekend or an official University holiday, the application is due the next business day.
  5. Human Development and Family Sciences 338 and 378L; and six additional semester hours chosen from Human Development and Family Sciences 342, 345, 351, 358, 362, and 378K (Topic 6: Introduction to Early Childhood Intervention).
  6. Enough additional coursework to make a total of 120 semester hours.

Option II: Human Development

This option involves the study of development across the life span.

  1. Statistics and Data Sciences 302; Mathematics 408C, 408N, or Statistics and Data Sciences 332.
  2. Chemistry 301 or 301H; Biology 311C; Biology 311D or Chemistry 302 or 302H; and three additional semester hours of coursework in astronomy, biology, chemistry, computer science, geological sciences, mathematics, nutrition (other than Nutrition 306), or physics. Courses designed for non-science majors may not be counted toward this requirement; students should consult the School of Human Ecology for a list of courses that may be counted.
  3. Nine semester hours from an approved list of supporting courses available from the School of Human Ecology. Students should confer with their advisers about courses appropriate to their career goals.
  4. Nutrition 306; Human Development and Family Sciences 304, 312, 313, 113L, 315L, and 340; six hours chosen from Human Development and Family Sciences 352, 652F, 352L, 652P, and 355; and three additional hours of coursework in human development and family sciences. Registration for Human Development and Family Sciences 352, 652F, 352L, 652P, and 355 is restricted to students whose applications have been approved. Applications are available in the School of Human Ecology advising office; application deadlines are May 1 for enrollment the following spring semester and December 1 for enrollment the following fall semester. If either May 1 or December 1 falls on a weekend or an official University holiday, the application is due the next business day.
  5. Human Development and Family Sciences 378L; six semester hours chosen from Human Development and Family Sciences 335, 351, and 371; and three additional semester hours chosen from Human Development and Family Sciences 335, 342, 343, 345, 351, 356, 358, 371, and 372K.
  6. Enough additional coursework to make a total of 120 semester hours.

Option III: Families and Personal Relationships

This option involves the study of the formation and maintenance of close relationships, especially couple and family relationships.

  1. Statistics and Data Sciences 302; Mathematics 408C,  408N, or Statistics and Data Sciences 332.
  2. Chemistry 301 or 301H; Biology 311C; Biology 311D or Chemistry 302 or 302H; and three additional semester hours of coursework in astronomy, biology, chemistry, computer science, geological sciences, mathematics, nutrition (other than Nutrition 306), or physics. Courses designed for non-science majors may not be counted toward this requirement; students should consult the School of Human Ecology for a list of courses that may be counted.
  3. Nine semester hours from an approved list of supporting courses available from the School of Human Ecology. Students should confer with their advisers about courses appropriate to their career goals.
  4. Nutrition 306; Human Development and Family Sciences 304, 312, 313, 113L, 315L, and 340; six hours chosen from Human Development and Family Sciences 352, 652F, 352L, 652P, and 355; and three additional hours of coursework in human development and family sciences. Registration for Human Development and Family Sciences 352, 652F, 352L, 652P, and 355 is restricted to students whose applications have been approved. Applications are available in the School of Human Ecology advising office; application deadlines are May 1 for enrollment the following spring semester and December 1 for enrollment the following fall semester. If either May 1 or December 1 falls on a weekend or an official University holiday, the application is due the next business day.
  5. Human Development and Family Sciences 337, and either 356 or 372K.
  6. Six additional semester hours chosen from Human Development and Family Sciences 322, 335, 345, 347, 356, 358, 360, 371, and 372K.
  7. Enough additional coursework to make a total of 120 semester hours.

Option IV: Families and Society

This option involves the study of the family and its interactions with larger socioeconomic systems, such as the economy, work, the media, public policy, and government.

  1. Statistics and Data Sciences 302; Mathematics 408C, 408N, or Statistics and Data Sciences 332.
  2. Chemistry 301 or 301H; Biology 311C; Biology 311D or Chemistry 302 or 302H; and three additional semester hours of coursework in astronomy, biology, chemistry, computer science, geological sciences, mathematics, nutrition (other than Nutrition 306), or physics. Courses designed for non-science majors may not be counted toward this requirement; students should consult the School of Human Ecology for a list of courses that may be counted.
  3. Nine semester hours from an approved list of supporting courses available from the School of Human Ecology. Students should confer with their advisers about courses appropriate to their career goals.
  4. Nutrition 306; Human Development and Family Sciences 304, 312, 313, 113L, 315L, and 340; six hours chosen from Human Development and Family Sciences 352, 652F, 352L, 652P, and 355; and three additional hours of coursework in human development and family sciences. Registration for Human Development and Family Sciences 352, 652F, 352L, 652P, and 355 is restricted to students whose applications have been approved. Applications are available in the School of Human Ecology advising office; application deadlines are May 1 for enrollment the following spring semester and December 1 for enrollment the following fall semester. If either May 1 or December 1 falls on a weekend or an official University holiday, the application is due the next business day.
  5. Human Development and Family Sciences 347 and 362; and six additional semester hours chosen from Human Development and Family Sciences 322, 342, 343, 356, 360, and 378K (Topic 6: Introduction to Early Childhood Intervention).
  6. Enough additional coursework to make a total of 120 semester hours.

Option V: Human Development and Family Sciences Honors

This option is designed to prepare students who have been admitted to the Dean's Scholars program for academic or research careers.

  1. Breadth requirement: A calculus course and a statistics course, one of which must be a designated honors course; Biology 315H and 325H; Chemistry 301H and 302H; and three additional hours of honors-designated or approved coursework in biology, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, statistics and data sciences, or physics; credit earned by examination may not be counted toward this requirement.
  2. Human Ecology 115H and 225H.
  3. Human Development and Family Sciences 304H, 312, 313H, 113L, 315L, and fifteen semester hours chosen from the following: Human Development and Family Sciences 335, 337, 342, 343, 345, 347, 351, 356, 358, 362, 371, 372K, 378L, and approved social science courses.
  4. A section of Undergraduate Studies 302 or 303 that is approved by the departmental honors adviser.
  5. A section of Rhetoric and Writing 309S that is restricted to students in the Dean’s Scholars Honors Program.
  6. Human Development and Family Sciences 355H and 379H.
  7. Twenty-one additional semester hours of coursework approved by the departmental honors adviser.
  8. Six hours of coursework in the College of Liberal Arts or the College of Fine Arts.
  9. Enough additional coursework to make a total of 120 semester hours.

Option VI: Honors in Advanced Human Development and Family Sciences

This option is designed for highly motivated and talented students who are interested in research experience and training.

  1. A calculus course and a statistics course, one of which must be a designated honors course.
  2. Chemistry 301 or 301H; Biology 311C; and Biology 311D or Chemistry 302 or 302H.
  3. Three additional semester hours of coursework in astronomy, biology, chemistry, computer science, geological sciences, mathematics, nutrition (other than Nutrition 306), or physics. Courses designed for nonscience majors may not be counted toward this requirement; students should consult the School of Human Ecology for a list of courses that may be counted.
  4. Human Development and Family Sciences 304H, 312, 313H, 113L, and 315L; fifteen semester hours chosen from: Human Development and Family Sciences 335, 337, 342, 343, 345, 347, 351, 356, 358, 362, 371, 372K, 378L, and approved social science courses.
  5. Human Development and Family Sciences 355H and 379H.
  6. Twenty-one semester hours of additional upper-division coursework approved by the departmental honors adviser.
  7. Enough additional coursework to make a total of 120 semester hours.

Special Requirements

Students in all options must fulfill both the University's General Requirements for graduation and the college requirements . They must also earn a grade of at least C- in each mathematics and science course required for the degree, and grade point average in these courses of at least 2.00. More information about grades and the grade point average is given in the General Information  Catalog .

To graduate under option V, students must remain in good standing in the Dean’s Scholars Honors Program, must earn grades of at least A- in the departmental research and thesis courses described in requirement 10 above, and must present their research in an approved public forum, such as the college’s annual Undergraduate Research Forum .

To graduate under option VI, students must remain in good standing with an overall in-residence grade point average of at least 3.30 and an overall grade point average of 3.50 in all human development and family sciences courses.  In addition, student research conducted in Human Development and Family Sciences 355H and 379H must be presented in an approved public forum, such as the college’s annual Undergraduate Research Forum.  Students who fail to maintain the required grade point average may be subject to dismissal from the program. Under special circumstances and at the discretion of the human development and family sciences honors adviser, a student may be allowed to continue under academic review.