This is an archived copy of the 2022-23 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 three 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

In the process of fulfilling degree requirements, all students must complete:

  1. Core curriculum
  2. Skills and experience flags:
    a. Writing: two flagged courses beyond Rhetoric and Writing 306 or its equivalent, including one at the upper-division level
    b. Quantitative reasoning: one flagged course
    c. Global cultures: one flagged course
    d. Cultural diversity in the United States: one flagged course
    e. Ethics: one flagged course
    f. Independent inquiry: one flagged course

Courses that may be used to fulfill flag requirements are identified in the Course Schedule. They may be used simultaneously to fulfill other requirements, unless otherwise specified. Please note, students may not earn the cultural diversity in the United States and the global cultures flags from the same course. Students are encouraged to discuss options with their academic advisors. 

  1. Nine semester hours, at least three of which must be upper-division, chosen from courses in economics, social or cultural anthropology, sociology, government, history, linguistics, philosophy, geography and the environment, and psychology; Psychology 304, 333D, and 339 may not be counted toward this degree. Courses used to fulfill this requirement may not also be used to fulfill Core Curriculum requirements.
  2. At least 36 semester hours of upper-division coursework; at least 21 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: Human Development and Family Sciences Bachelor of Science

6.Statistics and Data Sciences 302F; Mathematics 408C, 408N, 408R or Statistics and Data Sciences 324E

7. Chemistry 301 or 301C; Biology 311C; Biology 311D or Chemistry 302 or 302C; and three additional semester hours of coursework in astronomy, biology, chemistry, computer science, geological sciences, neuroscience, mathematics, physics, or nutrition. Courses designed for non-science majors may not be counted toward this requirement.

8. Human Ecology 101P, 102P, and 103P; Nutrition 306 or Public Health 317; and an additional three semester hours from Nutrition, Public Health, Textiles and Apparel, or Human Development and Family Sciences 322. Students should confer with their advisors about courses appropriate to their career goals

9. Human Development and Family Sciences lower division course requirements (13 credit hours):  304, 313, 113L, 315L, and 305 or 306.

10. Human Development and Family Sciences upper division course requirements: 21 credit hours chosen from HDF upper division offerings (excluding Human Development and Family Sciences 322, 357, 359, 352, 652F, 352L, 652P, 355H and 355R). Three credit hours of upper-division coursework must include a writing-flag course (no more than six-hours of upper-division coursework can include writing flags).

11. Six hours chosen from Human Development and Family Sciences 352, 652F, 352L, 652P, 359, and 355R. Registration for Human Development and Family Sciences 352, 652F, 352L, 652P, 359 and 355R is restricted to students whose applications have been approved. Applications, as well as application deadlines, are available online and through the practicum coordinator.

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 301C and 302C; 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, 313H, 114H, 315L, 305 or 306 and 18 semester hours chosen from the following: Human Development and Family Sciences 335, 337, 338, 340, 342, 343, 345, 347, 351, 353, 358, 362, 371, 372K, 378L, 378K, and approved social science courses.
  4. A section of Undergraduate Studies 302 or 303 that is approved by the departmental honors advisor.
  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. Ten additional semester hours of coursework approved by the departmental honors advisor.
  8. Six hours of coursework from the College of Liberal Arts and/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. Statistics and Data Sciences 302F; Mathematics 408C, 408N, 408R, or Statistics and Data Sciences 324E.
  2. Chemistry 301 or 301C; Biology 311C; and Biology 311D or Chemistry 302 or 302C.
  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, 313H, 114H, 315L, 305 or 306; 18 semester hours chosen from: Human Development and Family Sciences 335, 337, 338, 340, 342, 343, 345, 347, 351, 353, 358, 362, 371, 372K, 378L, 378K, 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 advisor.
  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 submit an honors thesis approved by the departmental honors advisor, and present their research in an approved public forum, such as the college’s annual Undergraduate Research Forum. More information about the Undergraduate Research Forum is available at https://cns.utexas.edu/.

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 advisor, a student may be allowed to continue under academic review.


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