Undergraduate Programs in Human Development

and Family Studies

http://worldcampus.psu.edu

TAB L E O F CO NTE NT S

Online Programs in Human Associate in Science in Human Development and Family Studies............ 3 Development and Family Studies............ 7

Step-Up Approach to Learning ............... 4 Children, Youth, and Family

Services Undergraduate Certificate ........ 8

Practical Applications ............................... 5 Adult Development and Aging Services

A Military-Friendly University............... 5 Undergraduate Certificate........................ 9

Bachelor of Science in Human Frequently Asked Questions .................. 10 Development and Family Studies............ 6

Begin Your Application Today .............. 11

Are you interested in understanding human behavior, learning how people relate to one another, and discovering ways to make a difference in their lives? Changing family dynamics, an aging population, and stress across workplace and school environments, along with many other contextual considerations, underscore the growing need for professionals who have the critical thinking skills and knowledge to help support optimal development for individuals and communities.

Our online undergraduate programs in human development and family studies (HDFS) are offered through a strong partnership between Penn State’s College of Health and Human Development and the World Campus, a worldwide leader in online education. The HDFS programs teach you about how individuals develop and change from birth to old age, how families and communities influence these processes, and how to apply this knowledge in order to develop, implement, and evaluate interventions designed to improve people’s lives.

Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Studies

Associate in Science in Human Development and Family Studies

Undergraduate Certificate in Children, Youth, and Family Services

Undergraduate Certificate in Adult Development and Aging Services

Visit worldcampus.psu.edu/hdfs for more information on our programs.

2 | 800-252-3592

Online Programs in Human Development and Family Studies

If you want to improve the well-being and health of individuals and communities and set yourself apart from others on the career ladder, Penn State’s online Bachelor’s Degree in Human Development and Family Studies, the associate degree, or one of our undergraduate certificates could be right for you.

You may already know that you want to work or advance in a human service field, but you need the proper credentials to obtain the right job. Or, maybe you simply know that you want to work with people to help improve their lives, but you are not yet sure how to proceed.

Our curriculum focuses on a wide range of human services and many different groups of people, so you can gain an understanding of human development across the life span and the influences of the family and the community on development. You can learn how people and families develop—biologically, psychologically, and socially.

Penn State’s HDFS programs can develop your foundational skills if you are interested in working in human services with many different types of people—from infants to the elderly— and in many different settings from public and nonprofit agencies to business and government. Armed with this knowledge, you can then choose the best career path to make your biggest personal impact.

We prepare students to become leaders in human services, to develop new models for preventing and treating social and mental health problems, to become advocates for new social programs and policies, or to pursue professional training in clinical and counseling psychology, marriage and family therapy, social work, law, business, medicine, and other health professions.

And, with the online courses, you will have the flexibility to study around your schedule without sacrificing any of the meaningful interactions with knowledgeable, caring faculty and fellow students. Even the degree program internships have been designed to make it possible for you to complete the requirements in your own community setting.

worldcampus.psu.edu | 3

http:worldcampus.psu.edu

Step-Up Approach to Learning Our curriculum is designed to help you reach your ultimate academic goal by achieving important milestones, if you choose, along the way. The credits you earn in one of our undergraduate certificates—children, youth, and family services, or adult development and aging services—are transferable to the Associate Degree in Human Development and Family Studies. In turn, the applicable credits that you earn to complete our associate degree are transferable to the Bachelor’s Degree in Human Development and Family Studies. This model can allow you to experience career benefits all throughout your academic journey.

4 | 800-252-3592

Certificates Undergraduate Certificate in Children, Youth, and Family Services (30 credits)

Undergraduate Certificate in Adult Development and Aging Services (15 credits)

Associate Degree Associate in Science in Human Development and

Family Studies (60 credits)

Bachelor’s Degree Bachelor of Science in Human Development

and Family Studies (120 credits)

Practical Applications The course work for the Penn State World Campus degrees may be online, but preparing for a human services career requires experience working in the field with real people.

Both the associate and the bachelor’s degrees include a human development and family studies internship. HDFS students complete an internship at a human service organization in their community. Through this real-world experience, you can gain a deeper appreciation and more thorough understanding of your field of interest. Designed to enhance your overall learning, this internship can set you apart in the highly competitive job market by helping to build professional networks, establish references, and gain experience applying what you have learned in the classroom.

A Military-Friendly University We appreciate the sacrifices that our active-duty military personnel, veterans, and military dependents make as they serve our country. As a military or veteran student, you are eligible for services and benefits unique to members of the armed forces and their dependents.

Through our commitment to increasing access to education for military personnel, veterans, and military family members, we have aligned our online programs, student support services, policies, and procedures to address your unique needs. To help you understand and take advantage of these services, the Penn State World Campus Military Team can work with you to help you merge educational goals with your military obligations and benefits.

“I’ve accomplished something that

I’ve wanted to…and to be able to

do it while continuing in my career

in the military means a lot.”

—Kristin Ott

HDFS Graduate

worldcampus.psu.edu | 5

- -

Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Studies

The 120-credit Bachelor of Science in HDFS from Penn State can help you learn how individuals develop and change from birth to old age, how families and communities influence these processes, and how to apply this knowledge in order to develop, implement, and evaluate interventions designed to improve people’s lives. The curriculum can provide you with many practical life skills that you should be able to transfer across various aspects of your life and career. With this degree you can gain a better idea of what to expect through the life span and how to make interactions with people of all ages as beneficial as possible.

Career Opportunities

Employers in the human service field are looking for professionals who can oversee treatments and interventions; plan, organize, implement, and coordinate programs; supervise the operations of various centers; and provide leadership for projects. Because of the broad curriculum that covers the entire life span and many different circumstances, you could be prepared for careers that help you make a difference in a wide range of organizations, including:

• preschools, summer camps, and after-school programs

• marriage and family programs • youth and family service organizations • elder care and services agencies • mental health facilities • drug and alcohol treatment centers • health care facilities • nonprofit organizations • human resource departments

These undergraduate programs can also prepare you well for graduate school or advanced clinical training in the social, behavioral, and health sciences.

6 | 800 252 3592

Associate in Science in Human Development and Family Studies

The 60-credit Associate Degree in HDFS integrates practical and academic experiences to provide you with entry-level knowledge in the human service fields. The curriculum can provide you with a general education background, an understanding of life span and family development, and a core of professional skills that may be applied in program planning and service delivery activities.

Depending on your background and ultimate career goals, you can choose one of two curriculum paths within the associate degree:

• The Children, Youth, and Family Services option • The Adult Development and Aging Services option

Whether you already work in a human service–related field or are looking for an entry point into related fields such as social work, education, nonprofit administration, human resources, law and government, or research, you could benefit from this degree.

“Earning a degree is a big deal to

me. With World Campus I could get

online and finish my class for the

day or for the week…and do that

basically any time I wanted.”

—Brandy Withey

HDFS Graduate

worldcampus.psu.edu | 7

http:worldcampus.psu.edu

- -

Children, Youth, and Family Services Undergraduate Certificate

This 30-credit undergraduate certificate can help you learn about individual and family development at all stages of the life cycle. The course work will explore the social, behavioral, and biological aspects of infant, child, and adolescent development within the context of the family, and review historical and current perspectives and intervention approaches.

In this certificate program, you can learn how to improve the quality of programs in a wide variety of community settings. The course work can prepare you for roles in:

• preschools • day care centers • hospitals • institutional and community programs for emotionally disturbed,

abused, or neglected children and adolescents • public welfare and family service agencies

Through this certificate, you can prepare yourself for more advanced responsibilities at your current place of employment. Or, the certificate can help give you the added level of education that prospective employers are looking for.

The certificate can be used as a stepping-stone into Penn State’s online Associate in Science in Human Development and Family Studies. The credits may also be applied toward the Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Studies.

8 | 800 252 3592

Adult Development and Aging Services Undergraduate Certificate

As our nation’s population of older people continues to grow, this field will require many more workers over the coming decades. This 15-credit undergraduate certificate can provide you with a deeper understanding of the issues associated with the aging and the elderly. It focuses on the biological, psychological, and social development of adults and elderly persons, with special emphasis on the various contexts of adult development, optimal aging, and longevity.

Course work in the certificate focuses on enhancing your knowledge and skills for service roles in institutions for the aged, such as:

• nursing homes • assisted living facilities • area agencies on aging • public welfare and family services agencies • mental health facilities • business and industry dealing with older consumers and/or employees

The certificate is an excellent stand-alone credential that you can add to your résumé. With the assistance of your academic adviser, you can also apply the credits from this certificate to the online Associate in Science in Human Development and Family Studies, or the Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Studies, to continue your education even further.

worldcampus.psu.edu | 9

http:worldcampus.psu.edu

Frequently Asked Questions Why is Penn State World Campus the best choice for me?

Collaboration: Penn State has many years of experience providing global access to a real university education, so you can be assured that the course content provides far more than a textbook on a screen. The online HDFS program is a collaboration between Penn State World Campus and Penn State’s Department of Human Development and Family Studies in the College of Health and Human Development. The partnership connects you with outstanding faculty who can help you integrate knowledge about human development from many perspectives.

Flexibility and convenience: Penn State knows that adults need flexible and convenient learning options in order to continue meeting their professional and personal commitments. You can take courses when and where you please, earning your degree at your own pace. Even the internships have been carefully created to allow you to fulfill the requirements in your own community setting.

Reputation: Penn State is universally regarded as one of the finest educational institutions in the United States. Putting a Penn State degree or certificate on your résumé is a great way to broaden your career options and prove to current and potential employers that you are a well-educated professional.

What types of student support are available?

As a distance education pioneer, Penn State has developed a nationally recognized support system for students who are geographically removed from campus. With our team of academic advisers, technical support experts, customer service representatives, and Penn State instructors, we’ll help you get where you want to go— successfully—through distance education.

Can I obtain financial aid to pay for my courses?

Penn State realizes that one of the biggest challenges of returning to school is the cost. That’s why our advisers have been trained to help you make the most of the financial aid options and opportunities available to you.

Is this the real Penn State?

Yes. The World Campus was launched in 1998 as Penn State’s virtual campus administered online. It has since grown into one of the most highly regarded online campuses in the world—extending Penn State’s long-standing reputation as a leader in distance education into the twenty-first century. No distinction will be made on your Penn State diploma that your courses were completed at a distance. The credits you receive are exactly the same as those awarded to on-campus students.

worldcampus.psu.edu/hdfs 10 | 800-252-3592

http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu

Begin Your Application Today To apply to the bachelor’s degree program, the associate degree, or a certificate, you must be a high school graduate or have obtained a GED.

Necessary Documentation

• Official high school transcripts or GED transcript

• Official military transcripts (if applicable) and/or official college or university transcripts, if you attended another institution

• TOEFL or IELTS score (if applicable)

Visit our admissions website for a more detailed description of the requirements and application procedure:

worldcampus.psu.edu/admissions

Did You Know? The HDFS curriculum takes a holistic approach by focusing on individual development from birth to old age from many different perspectives.

Employment is expected to grow faster than average in social and human service fields through 2020.

Our online undergraduate programs in HDFS can successfully prepare you for graduate school studies to diversify your training even further.

Penn State credits and degrees earned online are identical to those earned on campus.

worldcampus.psu.edu | 11

http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/admissionshttp:worldcampus.psu.edu

For More Information

Contact Us pennstateonline@psu.edu worldcampus.psu.edu 800-252-3592 (toll free within the United States) 814-865-5403 (local and international)814-865-3290 Fax

Student Services Hours (inquiries and registration) 8:00 a.m.–9:30 p.m. ET Monday–Thursday 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. ET Friday Closed Saturday and Sunday

Admissions Counseling Hours 8:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. ET Monday–Thursday 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. ET Friday Closed Saturday and Sunday

Penn State World Campus The Pennsylvania State University 128 Outreach Building University Park PA 16802

This publication is available in alternative media on request.Penn State is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants

without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.Produced by Outreach and Online Education Marketing U.Ed. OUT 17-0035/17-WC-0088/ajw/smb

Copyright © 2016 The Pennsylvania State University

https://www.worldcampus.psu.edumailto:pennstateonline@psu.edu

Undergraduate Programs in Human Development and Family Studies Online Programs in Human. Development and Family Studies. Step-Up Approach to Learning. Practical Applications. A Military-Friendly University. Bachelor of Science in Human. Development and Family Studies. Associate in Science in Human. Development and Family Studies. Children, Youth, and Family Services. Undergraduate Certificate. Adult Development and Aging Services. Undergraduate Certificate. Frequently Asked Questions. Begin Your Application Today. Did You Know? For More Information