Human Development and Family Studies
Graduate Program
hhd.psu.edu/hdfs
The graduate program in Human Development and Family Studies at Penn State helps students develop into exceptional researchers and scholars.
The Program
Through coursework and assistantships, students develop critical thinking, writing, research, and teaching skills. Graduates become leaders in academia, government, or in applied and policy-related research institutes. Students will become part of a highly collegial and supportive community in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies committed to the success of its graduates.
The Department
Human Development and Family Studies offers an interdisciplinary approach to development across the life span. Courses and research within the department emphasize topic areas such as child and adolescent development, adult development and aging, neuroscience and other biological aspects of human development, family studies, prevention science, and developmental research methods. The department has been recognized as the top interdisciplinary developmental science program in the nation.
Program Highlights • Highest ranked HDFS program nationwide • Rated in the Top 5 Developmental Psychology Programs by U.S. News & World Report • Internationally renowned research and training in statistical methods
Primary Areas of Research Individual Development
Research at all stages of the lifespan: • Infancy • Early childhood • Adolescence • Adult development • Gerontology
Family Studies • • • • • • •
Research across multiple levels of analysis: • Genetics • Neuroscience • Behavior • Community • Policy
Family formation Transitions to parenthood Sibling relationships Family cohesion Family relationships during adolescence Work-family issues Cultural context for family function
Prevention Research • • • • •
Socio-emotional curriculum for school-aged children Substance use prevention Cost-benefit analysis and program evaluation Government and policy Translational science
Methodology • • • • •
Advanced methods for studying change over time Data mining and methods for “big data” Integrating multiple data streams Data analysis techniques for intensive longitudinal data Advanced techniques for designing clinical trials
Funding
The department has multiple training grants in the areas of substance use, adult development and aging, education science, and others. All students are fully funded for a minimum of four years, with a strong history of funding support to completion of the degree for students who remain in good standing.
Student Success
Successful graduates are prepared for highly competitive positions in academia. HDFS alumni hold academic appointments in departments of: behavioral science, biobehavioral health, education, family science, gerontology, human development, human services, kinesiology, pediatrics, psychology, public health, quantitative psychology, social work, sociology, and women’s studies. In addition to academic, graduates also successfully pursue careers in government, private industry, and non-profit settings.
Productivity • Approximately half of our graduate students present research at national conferences each year • Graduate Students contribute to or lead approximately 50 publications per year.
FAQ How is HDFS different than psychology? In many ways HDFS encompasses the foundation of developmental psychology, but approaches research from a broader disciplinary perspective. By focusing on the various contexts in which individuals develop and function we take a multifaceted approach to studying complex social problems. Multidisciplinary research is the wave of the future, and our students are well equipped to thrive in such research environments. HDFS encompasses research spanning from basic science through the application of scientific knowledge in applied contexts.
Will having my degree in HDFS instead of something more traditional be a problem when I go into the job market? Not at all. The multidisciplinary training environment HDFS provides makes students competitive in a wide range of academic departments including psychology (in areas such as quantitative, developmental, and behavioral), sociology, public health, and education to name a few.
Do you offer funding for graduate students? Yes! All students are supported with teaching assistantships, research assistantships, fellowships, or training grants. Regardless of the source, these support mechanisms pay students’ tuition, health insurance, and provide a monthly stipend.
Contact Lisa Gatzke-Kopp Professor in Charge, Graduate Studies lmk18@psu.edu hhd.psu.edu/hdfs/Graduate-Education
Penn State is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, and is committed to providing employment opportunities to minorities, women, veterans, individuals with disabilities, and other protected groups. Nondiscrimination: http://guru.psu.edu/policies/AD85.html (KINES17070) U.Ed. HHD 17-070
Human Development and Family Studies