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People face different challenges and require different types of interventions when they are three years of age than at 60. What are those challenges? How are we different as kids, adolescents or senior citizens? And how can we help people to thrive and throughout the lifespan?

These are some of the questions you will address as an º£½ÇÖ±²¥ Denver Human Development & Family Studies major.

Human Development & Family Studies is an interdisciplinary degree program that combines the study of psychology, sociology, education and other disciplines to give you an understanding of human development from infancy through old age.

The Human Development & Family Studies program available on campus and online, offers several specific course options designed to prepare you for careers working with people. Through small, dynamic empirically-based classes and experiences such as internships, teaching and research assistantships you will acquire both the knowledge and skills necessary to begin a career or pursue graduate studies.

Students can also choose to complete the online Human Development and Family Studies Major and and enjoy the convenience and flexibility of online courses. These courses are taught by º£½ÇÖ±²¥ Denver’s award-winning faculty and offer the same rigor and standards as courses taught on campus.

Take advantage of the opportunity you’ll have as an º£½ÇÖ±²¥ Denver Human Development & Family Studies major to conduct research and complete a senior thesis. These are some recent thesis titles students presented at º£½ÇÖ±²¥ Denver’s Undergraduate Research Conference:

• 21st Century º£½ÇÖ±²¥ Readiness Center Out-of-School Research
• Understanding Education and Health Trends in Homeless Youth
• The Challenges of Transitioning into Adulthood
• Stressed and Depressed: The Role of Self Compassion in º£½ÇÖ±²¥ Students’ Well Being

Facilities and Resources

Located in the Plaza Building, students have access to observation rooms, a dedicated Teaching Assistant room, a student lounge, and collaborative learning spaces. Additional opportunities include faculty-mentored research, internships, and participation in the Research Club, Clinical & Counseling Club, and Psi Chi International Honor Society in Psychology. Together, these facilities and resources support hands-on learning, professional development, and preparation for future careers and graduate study.

The Human Development and Family Studies degree offers a variety of career paths, working with people from their earliest to their latest years.

From becoming early childhood and elementary-age teachers to working in eldercare or pursuing graduate study, the Human Development and Family Studies major offers opportunities for you to customize your degree and future career by choosing the concentration that matches your interest.

Lisa Badanes, Ph.D.

Professor Lisa Badanes looks at how different characteristics of children such as their personalities and their environments affect how they physically respond to stress. How kids respond differently to stress may have an affect on whether they might be at greater risk for emotional, learning and behavioral problems.

Lisa Hagan, Ph.D.

Professor Lisa Hagan is an expert in infant attachment, child cognitive development, how children develop gender roles and the use of psychological theory in education.

º£½ÇÖ±²¥ Denver Human Development and Family Studies alumni have been hired by these organizations:

• Denver Public Schools, elementary school teacher
• Excelsior Youth Center (EYC), counselor
• Carmel Community Living Corporation, case manager
• Touchstone Health Partners, therapist
• Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health, family advocate
• Jefferson County Human Services, grant coordinator

Human Development and Family Studies graduates have been accepted for post-graduate study at:

• Colorado State University, Human Development Ph.D.
• University of Denver, Child Clinical Psychology Ph.D.
• Northeastern University, Counseling M.A.
• Colorado Christian University, Counseling M.A.
• Saint Louis University, Psychology Ph.D.