Courses for the HDFS Major

HDFS Courses taught at Penn State DuBois: 

HDFS 129 (GS) Introduction to Human Development and Family Studies (3) Introduction to psychosocial and family development at all stages of the individual and family life cycle. 

HDFS 216 Personal and Interpersonal Skills (3) Conceptions of life span personal and interpersonal skill enhancement.

HDFS 218 Foundations of Marriage (3) Factors influencing the husband/wife relationship across the life course. 

HDFS 219 Family Financial Management (3) How families plan their finances and factors that determine their decisions.

HDFS 229 (GS) Infant and Child Development (3) Theory, research, and methods of social/behavioral/biological sciences related to developmental processes and intervention during infancy and childhood.

HDFS 230 Overview of Curricular Practices in Early Childhood Care and Education (3) Curricular practices in programs for infants, toddlers and preschoolers.  Focus on developmentally appropriate practice, emergent curriculum and home/child care links. Prerequisite: HDFS 229. 

HDFS 231 Guidance in Early Childhood Care and Education (3) Positive guidance methods for infants, toddlers and preschoolers, leading to self-control and social capability.  Parent communication and education component.  Prerequisite: HDFS 229. 

HDFS 239 (GS) Adolescent Development (3) Social, behavioral, and biological development and intervention throughout adolescence.

HDFS 249 (GS) Adult Development and Aging (3) Physiological, psychological, and social development and intervention from your adulthood through old age. 

HDFS 301 Values and Ethics in Health and Human Development Professions (3) Examines bases for choices among values in personal and professional relations in human development processes and supporting services. 

HDFS 302A Leadership and Technology Skills for Human Services Professionals (3) Development of skills essential for contemporary human services professionals, including critical thinking, problem solving, electronic communications, and information handling.  Prerequisite: HDFS 129. 

HDFS 311 Human Development and Family Studies Interventions (3) Survey of individual and family formal and informal intervention efforts; historical and current perspectives and approaches. Prerequisite: HDFS 129. 

HDFS 312W Empirical Inquiry in Human Development (3) Introduction to the skills involved in critical thinking in general and the methods of empirical inquiry in particular. Prerequisite: a grade of C or better in ED PSY 101 or STAT 200.

HDFS 315/315W Family Development (3) Family functions over the life course: family from a multidisciplinary perspective, emphasizing adaptation and change.  Prerequisites: HDFS 129; 3 credits of social, behavioral, or human biological sciences. 

HDFS 330 Observation or Experience with Children, Youth, and Families (3) Directed observations of, or supervised experience with, children, youth, and families in group or home settings.  Prerequisite: HDFS 229 or PSY 213. 

HDFS 395 Internship (1 – 18).  Supervised off-campus, nongroup instruction including field experiences, practica, or internships.  Written and oral critique of activity required. Six credits of HDFS 395 are required for the Associate Degree in HDFS.  Prerequisite: prior approval of proposed assignment by instructor. 

HDFS 401 Project Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation in the Human Services (3) This course prepares the student for the baccalaureate internship.  Exercises and activities related to the design, planning, implementation and management, and evaluation of projects and programs in the human services.  Prerequisite: HDFS 312W; approval by internship coordinator. Prerequisite or concurrent: HDFS 411. 

HDFS 402 Human Services Seminar (4) Presentations and discussion of contemporary human issues by students and visiting professionals. This course is taken concurrently with HDFS 495C, the baccalaureate internship, and provides the supervision for the internship.  Prerequisites: HDFS 312W and HDFS 401. 

HDFS 411 The Helping Relationship (3) Theory and research related to interpersonal conditions which facilitate personal growth; intensive interpersonal competency training.  Prerequisites: HDFS 311, 312W, or 6 credits in HDFS or psychology. 

HDFS 412 Adult-Child Relationships (3) Theories, research, and application of adult behavior for maximizing adult-child relationships and optimizing child socialization and self-development. Prerequisites: HDFS 229 or PSY 213, HDFS 311, HDFS 315/315W; HDFS 312W. 

HDFS 413 Developmental Problems in Adulthood (3) Analysis of individual developmental problems from young adulthood through old age and their prevention and modification. Prequisites: HDFS 129, HDFS 249, 312W. 

HDFS 414 Resolving Human Development and Family Problems (3) Strategies for, and roles of professional specialists in, the solution of problems in human development and family functioning.  Prerequisites: HDFS 312W, 6 credits in HDFS or psychology. 

HDFS 418 Family Relationships (3) Dynamics of family interaction; effects of parenthood, sibling and intergenerational relationships and family solidarity.  Prerequisites: HDFS 312W, HDFS 315/315W. 

HDFS 429 Advanced Child Development (3) Processes of development during childhood, from birth to adolescence.  Emphasis upon theory, method, and empirical research.  Prerequisites: HDFS 229 or PSY 213, HDFS 312W. 

HDFS 432 Developmental Problems in Childhood and Adolescence (3) Analysis of problems in individual development from infancy through adolescence; prevention and modification of developmental difficulties. Prerequisites: HDFS 229 or PSY 213, HDFS 239, HDFS 312W. 

HDFS 433 Developmental Transition to Adulthood (3) Conceptual analysis and empirical investigation of interrelationships between developmental processes during the period of pubertal growth.  Prerequisites: HDFS 239, HDFS 312W. 

HDFS 434 Social Gerontology (3) An analysis of the demographic, social, and cultural factors affecting the aged population in American society.  Prerequisites: HDFS 312W, 6 credits in sociology. 

HDFS (PSY) 445 Development throughout Adulthood (3) Processes of development and change of behavior from early adulthood through old age, emphasizing theory, method, and empirical research.  Prerequisites: HDFS 249, HDFS 312W,  statistics; 6 credits in HDFS, psychology, or sociology. 

HDFS 447 Issues in Gerontology (3) Analysis of major issues in adulthood and aging, with an emphasis on integration of theory and research.  Prerequisites: HDFS 249 or 445, HDFS 312W. 

HDFS 455 Development and Administration of Human Services Programs (3) Fundamentals of program development and administration of human service programs in community settings; emphasis given to program content, strategies, and the overall planning process. Prerequisites: HDFS 312W. 

HDFS 494 Research Project (1-12) Prerequisite: HDFS 312W. 

HDFS 495C Professional Practicum in Human Services (6-8) Guided professional practicum in human services, usually in the form of a project (internship) related to a human services issue.  Prerequisites: HDFS 312W, 401 or 490.  

Other Courses that HDFS Majors often take at Penn State DuBois:
 

ADM J (SOC) 012 (GS) Criminology (3) Explanations and measurement of crime; criminal law; characteristics of criminals and victims; violent, property, white-collar, organized, and sexual crimes. 

ADM J (SOC) 013 Juvenile Delinquency (3) Juvenile conduct, causes of delinquency, current methods of treatment; organization and function of agencies concerned with delinquency. 

BBH 143 (GHS) Drugs in society (3)  

BBH 146 (GHS) Introduction to Health Aspects of Human Sexuality (3)  

CN ED 401 Foundations of Chemical Dependency Counseling (3) An overview of diagnosis and assessment, models for chemical dependency prevention, counseling, and recovery; contexts of chemical dependency treatment.  Prerequisite: 3 credits in general psychology. 

CN ED 403 Foundations of Guidance and Counseling Processes (3) Factors in personal choice-making; rationale for and elements of guidance and counseling processes in school, college, and rehabilitation settings. Prerequisite: 6 credits in psychology and/or sociology.

CN ED 404 Group Procedures in Guidance and Counseling (3) The nature and functioning of groups in educational and agency settings.  Provides prospective counselors with experience in the group process.  Prerequisites: 6 credits in counselor education; 6 credits in psychology, sociology, or HDFS. 

CN ED 420 Chemical Dependency: Youth at Risk (3) Study of youth who are at risk of developing chemical dependency, including the characteristics and factors related to chemical dependency.  Prerequisite: CN ED 401. 

CN ED 421 Counseling Strategies for Preventing Chemical Dependency (3) Examines helping professional’s role in primary and secondary prevention of substance abuse, and related problems like delinquency, suicide, and pregnancy.  Prerequisite: CN ED 401. 

CN ED 423 Student Assistance Programs (3) Exploration of early stages of adolescent “at-risk” behavior and skills for student assessment and intervention within schools and communities. Prerequisite: CN ED 401. 

ED PSY 101 (GQ) Analysis and Interpretation of Statistical Data in Education (3) An introduction to quantitative methods in educational research emphasizing the interpretation of frequently encountered statistical procedures. 

NURS  464 Dying and Death (3) Exploration of attitudes toward death and dying: concept of grief, responsibilities to the dying person and the family.  Prerequisite: PSY 002 (PSYCH 100) or SOC 001. 

PSY 002 (PSYCH 100) (GS) Introductory Psychology.  (3) Introduction to general psychology; principles of human behavior and their applications. 

PSY 201W Basic Research Methods in Psychology (4) Introduction to methods of psychological research, with special attention to hypothesis formation and testing, threats to validity, and data presentation.  Prerequisites: PSY 002 (PSYCH 100); PSY 015 or STAT 200. 

PSY 213 (GS) Introduction to Developmental Psychology (3) Developmental principles; physical growth; linguistic, intellectual, emotional, and social development from infancy to maturity.  Prerequisite: PSY 002 (PSYCH 100). 

PSY 238 Introduction to Personality Psychology (3) Past and recent conceptualizations of key issues and root ideas of personality psychology. Prerequisite: PSY 002(PSYCH 100). 

PSY 243 (GS) Psychology of Personal Well-Being and Adjustment (3) Applying psychological knowledge to develop and maintain effective personal adjustment and well-being and positive social relations.  Prerequisite: PSY 002 (PSYCH 100). 

PSY 438 Theory of Personality (3) General survey of various theories of personality, with emphasis on experimental findings.  Prerequisite: PSY 002 (PSYCH 100). 

PSY (HDFS) 445 Development Throughout Adulthood (3) Processes of development and change of behavior from early adulthood through old age, emphasizing theory, method, and empirical research.  Prerequisites: HDFS 312W, PSY 002 (PSYCH 100); statistics; 6 credits in HDFS, psychology, or sociology. 

SOC 001 (GS) Introductory Sociology (3) The nature and characteristics of human societies and social life. 

SOC 003 (GS) Introductory Social Psychology (3) The impact of the social environment on perception, attitudes, and behavior. 

SOC 005 (GS) Social Problems (3) Current social problems such as economic, racial, and gender inequalities; social deviance and crime; population, environmental, energy, and health problems. 

SOC (ADM J) 012 (GS) Criminology (3) Explanations and measurement of crime; criminal law; characteristics of criminals and victims; violent, property, white-collar, organized, and sexual crimes. 

SOC (ADM J) 013 (GS) Juvenile Delinquency (3) Juvenile conduct, causes of delinquency, current methods of treatment; organization and function of agencies concerned with delinquency. 

SOC 055 (GS) Work in Modern Society (3) The nature of work in varied occupational and organizational settings; current trends and work life in the future. 

SOC 174 Psychological and Sociological Aspects of Death (3) An introductory, interdisciplinary approach to the psychology and sociology of death, stressing the significance of, and attitudes toward, mortality.  Prerequisites: PSY 002 (PSYCH 100), SOC 001.