The Human Development and Family Science program prepares Carolina undergraduates — motivated to make a difference in the lives of individuals, families, and communities — for careers in human services and beyond,as well as a range of graduate programs. Students take interdisciplinary coursework that buildsfoundational knowledge of children, families, and the diverse contexts that shape development.
Students in the HDFS program may apply to the School of Education Honors Program, which offers participants the opportunity to sharpen their skills in analysis, synthesis, and research while engaging in a thesis project alongside faculty mentors.
Best for:
Best for undergraduate students interested in human services careers and graduate study focused on supporting children, families, and communities.
Since middle school, Tatiana Aguilar's career goal has been to work for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That goal was a result of her experiences volunteering with the Boys and Girls Club in Charlotte as a teen. Aguilar said that many of the members she worked with were first-generation immigrant youth who lived…
Growing up, Morgan Whithaus knew she wanted to be a teacher. She loved to write, and she assumed she'd end up teaching high-school English, helping students perfect their essays. Eager to get started, she worked as a teacher assistant in her high school, but she was dismayed to find that it wasn't the right fit.…
The School of Education’s Human Development and Family Studies program has received certification from the National Council on Family Relations, which provides the program’s graduates access to provisional certification as Certified Family Life Educators. “We are delighted to receive news of this certification,” said Fouad Abd-El-Khalick, dean of the School of Education. “It serves as…
Students in the Human Development and Family Studies program in the UNC School of Education are learning that the program's internships are offering them not only valuable experience, but also leads on jobs after they graduate in May. "I cannot envision the program taking any other direction than having this culminating experience of an internship…
Three School of Education students — all majoring in Human Development and Family Studies – are among Carolina students recently inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest and most honored college honorary society. The students – Miranda Black, Katie Childrey and Rebekah Sullivan – are among 194 UNC-Chapel Hill students inducted into Phi Beta…