The mission of the Human Development and Family Science program is to be first and
foremost proactive in its holistic approach to working with diverse individuals and
families. Much of our work is educational in nature, focusing on improving clients’
current and future abilities to function. In addition, we collaboratively seek to
empower individuals facing challenges across the lifespan. Through the development
of creative problem-solving, and critical thinking and strong interpersonal skills,
graduates pursue careers in various professional roles aimed at preserving and supporting
families and individuals at all stages of life.
Samantha Weir wins Athena YP award
Congratulations to Samantha Weir for winning the Athena YP! Samantha has only been
a member since August of 2022 and has already been nominated for this prestigious
award. To meet the criteria, the nominee must have achieved the highest level of professional
excellence, contributes time and energy to improve the quality of life for others
in the community, and actively assists others, particularly women, in realizing their
full leadership potential. Some benefits of being involved in Athena are, creating
leadership opportunities for women, empowering other women leaders, networking opportunities
within the community and media coverage that can result in exposure for businesses
and organizations. The mission of Athena International is to develop, support and
honor girls and women from the classroom to the boardroom, building a global pipeline
of women leaders. You can find more information about this organization here.
Students win at Scholars Week
Congratulations to CDFS students on your win at Scholars Week! Students in Dr. Oldham’s
Family Life Education (FLE) Program Development and Evaluation course engage in a
rigorous literature review to develop a community education program designed to support
individual and family well-being. This group developed a program to support adolescents
and their families after a primary guardian had been diagnosed with a terminal illness.
They won third place for in the College of Behavior and Health Science on the presentations
of their prospective FLE program at MTSU’s 2023 Scholars Week.
Related Media
-
Preview | Human Development & Family Science Degree
-
Child Development and Family Studies Program at MTSU
-
Child Development and Family Studies | "Why I Chose MTSU"
-
MTSU | The University of Opportunities
With the opportunity to learn about the entire family—from human development to family
dynamics—individuals who choose to major in Human Development and Family Science find
career opportunities in many settings. Students who choose to pursue the nationally
approved program that allows one to become a Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE)
may find opportunities in family life education, social service agencies, day care
programs, crisis intervention programs, and senior citizen services. The demand for
those with people-oriented skills is expected to increase in the coming years. Examples
of career options include
- Adoption and/or foster care worker
- Behavior modification specialist
- Child Development and family advocate
- Child care provider and administrator
- Child life specialist
- Crisis intervention service provider
- Early intervention specialist
- Elder care advocate, service provider, or administrator
- Family and child case worker
- Family and consumer sciences extension agent
- Family life educator
- Family resource and support center professional
- Social services director
- Youth counselor
Employers of MTSU alumni include
- Adam's Place
- Bethany Christian Services (adoption)
- CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) of Rutherford Co.
- Child Advocacy Center
- Community Care of Rutherford County
- Division of Children’s Services
- Eden Alternative
- Head Start
- Kids R Kids
- LeBonheur Children's Hospital
- Middle Tennessee State University: University College; College of Behavioral and Health
Sciences
- Murfreesboro Domestic Violence Program
- Special Kids
- Stones River Manor Assisted Living
- Sunnington Assisted Living
- Tennessee Early Intervention System
- University of Tennessee Extension
- Youth Villages
For complete curriculum details, click on the REQUIREMENTS button to the right.
A major in Human Development and Family Science concentration requires one minor.
CDFS students typically take minors such as Aging Studies, Business Administration,
Entrepreneurship, Foreign Languages, Health and Human Performance, Psychology, or
Sociology. Electives may be used to build strong combinations with other fields of
interest.
Professional Licensure Disclosure
The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Family and Consumer Studies with a concentration in Child Development and Family Studies at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) is accredited by the American Association for Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) and approved by the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR) to prepare students for its Certified Family Life Educator(CFLE) credential. Students should consult the NCFR website at https://www.ncfr.org/cfle-certification for more information about this national credential and discuss their plans with their advisor.
Human Development and Family Science, B.S.
Human Sciences
Claire Cook, program coordinator
615-898-5914
Claire.Cook@mtsu.edu
The curriculum leading to a major in Human Development and Family Science is designed primarily for preparation in broad areas of the field. Electives may be used to build strong combinations with other fields of interest.
Human Development and Family Science is a nationally approved program that offers preparation for a student to become a Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE). Completion of this program leads to career opportunities with family life education, social service agencies, day care programs (care giving and administration), crisis intervention programs, and senior citizen services; in business as consultants; in medical settings as child life specialists; and as advocates for children and families.
NOTE: Students interested in becoming Certified Family Life Educators (CFLE) must earn a grade of C- or higher in all CFLE-approved CDFS and related courses.
Academic Map
Following is a printable, suggested four-year schedule of courses:
Human Development and Family Science, B.S. Academic Map
Degree Requirements
| General Education | 41 hours |
| Major Requirements | 62-63 hours |
| Electives | 16-17 hours |
| TOTAL | 120 hours |
General Education (41 hours)
General Education requirements include courses in Communication, History, Humanities and/or Fine Arts, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social/Behavioral Sciences categories.
The following courses recommended by the program meet General Education requirements:
Major Requirements (62-63 hours)
CDFS 3310 - Human Development (Birth to 8)
3 credit hours
(Same as ECE 3310.) Physical, cognitive, psychosocial development of the child, from birth to eight years of age. Diversity issues affecting development addressed. Fifteen hours observation outside of class time required.
CDFS 3320 - Family Relations
3 credit hours
Family systems, giving consideration to interpersonal relationships. The structure, function, and development of families in a changing society and in relation to other social institutions.
CDFS 3330 - Dynamics of Interpersonal Relationships
3 credit hours
Skills and knowledge essential to the development and maintenance of interpersonal and work relationships analyzed. Topics focus on self-awareness, communication in various types of relationships, and managing feelings and conflict.
CDFS 3390 - Child Development and Family Studies Professional Seminar
3 or 6 credit hours
Prerequisites: Senior standing; CDFS major. A prerequisite to HSC 4101. A minimum of 200 hours of field placement service learning along with a 100 hour seminar covering the topics of ethics, networking, and professionalism relating to children and families. Field placement site must be approved by instructor.
CDFS 4140 - Violence in the Family
3 credit hours
(Same as SOC 4140.) Prerequisite: CDFS 3320 or SOC 2500 with C or better or permission of instructor. The causes, dynamics, and consequences of violence in the family. Includes the discussion of violence toward children, spouses, dating partners, siblings, and elders. Emphasizes the social conditions which lead to these types of violence.
CDFS 4310 - Human Development III
3 credit hours
In-depth study of physical, intellectual, social, and emotional factors influencing development during adolescence and the reciprocal influences between adolescent development and the family system. Emphasis on the ecological perspective to include the relation between adolescent development, families, and society.
CDFS 4340 - The Contemporary Family
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: CDFS 3320 with C or better or permission of instructor. An ecological approach to the study of contemporary issues, problems, questions, and life styles as they relate to families and individuals.
CDFS 4350 - Parenting
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: CDFS 3320 or CDFS 3310 or PSY 4190 with C or better, or permission of instructor. Knowledge of parenting and parent/child interactions and the role of the parent educator from various theoretical and applied perspectives.
CDFS 4390 - Families in Later Life
3 credit hours
Prerequisites: Human Science majors - CDFS 3320 with C or better; Sociology majors - SOC 2600 with C or better or permission of instructor. Examination of families in later life from an ecological approach with emphasis on family forms and relationships.
CDFS 4391 - Aging Health and Development
3 credit hours
Prerequisites: CDFS 3320 or SOC 2600 with C or better or permission of the instructor; senior standing. A service learning opportunity that provides students with understanding of the concepts and application of aging, families in later life, assessment, and gerontological program planning and implementation. May be repeated with permission of instructor. Meets four hours per week.
CDFS 4710 - Economic and Social Contexts of Individuals and Families
3 credit hours
Prerequisites: CDFS 3320 with C or better; senior standing; CDFS major. Cultivates an understanding of the diverse economic and social contexts of individuals and families. Critical self-reflection along with analysis of contemporary policies, events, and issues aim to increase student awareness of how such contexts affect individual and family development and wellbeing.
CDFS 4740 - Advocacy and Public Policy for Individuals and Families Across the Lifespan
3 credit hours
Prerequisites: CDFS 3310, CDFS 3320, and CDFS 4340 (all with C or better). Utilizes an ecological perspective focusing on policy and advocacy issues affecting individuals, families, and professionals within the area of child development and family studies. Students gain experience advocating for systemic change impacting individual and families throughout the lifespan.
CDFS 4790 - Family Life Program Development and Evaluation
3 credit hours
Prerequisites: Senior standing; CDFS major. Addresses concepts of family life education as they apply to the development, implementation, and evaluation of programs. Incorporates developmentally appropriate criteria for individuals and families over the life span.
HSC 1010 - Career Orientation
1 credit hour
Development and scope of Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences as a profession; its wide variety of career opportunities with analysis of interests, aptitudes, proficiency, and education related to success in these areas.
HSC 4000 - Senior Seminar
1 credit hour
Prerequisites: HSC 1010 or NFS 1010 with C or better and senior standing. Examines Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences professions from a global perspective. Identifies skills for success in developing and managing a career. Includes resume and cover letters, leadership, networking, life/work planning, and ethics and professionalism in Human Sciences fields.
HSC 4101 - Internship: Child Development and Family Studies
6 credit hours
Prerequisites: CDFS 3310, CDFS 3330, CDFS 3390, CDFS 4140, CDFS 4310, CDFS 4340, CDFS 4350, CDFS 4390, CDFS 4391, CDFS 4710, and CDFS 4790. Permission of department and minimum 2.25 GPA, and specific program area course requirements. Experiential learning opportunity to provide students with supervised professional work experience in their major fields. Minimum of 300 hours at internship site plus seminars.
HSC 4410 - Consumer Economics
3 credit hours
Study of the economic system and factors influencing consumer decisions and the marketplace; identifies social, economic, and political forces shaping consumer demands; and analyzes the influence of customs, trends, peer groups, and advertising.
NFS 1240 - Introduction to Nutrition and Wellness
3 credit hours
Introduces human nutrition and its relationship to wellness with an emphasis on critically evaluating the roles that family, culture, religion, politics, economics, and geography have on food choices and diet quality.
HLTH 4360 - Teaching Human Sexuality
3 credit hours
Assists individuals in developing, implementing, and evaluating human sexuality curricula and programs for schools (K-12) and other educational venues.
PSY 4600 - Psychosexual Adjustment
3 credit hours
The integration of psychological, social, behavioral, and biological components of the human sexual experience. Examines research, sexual development, attitudes and behaviors, variances and dysfunctions, and strategies for intervention.
Choose one course from:
CDFS 3300 - Caring Across Generations
4 credit hours
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. A service learning course in which students are trained as certified nurses' assistants (CNAs) including basic care skills as well as interaction with the elderly and their families. Designed to help students assess their level of interest in pursuing careers in working with children and/or the elderly in a medical setting.
CDFS 4391 - Aging Health and Development
3 credit hours
Prerequisites: CDFS 3320 or SOC 2600 with C or better or permission of the instructor; senior standing. A service learning opportunity that provides students with understanding of the concepts and application of aging, families in later life, assessment, and gerontological program planning and implementation. May be repeated with permission of instructor. Meets four hours per week.
CDFS 4400 - Children in Healthcare Settings
3 credit hours
Prerequisites: CDFS 3310 or PSY 4190 with C or better; CDFS 3320 with C or better or equivalent; permission of department. Offers instruction on child life techniques used to help minimize the potential negative impact of the healthcare environment on children's development.
CDFS 4720 - Family Centered Community Building II
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: CDFS 4710 with C or better or permission of instructor. A service-learning course based on the application of family-centered community building. Introduces undergraduate students as well as community practitioners to issues and activities intended to help build stronger, more cohesive, and family-centered communities. Offered spring only.
HSC 4420 - Personal and Family Management
3 credit hours
Examines management functions. Emphasis on management roles and responsibilities of Human Sciences professionals, the relationship of the learning organization concept to the Human Sciences profession, and the use of quality improvement techniques to solve problems encountered by professionals.
NFS 4210 - Nutrition in Aging
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: NFS 1240 or NFS 2220 with C or better. Nutritional needs of elderly individuals and how these requirements are affected by physiological, pathological, and socioeconomic changes associated with aging. Emphasis placed on assessment, nutrition counseling skills, and resources to assist elderly individuals with adequate nutrient intake.
NFS 4251 - Nutrition for the Young Child
3 credit hours
Fundamentals of nutrition with emphasis on its relationship to growth, development, and health during the prenatal period, infancy, and childhood. Geared to Early Childhood Education and Human Development and Family Science majors.
Electives (16-17 hours)
Curriculum: Human Development and Family Science
Curricular listings include General Education requirements in Communication, History, Humanities and/or Fine Arts, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social/Behavioral Sciences categories.
Freshman
ENGL 1010 - Expository Writing
3 credit hours
The first General Education English course. Emphasis on learning to adapt composing processes to a variety of expository and analytic writing assignments. Minimum grade of C- required to meet degree requirements.
ENGL 1020 - Research and Argumentative Writing
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: ENGL 1010. The second General Education English course. Emphasis on analytic and argumentative writing and on locating, organizing, and using library resource materials in the writing. Minimum grade of C- required to meet degree requirements.
- Humanities and/or Fine Arts (2 prefixes) 6 credit hours
COMM 2200 - Fundamentals of Communication
3 credit hours
Introduces principles and processes of effective public oral communication including researching, critical thinking, organizing, presenting, listening, and using appropriate language. Counts as part of the General Education Communication requirement. TBR Common Course: COMM 2025
MATH 1010 - Mathematics for General Studies
3 credit hours
Prerequisites: Two years of high school algebra and a Math Enhanced ACT of at least 19 or DSPM 0850 or COMPASS placement. Course satisfies the General Education Mathematics requirement and is also part of the mathematics sequence for students preparing to become elementary school teachers. Topics include logic, sets, algebraic reasoning, probability, statistics, and consumer mathematics. TBR Common Course: MATH 1010
CDFS 3320 - Family Relations
3 credit hours
Family systems, giving consideration to interpersonal relationships. The structure, function, and development of families in a changing society and in relation to other social institutions.
HSC 1010 - Career Orientation
1 credit hour
Development and scope of Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences as a profession; its wide variety of career opportunities with analysis of interests, aptitudes, proficiency, and education related to success in these areas.
- Natural Sciences 4 credit hours
- Social/Behavioral Sciences 3 credit hours
Subtotal: 30 Hours
Sophomore
ENGL 2020 - Themes in Literature and Culture
3 credit hours
Prerequisites: ENGL 1010 and ENGL 1020. Traces a specific theme or idea through a number of literary texts that reflect different historical and cultural contexts. Subject will vary.
ENGL 2030 - The Experience of Literature
3 credit hours
Prerequisites: ENGL 1010 and ENGL 1020. The reading of a variety of literary types which illuminate themes and experiences common to human existence.
HUM 2610 - World Literatures
3 credit hours
Prerequisites: ENGL 1010 and ENGL 1020. Representative works of French, German, and Hispanic authors in English translation. No foreign-language proficiency required. Carries General Education credit.
CDFS 3310 - Human Development (Birth to 8)
3 credit hours
(Same as ECE 3310.) Physical, cognitive, psychosocial development of the child, from birth to eight years of age. Diversity issues affecting development addressed. Fifteen hours observation outside of class time required.
CDFS 3330 - Dynamics of Interpersonal Relationships
3 credit hours
Skills and knowledge essential to the development and maintenance of interpersonal and work relationships analyzed. Topics focus on self-awareness, communication in various types of relationships, and managing feelings and conflict.
PSY 1410 - General Psychology
3 credit hours
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PSY 1410 - General Psychology
3 credit hours
Prescribed prerequisite: READ 1000. Introductory survey course. Includes biological foundations, perception, principles of learning, intelligence, motivation, emotion, human development, personality, social psychology, behavior disorders, and psychotherapy.
- Natural Sciences 4 credit hours
NFS 1240 - Introduction to Nutrition and Wellness
3 credit hours
Introduces human nutrition and its relationship to wellness with an emphasis on critically evaluating the roles that family, culture, religion, politics, economics, and geography have on food choices and diet quality.
HSC 4410 - Consumer Economics
3 credit hours
Study of the economic system and factors influencing consumer decisions and the marketplace; identifies social, economic, and political forces shaping consumer demands; and analyzes the influence of customs, trends, peer groups, and advertising.
HIST 2010 - Survey of United States History I
3 credit hours
Survey of the political, economic, social, cultural, and diplomatic phases of American life in its regional, national, and international aspects. Discusses the era from the beginning to 1877. May be used to satisfy one part of the General Education History requirement. HIST 2010 is NOT a prerequisite for HIST 2020. TBR Common Course: HIST 2010
HIST 2020 - Survey of United States History II
3 credit hours
Survey of the political, economic, social, cultural, and diplomatic phases of American life in its regional, national, and international aspects. Discusses the era from 1877 to the present. May be used to satisfy one part of the the General Education History requirement. HIST 2010 is NOT a prerequisite for HIST 2020. TBR Common Course: HIST 2020
HIST 2030 - Tennessee History
3 credit hours
The role of the state in the development of the nation. May be used to satisfy one part of the General Education History requirement. TBR Common Course: HIST 2030
HIST 2040 - Survey African American History I
3 credit hours
The role of African Americans in establishing and shaping the American nation. Covers their historical development and contributions to American art, music, literature, and religion. May be used to satisfy one part of the General Education History requirement.
NOTE: HIST 2040 is not a prerequisite for HIST 2050.
HIST 2050 - Survey African American History II
3 credit hours
The role of African Americans in shaping the American nation and creating a twentieth-century racial identity. Covers their historical development and examines their contributions to American art, music, literature, and religion. May be used to satisfy one part of the General Education History requirement.
Subtotal: 28 Hours
Junior
PSY 4600 - Psychosexual Adjustment
3 credit hours
The integration of psychological, social, behavioral, and biological components of the human sexual experience. Examines research, sexual development, attitudes and behaviors, variances and dysfunctions, and strategies for intervention.
HLTH 4360 - Teaching Human Sexuality
3 credit hours
Assists individuals in developing, implementing, and evaluating human sexuality curricula and programs for schools (K-12) and other educational venues.
CDFS 4140 - Violence in the Family
3 credit hours
(Same as SOC 4140.) Prerequisite: CDFS 3320 or SOC 2500 with C or better or permission of instructor. The causes, dynamics, and consequences of violence in the family. Includes the discussion of violence toward children, spouses, dating partners, siblings, and elders. Emphasizes the social conditions which lead to these types of violence.
CDFS 4340 - The Contemporary Family
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: CDFS 3320 with C or better or permission of instructor. An ecological approach to the study of contemporary issues, problems, questions, and life styles as they relate to families and individuals.
CDFS 4310 - Human Development III
3 credit hours
In-depth study of physical, intellectual, social, and emotional factors influencing development during adolescence and the reciprocal influences between adolescent development and the family system. Emphasis on the ecological perspective to include the relation between adolescent development, families, and society.
CDFS 4350 - Parenting
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: CDFS 3320 or CDFS 3310 or PSY 4190 with C or better, or permission of instructor. Knowledge of parenting and parent/child interactions and the role of the parent educator from various theoretical and applied perspectives.
CDFS 4390 - Families in Later Life
3 credit hours
Prerequisites: Human Science majors - CDFS 3320 with C or better; Sociology majors - SOC 2600 with C or better or permission of instructor. Examination of families in later life from an ecological approach with emphasis on family forms and relationships.
CDFS 4391 - Aging Health and Development
3 credit hours
Prerequisites: CDFS 3320 or SOC 2600 with C or better or permission of the instructor; senior standing. A service learning opportunity that provides students with understanding of the concepts and application of aging, families in later life, assessment, and gerontological program planning and implementation. May be repeated with permission of instructor. Meets four hours per week.
HIST 2010 - Survey of United States History I
3 credit hours
Survey of the political, economic, social, cultural, and diplomatic phases of American life in its regional, national, and international aspects. Discusses the era from the beginning to 1877. May be used to satisfy one part of the General Education History requirement. HIST 2010 is NOT a prerequisite for HIST 2020. TBR Common Course: HIST 2010
HIST 2020 - Survey of United States History II
3 credit hours
Survey of the political, economic, social, cultural, and diplomatic phases of American life in its regional, national, and international aspects. Discusses the era from 1877 to the present. May be used to satisfy one part of the the General Education History requirement. HIST 2010 is NOT a prerequisite for HIST 2020. TBR Common Course: HIST 2020
HIST 2030 - Tennessee History
3 credit hours
The role of the state in the development of the nation. May be used to satisfy one part of the General Education History requirement. TBR Common Course: HIST 2030
HIST 2040 - Survey African American History I
3 credit hours
The role of African Americans in establishing and shaping the American nation. Covers their historical development and contributions to American art, music, literature, and religion. May be used to satisfy one part of the General Education History requirement.
NOTE: HIST 2040 is not a prerequisite for HIST 2050.
HIST 2050 - Survey African American History II
3 credit hours
The role of African Americans in shaping the American nation and creating a twentieth-century racial identity. Covers their historical development and examines their contributions to American art, music, literature, and religion. May be used to satisfy one part of the General Education History requirement.
Subtotal: 30 Hours
Senior
HSC 4000 - Senior Seminar
1 credit hour
Prerequisites: HSC 1010 or NFS 1010 with C or better and senior standing. Examines Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences professions from a global perspective. Identifies skills for success in developing and managing a career. Includes resume and cover letters, leadership, networking, life/work planning, and ethics and professionalism in Human Sciences fields.
CDFS 3390 - Child Development and Family Studies Professional Seminar
3 or 6 credit hours
Prerequisites: Senior standing; CDFS major. A prerequisite to HSC 4101. A minimum of 200 hours of field placement service learning along with a 100 hour seminar covering the topics of ethics, networking, and professionalism relating to children and families. Field placement site must be approved by instructor.
CDFS 4790 - Family Life Program Development and Evaluation
3 credit hours
Prerequisites: Senior standing; CDFS major. Addresses concepts of family life education as they apply to the development, implementation, and evaluation of programs. Incorporates developmentally appropriate criteria for individuals and families over the life span.
CDFS 4710 - Economic and Social Contexts of Individuals and Families
3 credit hours
Prerequisites: CDFS 3320 with C or better; senior standing; CDFS major. Cultivates an understanding of the diverse economic and social contexts of individuals and families. Critical self-reflection along with analysis of contemporary policies, events, and issues aim to increase student awareness of how such contexts affect individual and family development and wellbeing.
CDFS 4740 - Advocacy and Public Policy for Individuals and Families Across the Lifespan
3 credit hours
Prerequisites: CDFS 3310, CDFS 3320, and CDFS 4340 (all with C or better). Utilizes an ecological perspective focusing on policy and advocacy issues affecting individuals, families, and professionals within the area of child development and family studies. Students gain experience advocating for systemic change impacting individual and families throughout the lifespan.
HSC 4101 - Internship: Child Development and Family Studies
6 credit hours
Prerequisites: CDFS 3310, CDFS 3330, CDFS 3390, CDFS 4140, CDFS 4310, CDFS 4340, CDFS 4350, CDFS 4390, CDFS 4391, CDFS 4710, and CDFS 4790. Permission of department and minimum 2.25 GPA, and specific program area course requirements. Experiential learning opportunity to provide students with supervised professional work experience in their major fields. Minimum of 300 hours at internship site plus seminars.
Choose one from:
CDFS 3300 - Caring Across Generations
4 credit hours
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. A service learning course in which students are trained as certified nurses' assistants (CNAs) including basic care skills as well as interaction with the elderly and their families. Designed to help students assess their level of interest in pursuing careers in working with children and/or the elderly in a medical setting.
CDFS 4391 - Aging Health and Development
3 credit hours
Prerequisites: CDFS 3320 or SOC 2600 with C or better or permission of the instructor; senior standing. A service learning opportunity that provides students with understanding of the concepts and application of aging, families in later life, assessment, and gerontological program planning and implementation. May be repeated with permission of instructor. Meets four hours per week.
CDFS 4400 - Children in Healthcare Settings
3 credit hours
Prerequisites: CDFS 3310 or PSY 4190 with C or better; CDFS 3320 with C or better or equivalent; permission of department. Offers instruction on child life techniques used to help minimize the potential negative impact of the healthcare environment on children's development.
CDFS 4720 - Family Centered Community Building II
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: CDFS 4710 with C or better or permission of instructor. A service-learning course based on the application of family-centered community building. Introduces undergraduate students as well as community practitioners to issues and activities intended to help build stronger, more cohesive, and family-centered communities. Offered spring only.
HSC 4420 - Personal and Family Management
3 credit hours
Examines management functions. Emphasis on management roles and responsibilities of Human Sciences professionals, the relationship of the learning organization concept to the Human Sciences profession, and the use of quality improvement techniques to solve problems encountered by professionals.
NFS 4210 - Nutrition in Aging
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: NFS 1240 or NFS 2220 with C or better. Nutritional needs of elderly individuals and how these requirements are affected by physiological, pathological, and socioeconomic changes associated with aging. Emphasis placed on assessment, nutrition counseling skills, and resources to assist elderly individuals with adequate nutrient intake.
NFS 4251 - Nutrition for the Young Child
3 credit hours
Fundamentals of nutrition with emphasis on its relationship to growth, development, and health during the prenatal period, infancy, and childhood. Geared to Early Childhood Education and Human Development and Family Science majors.
Subtotal: 32-33 Hours
NOTE:
*CFLE courses - students must earn C- or higher for the Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE) certification.
Our adjunct faculty bring outstanding professional experience to our programs. Many are industry leaders with decorated careers and honors. Importantly, they are innovative educators who offer hands-on learning to our students to prepare them to enter and thrive in a dynamic, and oftentimes emerging, industry and professional world. They inspire, instruct, and challenge our students toward academic and professional success.
Child Development and Family Studies
CDFS 3300 - Caring Across Generations
4 credit hours
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. A service learning course in which students are trained as certified nurses' assistants (CNAs) including basic care skills as well as interaction with the elderly and their families. Designed to help students assess their level of interest in pursuing careers in working with children and/or the elderly in a medical setting.
CDFS 3310 - Human Development (Birth to 8)
3 credit hours
(Same as ECE 3310.) Physical, cognitive, psychosocial development of the child, from birth to eight years of age. Diversity issues affecting development addressed. Fifteen hours observation outside of class time required.
CDFS 3320 - Family Relations
3 credit hours
Family systems, giving consideration to interpersonal relationships. The structure, function, and development of families in a changing society and in relation to other social institutions.
CDFS 3330 - Dynamics of Interpersonal Relationships
3 credit hours
Skills and knowledge essential to the development and maintenance of interpersonal and work relationships analyzed. Topics focus on self-awareness, communication in various types of relationships, and managing feelings and conflict.
CDFS 3340 - Life Span Human Development
3 credit hours
Emotional, social, physical, and intellectual growth and development of the individual over the life span with a family-oriented emphasis. Not available to Early Childhood Education and/or Family and Consumer Studies: Child Development and Family Studies majors.
CDFS 3390 - Child Development and Family Studies Professional Seminar
3 or 6 credit hours
Prerequisites: Senior standing; CDFS major. A prerequisite to HSC 4101. A minimum of 200 hours of field placement service learning along with a 100 hour seminar covering the topics of ethics, networking, and professionalism relating to children and families. Field placement site must be approved by instructor.
CDFS 4140 - Violence in the Family
3 credit hours
(Same as SOC 4140.) Prerequisite: CDFS 3320 or SOC 2500 with C or better or permission of instructor. The causes, dynamics, and consequences of violence in the family. Includes the discussion of violence toward children, spouses, dating partners, siblings, and elders. Emphasizes the social conditions which lead to these types of violence.
CDFS 4310 - Human Development III
3 credit hours
In-depth study of physical, intellectual, social, and emotional factors influencing development during adolescence and the reciprocal influences between adolescent development and the family system. Emphasis on the ecological perspective to include the relation between adolescent development, families, and society.
CDFS 4340 - The Contemporary Family
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: CDFS 3320 with C or better or permission of instructor. An ecological approach to the study of contemporary issues, problems, questions, and life styles as they relate to families and individuals.
CDFS 4350 - Parenting
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: CDFS 3320 or CDFS 3310 or PSY 4190 with C or better, or permission of instructor. Knowledge of parenting and parent/child interactions and the role of the parent educator from various theoretical and applied perspectives.
CDFS 4390 - Families in Later Life
3 credit hours
Prerequisites: Human Science majors - CDFS 3320 with C or better; Sociology majors - SOC 2600 with C or better or permission of instructor. Examination of families in later life from an ecological approach with emphasis on family forms and relationships.
CDFS 4391 - Aging Health and Development
3 credit hours
Prerequisites: CDFS 3320 or SOC 2600 with C or better or permission of the instructor; senior standing. A service learning opportunity that provides students with understanding of the concepts and application of aging, families in later life, assessment, and gerontological program planning and implementation. May be repeated with permission of instructor. Meets four hours per week.
CDFS 4400 - Children in Healthcare Settings
3 credit hours
Prerequisites: CDFS 3310 or PSY 4190 with C or better; CDFS 3320 with C or better or equivalent; permission of department. Offers instruction on child life techniques used to help minimize the potential negative impact of the healthcare environment on children's development.
CDFS 4710 - Economic and Social Contexts of Individuals and Families
3 credit hours
Prerequisites: CDFS 3320 with C or better; senior standing; CDFS major. Cultivates an understanding of the diverse economic and social contexts of individuals and families. Critical self-reflection along with analysis of contemporary policies, events, and issues aim to increase student awareness of how such contexts affect individual and family development and wellbeing.
CDFS 4720 - Family Centered Community Building II
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: CDFS 4710 with C or better or permission of instructor. A service-learning course based on the application of family-centered community building. Introduces undergraduate students as well as community practitioners to issues and activities intended to help build stronger, more cohesive, and family-centered communities. Offered spring only.
CDFS 4740 - Advocacy and Public Policy for Individuals and Families Across the Lifespan
3 credit hours
Prerequisites: CDFS 3310, CDFS 3320, and CDFS 4340 (all with C or better). Utilizes an ecological perspective focusing on policy and advocacy issues affecting individuals, families, and professionals within the area of child development and family studies. Students gain experience advocating for systemic change impacting individual and families throughout the lifespan.
CDFS 4790 - Family Life Program Development and Evaluation
3 credit hours
Prerequisites: Senior standing; CDFS major. Addresses concepts of family life education as they apply to the development, implementation, and evaluation of programs. Incorporates developmentally appropriate criteria for individuals and families over the life span.
Online or Hybrid Programs at a Glance
This program is available .
For More Information or Explore Your Options
Contact your department / program coordinator or advisor for more details about the program OR work one-on-one with your advisor to explore your options.
The Online Advantage
With over 25 years of experience in online teaching and learning, MTSU Online offers students access to innovative, high-quality programs. Designed with students in mind, our courses allow maximum flexibility for those unable to participate in person.
Resources and services for online students are available from MTSU Online or contact us at distance@mtsu.edu.
