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Change lives for the better — including your own — with a Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Science from the University of Central Missouri. You’ll learn how to effectively connect with, support and guide people at any age to improve their health and happiness. UCM’s degree in Human Development and Family Science teaches you practical skills Â鶹ԭ´´ high-quality academics so that you can launch right away into a fulfilling career.

Your UCM degree will enable you to choose from an incredible array of human development and family science degree jobs. You’ll be prepared to work in childcare, parent education, substance abuse prevention, grant writing, community service and much more.

Earn your Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Science and Certified Family Life Educator certificate in just four years

What you will study

The Human Development and Family Science program at UCM covers the full cycle of life, from birth and development to death and grief. With many elective credits included as part of the degree program, Human Development and Family Science majors can sculpt coursework to reflect their interests. This flexibility also makes the program ideal for transfer students.

Program faculty have extensive professional experience in their fields and many serve with state or national organizations. The UCM Human Development and Family Science program gives you the opportunity to take part in faculty research. This is an excellent way to gain insight into the most current issues and trends in the field. Faculty research experience means undergraduate research opportunities, giving you a competitive edge with future employers and graduate schools.

Some of UCM’s courses on human development and over the lifespan include:

Child and Adolescent Development: Engage with the physical, cognitive and psychosocial factors that shape childhood development. Experiment with making toys to discover what draws children to them.
Family Systems and Lifespan Development: How do family relationships change over the course of the family life cycle? Learn how to make a genogram, a tool for visualizing patterns — such as medical or behavioral — that run through generations.
Multicultural Study and Approaches with Families: Learn how to center individuals and families within their unique cultural heritage context and the best methods for serving the needs of diverse communities with sensitivity.

What can you do with a bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Science from UCM?

Your Bachelor of Science degree in Human Development and Family Science from the University of Central Missouri will bring you to the attention of employers in many fields who will be eager to hire you. 94% of our program’s graduates are employed or accepted into graduate school within six months of graduation.

Human development and family science degree jobs vary widely. Whichever aspect of this field most interests you is likely to offer exciting roles that will put your UCM undergraduate education to good use.

At UCM, we help you sort through your many options for development in careers in human services. You’ll be exposed to a wide variety of fields through diverse course content and interactions with practicing professionals. We also support you with dedicated advisors as part of our commitment to making sure you’re ready to step into your new career in lifespan or childhood development and human services.