Department of Human Development and Family Science

Sharon Ballard, Chair

The mission of the Department of Human Development and Family Science is to educate future leaders and professionals to enrich the wellbeing of individuals, children, families, and communities through innovative teaching, research, service and community engagement. 

The department offers programs that prepare students to work with children and families in educational, governmental, community, and child health fields.

Students interested in teaching young children can choose the birth through kindergarten program, which results in licensure to teach in NC public schools or in private centers. Students interested in teaching middle school or high school can choose the family and consumer sciences program, which results in licensure to teach middle grades or high school in NC public schools. Students complete course work in partial fulfillment for teacher licensure in family and consumer sciences education or birth-kindergarten teacher education from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

Students interested in working with families in community, governmental, and family services programs may consider the family and community services program and choose family science. Students interested in working with agencies that provide education and services to young children such as early intervention, Head Start, developmental day, and exceptional children programs may consider the family and community services program and choose child development. Students complete course work in partial fulfillment of the family life education certification from the National Council on Family Relations, and the infant-toddler program personnel certification from the NC Department of Health and Human Services.

Students interested in working with medically fragile and/or chronically ill children and families may consider the child life program. Students complete course work in partial fulfillment of the child life certification from the Association of Child Life Professionals.

Faculty

• https://hhp.ecu.edu/hdfs/directory/

Programs

• Birth Through Kindergarten (B-K) Teacher Education, BS
• Child Life, BS
• Family and Community Services, BS
• Family and Consumer Sciences Education, BS

• Human Development and Family Science Minor

Courses

• FACS 1180 - Housing and Interior Design
• FACS 2003 - Apparel Construction for Secondary Education
• FACS 2004 - Apparel Construction for Secondary Education Laboratory
• FACS 2123 - Early Experience in Family and Consumer Sciences Education
• FACS 2380 - Apparel and Textiles for Family and Consumer Sciences
• FACS 4317 - Curriculum Development
• FACS 4323 - Methods of Teaching Family and Consumer Sciences
• FACS 4324 - Internship in Family and Consumer Sciences Education
• FACS 4325 - Internship Seminar: Issues in Family and Consumer Sciences Education
• FACS 5007 - Special Problems in Family and Consumer Sciences Education

• FACS 4410 - Professional Seminar
• FACS 4411 - Professional Internship

• HDFS 1103 - Individual, Family, and Romantic Relationships
• HDFS 2000 - Child Development I: Prenatal Through Early Childhood
• HDFS 2001 - Child Development II: Middle Childhood Through Young Adulthood
• HDFS 2021 - Introduction to Child Life
• HDFS 2123 - Early Experience in Birth through Kindergarten Education
• HDFS 2124 - Interaction Techniques for Working with Young Children
• HDFS 2280 - Introduction to Child, Family, and Community Services
• HDFS 2400 - Introduction to Gerontology
• HDFS 3002 - Family Systems and Parenting Across the Life Cycle
• HDFS 3022 - Death, Dying, and Bereavement
• HDFS 3150 - Introduction to Early Childhood Intervention
• HDFS 3210 - Models and Foundations of Early Childhood Education
• HDFS 3215 - The Family As Consumers
• HDFS 3306 - Guiding Children’s Behavior
• HDFS 3321 - Infant and Toddler Curriculum
• HDFS 3400 - Current Issues in Early Childhood Education
• HDFS 3413 - The Hospitalized Child
• HDFS 3560 - Exploring Professions and Practices in Family Science
• HDFS 3600 - Play in the Lives of Children
• HDFS 3715 - Global Perspectives in Early Childhood
• HDFS 4000 - Introduction to Child and Family Research
• HDFS 4006 - Families, Sexuality, and Gender Roles
• HDFS 4007 - Public Policy and Legal Issues Affecting Families
• HDFS 4100 - Study Abroad in HDFS
• HDFS 4121 - Social Studies, Math, and Science Curriculum in Early Childhood
• HDFS 4122 - Language and Literacy Curriculum in Early Childhood
• HDFS 4123 - Learning Environments and Teaching Methods in Early Childhood Education
• HDFS 4200 - Assessing Development and Learning in the Early Childhood Classroom
• HDFS 4201 - Assessment for Intervention
• HDFS 4210 - Child Life Practicum
• HDFS 4300 - Birth through Kindergarten Curriculum Adaptations for Diverse Learners
• HDFS 4303 - Families and Cultural Diversity
• HDFS 4313 - Trends and Issues in Family Studies
• HDFS 4320 - Practicum in Teaching Birth-Kindergarten in the Public Schools
• HDFS 4324 - Internship in Birth Through Kindergarten Education
• HDFS 4325 - Internship Seminar: Issues in Birth-Kindergarten Education
• HDFS 4366 - Family Life Education
• HDFS 4380 - Grant Writing, Fundraising, and Leadership Development
• HDFS 4390 - Family Resource Management
• HDFS 4406 - Parent-Professional Collaboration
• HDFS 4408 - Administration of Programs for Young Children
• HDFS 4410 - Professional Seminar
• HDFS 4415 - Child Life Internship
• HDFS 4500 - Independent Study
• HDFS 4521 - Research, Teaching, and Leadership Experiences in HDFS
• HDFS 4611 - Counseling Elders and Their Families
• HDFS 4612 - Family Crises and Resources
• HDFS 4700 - Planning Curriculum to Support Learning in the Birth through Kindergarten Classroom
• HDFS 4701 - Teaching Strategies to Support Learning in the Birth through Kindergarten Classroom
• HDFS 4702 - Assessing Learning and Development in the Birth through Kindergarten Classroom
• HDFS 4703 - BK Residency edTPA Support
• HDFS 4704 - BK Residency Supervision
• HDFS 4710 - Practical Applications in Planning Curriculum to Support Learning in the Birth through Kindergarten Classroom
• HDFS 4711 - Practical Applications in Teaching Strategies to Support Learning in the Birth through Kindergarten Classroom
• HDFS 4712 - Practical Applications in Assessing Learning and Development in the Birth through Kindergarten Classroom
• HDFS 4991 - Family Science Internship
• HDFS 4992 - Child Development Internship
• HDFS 4993 - Early Childhood Practicum
• HDFS 5004 - Special Topics in Child Development and Family Relations
• HDFS 5005 - Special Topics in Child Development and Family Relations
• HDFS 5006 - Special Topics in Child Development and Family Relations
• HDFS 5403 - Parent Education
• HDFS 5411 - Counseling Elders and Their Families
• HDFS 5412 - Family Crises and Resources
• HDFS 5420 - Family Intervention Models
• HDFS 5901 - Readings in Aging Studies
• HDFS 5902 - Readings in Aging Studies
• HDFS 5903 - Readings in Aging Studies
• HDFS 5992 - Advanced Preschool Internship
• HDFS 5993 - Advanced Preschool Internship