Graduate Programs
The HDFS Department offers a Ph.D. in Developmental Science and a Masters degree in Human Development and Family Science with options in: Couple and Family Therapy, Family Financial Planning (Certificate & Masters), Gerontology (Certificate and Masters), and Youth Development.
Masters Degree
The Couple and Family Therapy is housed in the Department of Child Development and Family Science at North Dakota State University. The program is accredited by the Commission for Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE). As such, the program meets the rigorous standards of COAMFTE in the areas of theory, research, and clinical training.
Family Financial Planning & Certificate Option is an emerging area with job opportunities in areas related to insurance, real estate, investments, retirement, tax and estate planning. Financial planners are increasingly in demand as Americans seek advisors to help manage their income, assets, and debts. Students enrolled in the Family Financial Planning program will: enhance personal finance knowledge, gain eligibility to sit for the CFP Certification Examination, increase networking opportunities, and improve career options.
Family Financial Planning Newsletter
Gerontology & Certificate Option is an emerging area with job opportunities in areas related to health promotion, education, research, intergenerational activities, senior centers, and retirement communities. Students enrolled in the Gerontology program will: gain knowledge of the physical, mental and social changes associated with aging, investigate societal changes due to an aging population, and apply obtained knowledge to policies and programs.
Youth Development Option is a collaborative, inter-institutional program offered by Great Plains Interactive Distance Education Alliance (GPIDEA) a web-based distance education program. The program requires 37 credits, including a Master's paper or thesis. Students can complete the program in two to three years.
Youth development is an emerging professional field. It has a positive orientation, meaning its focus is on promoting the positive development of youth, and it is an applied field, with professionals who put developmental research and theory into practice in structuring and implementing programs and services for adolescents.
Doctoral Degree
Developmental Science, Ph.D. is an exciting, rapidly emerging, interdisciplinary field that studies human development across the lifespan in various family, social, and cultural contexts.
You will work with active scholars in a highly supportive environment designed to help you develop your own interests and skills in research and teaching.
