M.S. in Applied Human Development and Family Sciences (AHDFS)

You’ll provide the following materials to the Graduate School:

• Completed application for admission (select Master of Science Applied Human Development and Family Sciences)
• Official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions
• A personal/goals statement
• Two letters of recommendation

GRE scores are not required.

In order to be admitted to the AHDFS program, you must have at least nine credit hours of undergraduate courses in human development and family studies (formerly family and child studies) or the equivalent, including:

• One course in family relations
• One course in child or lifespan development
• One three-hour upper-division course in family theories or child development theories

You may be required to make up deficiencies in human development and family sciences by completing designated courses with a grade of B or better in your first semester after admission to the program. Failure to do so may result in removal from the program.

You can apply a maximum combined total of 12 student-at-large and transfer credits to your degree program. You can use no more than six hours of student-at-large credit taken in the school and no more than six hours of student-at-large credit taken outside the school. Exceptions may be approved if the maximum of 12 hours is not exceeded.

We offer supervised practicum and internship opportunities to give you professional experience in child development and family social services. They’re designed to help you connect your academic knowledge to real-life practice and build relationships in the field. Some of the organizations our students have completed internships at include:

• 19th Judicial Circuit Court
• Big Brothers Big Sisters
• Cook County Juvenile Court
• YMCA
• DeKalb County Court Services
• Elder Care Services
• Illinois Department of Child and Family Services
• Kane County Health Department
• Kankakee County Juvenile Probation
• Methodist Youth Services
• Rosecrance Center
• Vocamotive

• Ability to apply and synthesize theories of human development, family relationships and human ecology to such topics as: normal child development and family process, gender issues, social class and cultural influences and normative and non-normative transitions
• Ability to apply scientific and ethical approaches to the study of and practice with children, adults and families
• Professional verbal communication skills and cognitive skills and use of technology
• Ability to promote social and public policies that benefit children and families
• Ability to integrate their knowledge and skills in order to work with individuals and families of diverse backgrounds

The graduate certificate in family and child development is intended for recent graduates, students enrolled in any graduate degree program and for working professionals. The program is designed to build general competence in understanding family dynamics and children’s developmental process as well as provides an in-depth understanding of the connection between child development, family life, and the broader social context. 

The graduate certificate in leadership in aging services is an interdisciplinary certificate that prepares students for leadership positions within the senior housing and healthcare industry, including long term care administration. This certificate prepares students for the examination required to be licensed as a nursing home administrator in Illinois.

The graduate certificate in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health is intended for professionals who work with infants, young children, families and caregivers, but who lack specific knowledge about promoting and supporting young children’s social-emotional development in the context of relationships and within early childhood systems of care.