Family Development Study

Detailed profiles of schools for Family Development from the EdRef college search portal.

Family Development programs allow students to explore the topic of human development within the context of the family. In fact, it is the only field which focuses specifically on the family as its primary area of inquiry. Students learn about human development throughout the lifespan. They study the range of dynamics that can arise within marriages and families. They examine the relationship between families and the communities to which they belong. Graduates are prepared to serve families, children, youth, adults, and older individuals in a variety of settings.

Many students in these programs choose to focus on one age group, such as children or adults. However, they are usually trained in general approaches to the entire family system. The discipline grew out of a desire during the twentieth century to improve the general quality of life for children. Theory and practice are both heavily emphasized, and students focus on coursework like biology, education, recreation, psychology, social work, and sociology.