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Credits and costs
Enhance Your Penn State Degree
Add a minor to get even more value out of your education.
Gain Specialized Human Development and Family Studies Knowledge
Gain Specialized Human Development and Family Studies Knowledge
The minor in human development and family studies (HDFS) can give you an advantage in your chosen career by helping you understand human development and issues related to individuals, families, and communities.
By examining topics that range from how human beings develop over their lifespans to resolving family conflict, you can complement your major course work with knowledge and skills about the ways people think, behave, and interact with each other throughout their lives.
This minor is open to all interested undergraduate World Campus students who meet the prerequisites, but has been most popular among students majoring in criminal justice, international politics, law and society, multidisciplinary studies, nursing, organizational leadership, political science, and psychology.
Online Human Development and Family Studies Courses
Online Human Development and Family Studies Courses
To earn a minor in HDFS, you must complete 18 credits of HDFS course work with a grade of C or better.
As a student who minors in HDFS, you are encouraged to tailor the focus of your minor by selecting courses that fit your interests and complement your major area of study.
Requirements of the minor include:
- HDFS 129: Introduction to Human Development and Family Studies (3 credits)
- 9 credits of HDFS courses from any level
- 6 credits of 400-level HDFS courses
Core Courses (3 credits)
- 3credits
Introduction to psychosocial and family development at all stages of the individual and family life cycle.
Elective Courses (select 15 credits)
At least 6 credits must be at the 400 level.
- 3credits
Theory, research, and methods of social/behavioral/biological sciences related to developmental processes and intervention during infancy and childhood.
- 3credits
Social, behavioral, and biological development and intervention throughout adolescence.
- 3credits
Physiological, psychological, and social development and intervention from young adulthood through old age.
- 3credits
Examines bases for choices among values in personal and professional relations in human development processes and supporting services.
- 3credits
Survey of individual and family formal and informal intervention efforts; historical and current perspectives and approaches.
- Prerequisite
HDFS 129
- 3credits
Introduction to the skills involved in critical thinking in general and the methods of empirical inquiry in particular.
- Prerequisite
a grade of C or better required in EDPSY 101 or STAT 200
- 3credits
Family functions over the life course; family from a multidisciplinary perspective, emphasizing adaptation and change.
- Prerequisite
HDFS 129 or 3 credits in social, behavioral, or human biological sciences
- 3credits
Theory and research related to interpersonal conditions which facilitate personal growth; intensive interpersonal competency training.
- Prerequisite
(HDFS 311 and HDFS 312W) or 6 credits in human development and family studies or psychology
- 3credits
Strategies for, and roles of professional specialists in, the solution of problems in human development and family functioning.
- Prerequisite
HDFS 312W and 6 credits in human development and family studies or psychology
- 3credits
Dynamics of family interaction; effects of parenthood, sibling and intergeneration relationships on family solidarity.
- Prerequisite
HDFS 312W and (HDFS 315Y or HDFS 315W)
- 3credits
Conceptual analysis, assessment, and empirical investigation of normal and deviant development, prenatal through first two years of life.
- Prerequisite
(HDFS 229 or PSYCH 212) and HDFS 312W
- 3credits
Processes of development during childhood from birth to adolescence. Emphasis on theory, method, and empirical research.
- Prerequisite
(HDFS 229 or PSYCH 212) and HDFS 312W
- 3credits
Conceptual analysis and empirical investigation of interrelationships between developmental processes during the period of pubertal growth.
- Prerequisite
HDFS 239 and HDFS 312W
- 3credits
Fundamentals of program development and administration of human service programs in community settings; emphasis given to program content, strategies, and the overall planning process.
- Prerequisite
HDFS 311
Note: As part of the course planning process, consult with an adviser as early as possible to be sure you will meet the prerequisites for courses you plan to use toward completion of the minor. For instance, with proper planning, completing HDFS 229 (which is a prerequisite of HDFS 428) can count toward the 9-credit block of HDFS courses from any level. Then, you will be eligible to take HDFS 428, which would count toward the 6-credit block of 400-level HDFS courses.
Course Availability
If you're ready to see when your courses will be offered, visit our public LionPATH course search (opens in new window) to start planning ahead.
Costs and Financial Aid
Costs and Financial Aid
Learn about this program's tuition, fees, scholarship opportunities, grants, payment options, and military benefits.
Costs and Financial Aid
Undergraduate Tuition
Undergraduate tuition is calculated based on the number of credits for which you register and the number of total credits you have accrued at or transferred to Penn State.
Tuition is due shortly after each semester begins and rates are assessed every semester of enrollment.
2025–26 Academic Year Rates
| How many credits do you plan to take per semester? | If you have 59 or fewer credits | If you have 60 or more credits |
|---|---|---|
| 11 or fewer | $638 per credit | $685 per credit |
| 12–19 | $7,755 per semester | $8,371 per semester |
Undergraduate students taking more than 19 credits will be charged the flat tuition rate plus the regular per credit hour rate for each credit above 19.
Financial Aid and Military Benefits
Some students may qualify for financial aid. Take the time to research financial aid, scholarships, and payment options as you prepare to apply. Federal financial aid may only be used to pay for credits used to satisfy program requirements.
Military service members, veterans, and their spouses or dependents should explore these potential military education benefits and financial aid opportunities, as well.
Additional Cost of Attendance Details
To view the detailed list of cost of attendance elements:
- visit the Tuition Information site
- click the plus sign to expand the table
- select a semester from the World Campus row
Upcoming Events
Convenient Online Format
This program's convenient online format gives you the flexibility you need to study around your busy schedule. You can skip the lengthy commute without sacrificing the quality of your education and prepare yourself for more rewarding career opportunities without leaving your home.
A Trusted Leader in Online Education
Penn State has a history of more than 100 years of distance education, and World Campus has been a leader in online learning for more than two decades. Our online learning environment offers the same quality education that our students experience on campus.
How to Add a Minor to Your Degree
How to Add a Minor to Your Degree
You must be a current student and meet specific requirements to apply for a minor.
Application Instructions
Steps to Apply
To be eligible for admittance into this minor, you must:
- be a current Penn State undergraduate student in your fifth semester and be in a bachelor's degree major
- maintain a grade of C or better in all courses for the minor
- confirm that the minor code and major code do not match
Talk with your academic adviser about incorporating the minor into your major and to develop a semester-by-semester plan for meeting requirements. You should add the minor as early as possible, but you can apply up to the late drop deadline of your graduating semester.
You will receive a confirmation email once you declare the minor in LionPATH.
Admissions Help
Please work with your adviser if you have questions about adding a minor. You can find your adviser's contact information in your student portal or by calling advising at 814-863-3283.
Contact Us
Contact Us
Have questions or want more information? We're happy to talk.
To learn more about the Minor in Human Development and Family Studies, offered in partnership with the Penn State College of Health and Human Development, please contact:
World Campus Advising
Phone: 814-863-3283
[email protected]