Master of Science thesis Program
The Master of Science thesis program focuses on the development of theory and research knowledge. It prepares graduates for research positions and for advanced research study at the doctoral level.
The M.S. thesis program of study is multidisciplinary, calling for a synthesis of knowledge from the social and behavioral sciences and for an examination of the influence of social context and policy on individual and family behavior and development. Graduate course work focuses on the contributions of family, peer, school, and other cultural contexts to the social, emotional, and cognitive development of children, adolescents, and adults; the changing nature of the family constellation; local and national policies affecting families; and issues related to the elderly. The Master of Science (thesis) (M.S.) degree program requires the completion of a minimum of 38 semester hours of course work and research beyond the Baccalaureate degree. The degree program must be completed within five years. Required and elective course work and research are listed below.
Click here for the M.S. (thesis) brochure (pdf)
Core Content 14 s.h.
HDF 653 Contemporary Research in Family Studies
HDF 655 Family Theory
HDF 651 Contemporary Research in Human Development
HDF 652 Theories of Human Development
HDF 640 Professional Seminar I
HDF 661 Professional Seminar II
Area of Specialization 9 s.h.
These courses are to be selected by the student and advisory committee. All 9 credits must be fulfilled through content courses, and at least 6 of the 9 credits must be fulfilled with HDF courses.
Statistics and Methodology 9 s.h.
ERM 680 Intermediate Statistical Methods in Education
ERM 681 Design and Analysis of Educational Experiments
HDF 658 Research Methods in HDFS
Research 6 s.h.
HDF 699 Thesis
TOTAL (minimum) 38 s.h
