The Human Development, Family Science and Counseling department faculty prepare students for a variety of careers such as marriage, family and couples counselors, school counselors, clinical mental health counselors, administrators of child development or family services programs, licensed early childhood teachers, child development specialists, school age program coordinators and family public policy advocates.
Department of Human Development, Family Science and Counseling
Preparing students to become administrators of child development or family services programs, early childhood educators, counselors and more!
Program Areas
Research & News
What do I say to a young child about death?
Professors Jenna Dewar and Emilio Parga discuss the best way to talk to children about death
Domestic violence isn’t just a topic in the news or a statistic. It’s personal, real and closer than you think.
Counseling interns provide services in rural Northern Nevada schools
Graduate students help bridge the gap in mental healthcare in rural communities
Bachelor Degrees
B.S. in Early Childhood Education
Students will receive a comprehensive education to prepare them to become licensed early childhood teachers while gaining a rich understanding of child development and fostering strong partnerships with families.
B.S. in Human Development and Family Science
This major prepares students to work with children, adolescents, teens, and families in a variety of professions. The study of theory and research findings is coordinated with a variety of supervised field experiences. Our Human Development & Family Science bachelor's degree program is ranked top 5 in the far western U.S. region.
Master Degrees
Counseling
College of Education & Human Development graduate degrees include emphases in marriage, couple and family counseling; school counseling; and clinical mental health therapy/counseling.
Human Development and Family Science
The program prepares students for a variety of careers such as administrators of child development or family services programs, child development specialists, school age program coordinators, youth program specialists, community education instructors, parent educators, family financial planners, consumer advocates and family public policy advocates.
Master of Science in Human Development and Family Science (MS)
Ph.D. Degrees
Ph.D. in Education: Counselor Education and Supervision
This area of emphasis is an excellent fit for individuals who wish to pursue counselor education and counseling leadership positions, excelling in research, writing, teaching, service, securing external funding, assuming professional leadership roles in the counseling field, and providing clinical supervision.
Ph.D. in Education: Human Development and Family Science
The Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Science provides students with a strong foundation in developmental, interpersonal, and family theories, in-depth research skills and expertise, and builds in-depth knowledge in a content area chosen by the student in consultation with their advisor.
World-Class Education and Human Development
The College is a recognized leader in guiding, shaping, and mentoring high-performing education professionals who will go forth with a lifelong love of learning and with the skills essential for thriving in a global, knowledge-based economy. The U.S. News and World Report ranks the College of Education and Human Development's graduate programs 83rd in the nation and 25th among Land Grant universities. The online graduate programs are ranked 9th in the West among all public universities.