Chair’s Welcome

Welcome to the Department of Human Development and Family Sciences. As Interim Chair of the department, I am honored and delighted to introduce you to our work in HDFS.

Our department prepares undergraduate and graduate students to solve some of the most pressing, contemporary social issues facing individuals, families, and communities. Students who come into this field are generally motivated by their desire to help people and to make a difference in our world. This can happen in many ways. Our undergraduate students prepare for professional careers in Human Services, Human Relations Administration, and Early Childhood Education through a mixture of academic coursework and applied learning experiences. They engage in research, participate in service learning opportunities and partake in study abroad coursework, student teaching placements, and internships. Our doctoral and master’s students prepare for careers as researchers, professors, and leaders.

As you review our website, you will see that every member of our department is committed to addressing the critical social issues of our time that affect citizens around the world. Our renowned faculty don’t limit their expertise to lab-based research. They work in communities locally, throughout Delaware and across the U.S., and internationally, bringing their experiences back to the classroom. Through close, mentored relationships with faculty, our students gain valuable experiences that allow them to professionalize and become life-long learners, practitioners, and scholars.

All of this applied learning pays off: over 95% of our students find meaningful, paid employment after graduating or continue on to top-tier graduate schools around the country.

Embedded curricular experiences in combination with the faculty’s world-class scholarship make HDFS the model of a future-oriented interdisciplinary, applied field. We conduct translational research that makes a difference in people’s lives, we are out in our communities affecting change, and we educate the global citizen of tomorrow.

We have a wonderful department. If you decide to join us in HDFS, you will very much enjoy getting to know and work with our students, staff, and faculty!

Jason Hustedt

Interim Chair, Department of Human Development and Family Sciences

Department Overview

HDFS is an interdisciplinary academic unit within the College of Education and Human Development with approximately 500 undergraduate students, 42 graduate students and 28 faculty members.

Our faculty and students serves to meet the needs of individuals across the lifespan. In addition to coursework, our College provides centers for training and research right here on campus, including a Laboratory Preschool, an Early Learning Center, the Delaware Institute for Excellence in Early Childhood, the access to other centers and resources at and around UD.

Facts about HDFS (Fall 2024):

• Early Childhood Education Majors: 141
• Human Services Majors: 212
• Human Relations Administration: 78
• HDFS Minors: 273
• M.S. Students: 12
• Ph.D. Students: 22
• Faculty Members: 23

The University of Delaware is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and Title IX institution. For the University’s complete non-discrimination statement, please visit www.udel.edu/aboutus/legalnotices.html