Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services

Department of Human Development and Family Studies

Students in the MS program complete a research thesis that makes a contribution to knowledge in family studies, human development, or family finance. For students in these specializations, the MS is a non-clinical degree. However, students who are accepted into the Marriage and Family Therapy program have the option of completing a thesis and receiving an MS with a specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy, in addition to their required clinical experiences.

The core substantive courses for the MS are HDFS 6031 , HDFS 6060 , and HDFS 6070 . Students also complete course requirements under their chosen specialization in Marriage and Family Relationships, Family Finance, Infancy and Childhood, Adolescence and Youth, or Adult Development and Aging (or, for students already accepted into the Marriage and Family Therapy program, the specialization for the MS is Marriage and Family Therapy). Elective courses and thesis topics are individualized with each student by faculty supervisory committees. For more specific information, see the department’s Graduate Student Handbook at https://hdfs.usu.edu/programs/graduate/graduate-handbook.