What can I do with an HDFS major?

Career directions through HDFS can be divided into two general areas:

Direct Service
Careers in direct service are those in which graduates work in direct contact with children, adults, and families. Some examples include community service workers, outreach workers, parent educators, gerontology outreach, extension agents, family or financial counselors, child life specialists.

Support Service
Support service careers are those in which graduates do not work directly with children, adults, and families, but instead work in careers that support these groups. Some examples include program directors for nursing or retirement facilities, child care directors, community and human service workers, consultants in human development, hospital-related services, researchers, child advocates, family life educators.

Alphabetical List of HDFS Careers

This list describes more than 40 career options and what the positions usually entail. Careers span from 4-H specialist to child psychologists to occupational therapists to family life educators and many more!

Add a minor, double major, or advanced degree

Some of the careers listed above require a planned minor or a double major. Others require preparations beyond the bachelor's level, such as a Master’s or PhD. An HDFS degree is excellent preparation for students considering graduate work in counseling, family therapy, child development, gerontology, and human development. Study in HDFS provides course work for students interested in careers involving human relations. Discuss your career goals with your advisor to find out if these options are right for you. 

Where are past graduates employed?

Graduates from HDFS are currently employed in a variety of careers. These include extension agent, Head Start program director, child care director, home visitor for Head Start, crisis family counselor, hospital child life specialist, family life educator, developmental disabilities worker, volunteer coordinator, parent support specialist, parent educator, financial counselor and financial planner.

The NCFR Careers in Family Science booklett is available in pdf format and provides information on family science as a discipline and profession. A brief discussion of the Domains of Family Practice Model helps explain family science and how it is translated into work with families. The booklet also includes information helpful when considering undergraduate and graduate degree programs and career options. Profiles of NCFR members and CFLEs working in the field provide real-life examples of family career options.

Careers in Aging

Visit our Careers in Aging page to learn more!

Careers in Mental Health

Visit our Careers in Mental Health  page to learn more!

Undergraduate research opportunities and senior thesis

Visit our undergraduate research page to learn more.