We are people helping people
We explore the social complexities of human life from beginning to end to improve quality of life worldwide.
#6
hdfs program in the Southeast
college factual
100%
of hdfs students graduate with professional experiece
only college
in Alabama to offer a masters in child life
Our Mission
To generate, disseminate and apply scientific knowledge of human, family and community development. We focus on understanding and supporting optimal development across the lifespan using multidisciplinary approaches and cutting-edge methodologies. Our core areas include the intersections of individuals, families and communities, with a special focus on relationships and the biopsychosocial underpinnings of healthy development and well-being. We are committed to creating and applying knowledge to prevention and intervention efforts with the goal of assisting individuals, families and communities in reaching their full potential.
I am so thankful for the opportunity to be hands on and apply all that I had learned in class to real world scenarios — like service learning, study abroad or volunteering at the Early Learning Center on campus.
Emma Lowell '25
Child Life
Our Stories
Research and Innovation
Sleep researcher welcomes surprising findings
Olivia Martín-Piñón, who earned a doctorate from the Department of Human Development and Family Sciences in May, studies how family routines affect children's sleep.
