Through completion of specific undergraduate courses, students can obtain provisional certification as a Family Life Educator. Certification as a Family Life Educator will enhance your competitiveness for jobs in an HDFS-related field.
Experiences play a vital part in the child’s early development and education. HDFS students lead successful careers as certified early education teachers in pre-k settings.Early childhood education keeps more children in school, creates more successful students, and produces graduates that become economically productive and active citizens.
For more information, please contact Margaret Vollenweider.
Helpful Links
- National Science Foundation
- National Institute for Child Health and Development
- National Institute of Mental Health
- Portal to U.S. Government Agencies
- The Annie E. Casey Foundation
The Annie E. Casey Foundation is a private charitable organization dedicated to helping build better futures for disadvantaged children in the United States. Its primary mission is to foster public policies, human-service reforms, and community supports that more effectively meet the needs of today's vulnerable children and families. In pursuit of this goal, the Foundation makes grants that help states, cities, and neighborhoods fashion more innovative, cost-effective responses to these needs.
- Carnegie Corporation of New York
Carnegie Corporation of New York was created by Andrew Carnegie in 1911 to promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding. The last of Carnegie's great endowments, it is the only one to be established as a grantmaking foundation.
- American Academy of Pediatrics
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and its member pediatricians dedicate their efforts and resources to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.
- American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) is the professional association for the field of marriage and family therapy, comprised of marriage and family therapists (MFTs) from the United States, Canada and abroad.
- American Psychological Association
The American Psychological Association is the world's largest organization of psychologists. Since its founding, APA has been working toward the advancement of psychology as a science, a profession, and a means of promoting human welfare.
- International Association for Relationship Research
The International Association for Relationship Research (IARR) seeks to stimulate and support the scientific study of personal relationships and encourage cooperation among social scientists worldwide.
- National Association for the Education of Young Children
The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is the nation's largest organization of early childhood professionals and others dedicated to improving the quality of early childhood education programs for children birth through age eight.
- National Council on Family Relations
The National Council on Family Relations provides a forum for family researchers, educators and practitioners to share in the development and dissemination of knowledge about families and family relationships, establishes professional standards, and works to promote family well-being.
- Society for Research on Adolescence
Society for Research on Adolescence (SRA) is a dynamic, multidisciplinary, international organization dedicated to understanding adolescence through research and dissemination.
- Society for Research in Child Development
The purposes of the Society are to promote multidisciplinary research in the field of human development, to foster theexchange of information among scientist and other professionals of various disciplines, and to encourage applications of research findings.
FAQs
In order to provide both structure and flexibility to accommodate varied professional interests, students can earn their Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Science with an option in Child Life or Early Child Development.
Alabama Law (Alabama Law Act 2000-775 and Alabama Code 38-13-1) requires that anyone who works with children, youth, adolescents, or the elderly in either a paid or a voluntary capacity must undergo a criminal background check and be fingerprinted. As an HDFS major, you will have opportunity to work with children, youth, adolescents, adults, or the aged sometime during your four or more years as an Auburn student. Therefore, you must adhere to this law.
All students are required to start the fingerprint and background check upon enrollment as an HDFS major. Students who do not have evidence that they submitted their application materials will have a registration hold placed on their accounts. Students who do not have their clearing letters from the fingerprint and background check will not be allowed to complete the required HDFS Internship (HDFS 4920).
Forms and other information necessary for the fingerprint and background check can be obtained from the HDFS office.
BACKGROUND CHECK AND DIGITAL FINGERPRINTING INSTRUCTIONS
Updated: 09/30/2025
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Go to TrueScreen's Application Station
- First Time Users: Click Sign up and follow the instructions to create your account and log in.
Returning Users: Click Log In - Enter the Application Station Code: AUBURNHDFS
- Complete all required fields and submit your application.
Questions about the information being requested? Contact: working@auburn.edu
Technical issues logging in? Contact Application Station Support at 888-291-1369 x2006
For any other questions contact the HDFS Department at hdfsadm@auburn.edu or call 334‐844‐4151.
To apply to the HDFS Graduate Programs, please contact:
Dr. Ben Hinnant, Graduate Program Officer
