Director of the School: Donald K. Layman
Correspondence and Information: Contact the Graduate Programs Coordinators in the Divisions of Consumer Sciences, Human Development and Family Studies, or Foods and Nutrition within the School of Human Resources and Family Studies, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 274 Bevier Hall , 905 South Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
Associate Professors: M. S. Brewer, B. J. Cude, S. U. Douglas, N. J. Fisher, V. R. Fitzsimmons, H. B. Lakner, M. A. Morganosky, B. J. Peterson, J. H. Pleck, S. M. Potter, R. J. Reber, S. J. Schmidt, K. W. Singletary, C. M. Todd
Assistant Professors: K. M. Chapman, N. R. Crick, S. M. Donovan, A. T. Ebata, K. F. Folk, T. A. Garrow, J. S. Gray, H. J. Hunts, J. D. Jovanovic, L. F. Kramer, B. A. McBride, R. P. Moreno, N. S. Mounts, M. A. Perry-Jenkins
GRADUATE PROGRAMS
The School of Human Resources and Family Studies offers graduate work leading
to the master of science, master of arts, and doctor of philosophy degrees.
Degree programs are available in family and consumption economics, foods and
nutrition, food service systems, general human resources and family studies,
human development and family studies, and textiles and apparel. Requirements
for these are listed under the individual programs.
For the master's degree in human resources and family studies, all candidates must complete a minimum of 8 units (9 if a thesis is not submitted), of which at least 4 must be in human resources and family studies. Four of the total units, including at least 2 in human resources and family studies, must be in 400-level courses.
The minimum grade-point average for admission is 4.0 (A = 5.0). Additional requirements are listed under the individual programs.
Master of Science. The M.S. program requires 3 units from family and consumption economics, 1 unit each of macro- and microeconomic theory at the 400 level, and 1 unit of research methods.
Doctor of Philosophy. Requirements include (1) 5 units from family and consumption economics; 1 unit each of macro- and microeconomic theory with a grade of at least a B in each; 2 to 4 units at the 400 level from economics or economics and agricultural economics; 2 units of statistics; 1 unit of research methods; 8 units of thesis, Family and Consumption Economics 499; (2) two of the three stages completed in residence; and (3) one written examination in family economics and one in consumption economics.
FOODS AND NUTRITION
Major areas of faculty research interest include human nutrition through the
life cycle, nutritional aspects of exercise, nutrient metabolism, nutrition and
disease interactions, nutrient composition of foods, food service systems,
sensory and instrumental evaluation of food quality, food biochemistry, and
food safety.
Admission: For admission to the M.S. program, candidates must have training in organic and inorganic chemistry, calculus, microbiology, and physiology, as well as undergraduate courses in both foods and nutrition. In the foods and nutrition emphasis, a course in quantitative analytical chemistry is an additional requirement for entrance. For the concentration in food service systems, introductory courses in accountancy, business administration, and economics are required. Deficiencies must be removed during the first year of graduate study. GRE scores are required of all applicants, and international applicants must submit a score of at least 580 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language.
Master of Science. The M.S. degree has two areas of emphasis: foods and nutrition, and food service systems. For both emphases, a minimum of 8 units, of which at least 4 must be in foods and nutrition, must be completed. Four of the total units, including at least 2 in foods and nutrition, must be in 400-level courses. Thesis topics may be in foods, nutrition, or food service systems. Specific course work required for each area is given below. Additional courses may be taken in foods and nutrition or related areas. Graduate-level courses required in the foods and nutrition emphasis include biochemistry with laboratory, biochemical nutrition, experimental study of foods, and seminars in foods and nutrition. Required foods and nutrition graduate-level courses in the food service systems emphasis include the experimental study of food; quantity food purchasing, production, management and service; and food service systems. In addition, personnel management, business organization, and marketing courses at the graduate level are required.
For all emphases each master's degree candidate must complete a thesis and have a final oral examination and thesis defense.
Doctor of Philosophy. A total of 24 units of graduate work must be completed; at least 8 and no more than 12 units of thesis research may be applied to the requirements. If a candidate has a master's degree in foods and nutrition or a related area, a minimum of 16 units, including up to 12 units of thesis research, must be completed. Required courses include at least 3 units of foods and nutrition, of which at least 2 must be at the 400 level. Students must take seminars in foods, nutrition, or food service systems. Other courses are selected, in consultation with the adviser, on the basis of the student's background and interests. Courses may be chosen from foods and nutrition, food science, biological and chemical sciences, statistics, or other related areas. Thesis topics may be in foods or nutrition.
A written Ph.D. preliminary examination should be completed by the end of the second year in the doctoral program for those entering with an M.S. degree and by the end of the third year for those with a B.S. degree. A final Ph.D. thesis defense is required upon completion of the dissertation.
Financial Aid: Financial aid is awarded to graduate students on a competitive basis, with teaching and research assistantships, fellowships, and tuition and fee waivers being available.
GENERAL HUMAN RESOURCES AND FAMILY STUDIES
The master's program in general human resources and family studies allows the
candidate to obtain greater breadth than is possible in one of the more
specialized areas. Candidates are required to take a minimum of 4 units from
prescribed courses in three of the five specialized fields in human resources
and family studies.
HOME ECONOMICS EDUCATION
The M.S. program in home economics education requires that candidates hold a
valid teaching certificate for home economics or have successfully completed
Illinois certification requirements and earn at least 8 units of graduate
credit, of which 4 units are in human resources and family studies. Three of
the 8 units must be at the 400 level, with at least 1 of these in human
resources and family studies. Four 1/2-unit courses are specified in
educational psychology and educational policy studies. At least 2 units must be
in home economics education. Advisers for students in this program are in the
Division of Home Economics Education, College of Education. A thesis is
recommended.
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND FAMILY STUDIES
The degree programs are interdisciplinary, focusing on individual development
across the life span and on the family context in which development occurs.
Major areas of faculty research in human development include the development
and socialization of young children and adolescents. In family studies,
emphases include the internal dynamics of family systems, the family in
cross-cultural settings, and the relationship between the family and other
social institutions like schools and workplaces.
Admission: Admission into all programs is based on a combination of criteria, including undergraduate grade-point average, Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores, recommendations, and the personal statement. All applicants are required to take the GRE and have previous course work in an area of the behavioral or social sciences. A student without prior course work in human development and family studies, or advanced-level statistics may be admitted to a graduate program, but will be required to make up deficiencies during the first year of the program.
Master of Science. For the M.S. degree, the student may specialize in the study of either the family or human development. The program is designed to prepare students as practitioners in education and social service agencies, or as the first step toward the doctor of philosophy degree. Students must complete a minimum of 8 units, including 2 units of thesis, or 9 units if a thesis is not submitted; 4 of the total units must include HDFS 418 and 419 and two other 400-level courses.
Master of Science and Master of Social Work. A dual master's degree program offered in conjunction with the School of Social Work is designed to prepare students for careers aimed at providing services to couples and families within a human service agency, or as independent practitioners, teachers, or clinical researchers. For admission to the M.S./M.S.W. dual degree program, students must apply to both the Division of Human Development and Family Studies and the School of Social Work and must meet the standards for admission and be approved by both. Completion of the program may meet the requirements for associate membership in the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. Students in the HDFS phase of the program take course work in family studies, human development, and family systems to fulfill the requirements for the M.S. They then fulfill requirements for the M.S.W., which includes an intensive fieldwork internship. Students who hold a B.S.W. degree must complete a minimum of 20 units of course work to satisfy requirements for the M.S.W. and M.S. degrees. Students with baccalaureate degrees in other disciplines may need to complete up to 22 units if they lack certain social work credits as undergraduates.
Doctor of Philosophy. The doctoral program is designed to prepare students to be researchers, educators, policy developers, or professionals that develop, evaluate, and implement intervention and prevention programs aimed at families and children. Requirements for the Ph.D. include 16 units beyond the M.S. or M.A. degree, completion of the written qualifying examination, defense of the written dissertation proposal, and a final thesis defense upon completion of the dissertation. The student selects human development or family studies as the major area of concentration; the other area serves as a minor concentration. Specialty concentrations in adolescence and gender in families are options for students, as well as an applied Ph.D. emphasis which includes courses in program development and evaluation, social policy, and internship experiences in more applied research or intervention settings. At least 2 units in advanced research methodology and/or statistics, HDFS 420, HDFS 421, and 8 units of thesis are required.
TEXTILES AND APPAREL
For the M.S. or M.A. degree in textiles and apparel, students may specialize in
the study of textile and apparel marketing, the textile industry, economics,
international studies, the social psychology of dress, or textile science.
Major areas of research include global marketing and international trade,
direct marketing, consumer behavior, consumer values, labor and technology in
the textile/apparel industries, cognitive and interpersonal factors influencing
apparel selection and perceptions of dress, performance evaluation of consumer
textile products, protective clothing, and safety aspects of textiles.
Master of Science or Master of Arts. Admission requirements include a background in textiles, apparel, associated courses, and the Graduate Record Exam. International applicants must submit a score of at least 580 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language. Deficiencies should be made up during the first year of graduate study. The graduate program must include a minimum of 8 units, or 9 units if a thesis is not submitted; at least 4 of the total units must be in textiles and apparel and 4 at the 400 level. Graduate-level statistics and research methods courses also are required. Additional courses are selected in accordance with the special interests of individual students.
Financial Aid. University fellowships and fellowships in the College of Agriculture and the School of Human Resources and Family Studies, tuition and service fee waivers, research assistantships, and teaching assistantships are available in several programs.
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