School of Family and Consumer Sciences

CONTACT INFORMATION

Program Coordinator:
Dr. Jacqueline Roe
402 Johnston Hall
(419) 372-7827 
roejr@bgsu.edu

Secretary:
Kathy Beattie 
202 Johnston Hall
(419) 372-3823 
kbeatti@bgsu.edu

ADVISING
Faculty members are committed to helping students succeed. Students in the HDFS major receive advising from HDFS faculty members and from the College of Education and Human Development’s Undergraduate Student Services office, which provides a variety of services to assist students in meeting their professional goals. 

ALUMNI 
Data from alumni surveys collected over the past several years indicate that the HDFS major is helpful to graduates in terms of increasing their knowledge of relevant subject matter, applying human development and family principles to their professional practice, and in achieving their primary career goals.  Survey results indicate that over 92% of graduates are employed in their major area, and approximately one-third of graduates go on to pursue advanced degrees.

ENTRANCE TO THE PROGRAM
Admission to the program is contingent upon admission to Bowling Green State University. Click here to access the BGSU Office of Admission Online Application. To successfully complete the program, you must meet university and college requirements. Refer to the online Undergraduate Catalog for a description of these requirements.

DEGREE
The Human Development and Family Studies major is a four-year program that meets the National Council on Family Relations criteria for the Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE) and results in a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Development and Family Studies. Upon graduation, you will be eligible for CFLE designation.

FINANCIAL AID
Approximately 60 percent of BGSU students receive financial aid. 
(Click here to link to the Student Financial Aid office.)

GRANT AND RESEARCH ACTIVITY
The HDFS faculty studies research topics of national concern among scholars, practitioners, and policy-makers. Individual and collaborative research projects and grants have included the following topics:

· cultural issues in parenting and education of   children
· evaluation of early intervention programs
· family policy
· grandparents raising grandchildren
· infant and child attachment
· parent and caregiver attributions
· post-abortion psychological responses
· poverty and welfare reform
· risk and resilience in adolescents
· social interaction with preschoolers in inclusive   settings

STUDENTS
The Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) major is one of the fastest growing programs on the campus of Bowling Green State University with student demand having steadily increased over the past three years. Several hundred early childhood education students are enrolled in HDFS courses as well as students from diverse majors across the university. 

Student Council on Family Relations is an active student organization for HDFS majors.

UNDERGRADUATE RESERACH
Students enrolled in the HDFS program have opportunities to work on collaborative research projects with HDFS faculty. For example, faculty members involved undergraduate students in an Early Head Start evaluation project, a collaborative community outreach project, research projects focusing on data collection, data entry, and data analysis. A few highly competent undergraduate students are encouraged by faculty members each year to become research assistants.

Faculty members also work with the Center for Undergraduate Research and Scholarship (CURS).

UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS
Students enrolled in the HDFS program have opportunities to work on collaborative projects with HDFS faculty. For example, in the 2003-2004 academic year two faculty members will be involving undergraduate students in an Early Head Start evaluation project. A few highly competent undergraduate students are encouraged by faculty members each year to become teaching assistants for entry-level courses.

Faculty members are instrumental in maintaining two on-campus child care facilities through service in an advisory capacity to the two centers. Accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the Child Development Center (CDC) offers quality care and services to families of children ages 3-5. The CDC provides many opportunities for students to work with and observe children.

The Jordan Family Development Center is an example of a university-community partnership initiated and developed in large part through the collaborative leadership provided by two senior HDFS faculty. A partnership between the HDFS faculty and the Wood County Community Action Agency resulted in building a facility that serves the needs of the University and local community through Head Start and child care programs. The WSOS Child Development Program (Head Start preschool) located in the Jordan Center serves children ages 3 to 5 who meet federal poverty guidelines. The Wood County Board of MR/DD also provides early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities at the Jordan Center. Childcare services are provided through WSOS for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years.