Graduate Programs About Our Program

 

Focused on Research, Scholarship, and Making a Difference for Families

The Department of Human Development and Family Science at the University of Georgia invites you to join our community of scholars.  We offer the Doctor of Philosophy and a Master’s of Science degrees.  In addition to the general HDFS emphasis, students may specialize in Child Life (at the Master’s level) or Marriage and Family Therapy (at the doctoral level).  We currently have approximately 50 graduate students.  We conferred our first doctorate in 1978 and have produced nearly 500 graduate alumni.  Our programs provide a systematic approach to understanding close relationships and families across the lifespan using the ecological model of human development.   A major goal of the program is to prepare students for careers in research, teaching, and direct service and outreach with children and families.  More information about specific programs is located at http://www.fcs.uga.edu/cfd/grad/index.html.

The Faculty is comprised of nationally and internationally recognized experts in the field.  We have 5 NCFR Fellows and 4 Reuben Hill Award winners among our current or emeritus faculty.  In addition to family scientists and marriage and family therapists, our faculty includes individuals trained in developmental psychology, sociology, gerontology, outreach/extension, and both quantitative and qualitative methodologies.  Faculty research focuses on every stage of the life span as well as a variety of substantive topics such as intimate partnerships, parenting, health disparities, minority families, and military families.  There are many ongoing research projects funded by NIH, CDC, NCI, NIDA, NICHD, DOD, and other federal agencies.  These projects include basic as well as applied research, many with clinical or preventative interventions.  Further, our faculty is committed to mentoring the next generation of scholars and leaders in the field.  To learn more about our faculty members, please visit:  http://www.fcs.uga.edu/cfd/directory.php

Our graduate students are trained to develop skills necessary to succeed in academic positions.  They are actively involved in research projects and frequently co-author conference presentations as well as journal articles. There are also opportunities within the department to assume the role of instructor for undergraduate classes as well as to engage in leadership positions within the department.  In addition to a comprehensive selection of courses in the department, graduate students may elect to take additional coursework to earn interdisciplinary certifications in Human Development and Disability, Women’s Studies, African American Studies, Gerontology, Qualitative Research, and Teaching.  Most of our students receive an assistantship which provides a stipend and tuition waiver.

The University of Georgia is located in Athens, Georgia.  It is a Research I, doctoral-intensive, land/sea grant institution.  We were recently ranked 18th by U.S. News and World report among American public universities.   The main campus is located on 615 acres adjacent to downtown Athens. Visit the University’s website at http://www.uga.edu or the Graduate School website at http://www.grad.uga.edu/ for additional information.

Athens, GA is an area of great natural beauty and the community offers many cultural and recreational opportunities. It is approximately approximately 60 miles northeast of Atlanta, 60 miles from the Blue Ridge Mountains and 185 miles from the Atlantic coast. A vibrant, restored Victorian-era downtown teems with art galleries featuring local artisans, unique boutiques, distinctive dining and a community of aspiring musicians.  To learn more about Athens, please visit:  http://www.visitathensga.com/

Department Head: Dr. Jay Mancini
For more information about the graduate program, please contact: Dr. Leslie Gordon Simons · Ms. Diane Adams