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Practicum

 

Overview

 

The Department of Human Development and Family Sciences has a long-standing tradition of offering undergraduate students experiential learning opportunities in research labs, through community partnerships, and at the Priscilla Pond Flawn Child and Family Laboratory (UT Lab School). 

Students earning a Bachelor of Science degree or a Bachelor of Science and Arts degree under the 18-20 catalog or later requires 6-credit hours of Research or Field Practicum coursework in order to graduate. Students can meet this requirement with:

  • 2 consecutive semesters of the Research Practicum through HDF 355R (carries an Independent Inquiry Flag) or 359 (does not carry an independent inquiry flag) in the fall, spring, or summer of their junior or senior year
  • 1 semester of Field Practicum through HDF 652F or 652P (if placed at the UT Lab School) in only the fall or spring of their senior year

Please contact your academic advisor in the SoHE Advising Center, call 512-471-7219, or go to GEA 37 if you are uncertain of your requirements.

Admission is by application only and filed with the Department of Human Development and Family Sciences. Advising will send an email to HDFS students early each semester with more information on the application process, which takes 3 steps:

1) you attend a mandatory information session

2) you indicate an interest in applying to either the field or research practicum

3) you gain access to a Canvas course with the application

Here is a general timeline:

  • Research Practicum enrollment occurs 1 semester in advance.
    • The application process starts in September for spring students and the deadline is in September.
    • The application process starts in late January to early February for summer and fall students and the deadline is in late February or early March.
  • Field Practicum enrollment occurs 2 semesters in advance.
    • The application process for fall the following year starts in early to mid September with an application deadline in late Octover to early November.
    • The application process for spring the following year starts in late January to February with an application in late February or early March.

Please read the webpages in the tab to the left that are specifically related to the Field Practicum, Research Practicum, and Application Process. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Natalie Ammon, Practicum Coordinator, at hdfs.practicum@utexas.edu with your UTEID, your year in school, the type of practicum you are interested in (field or research), and the semester you would like to take the course.

Honors

Honors in Human Development and Family Sciences

 

  
Honors in Advanced Human Development and Family Sciences (HAHDFS) affords talented, ambitious, and highly motivated students the opportunity to perform cutting edge research in human development, romantic and family relationships, and social and public policy. HAHDFS students have the opportunity to participate in active exchanges with faculty and experts in the field.  The community of HAHDFS scholars will have the opportunity to form close ties with one another and with their professors.
 
Students in HAHDFS will take challenging classes in small special honors sections of introductory courses taught by our distinguished faculty. These courses include:
     UGS 018 – Freshman Interest Group Seminar
     UGS 303 – The Modern Family
     HDF 304H – Family Relationships: Honors
     HDF 313H- Child Development Honors
     HDF 355H- Research Problems Honors
     HDF 379H – Honors Tutorial Course
     NSC 110 – Human Ecology Thesis Workshop
 
Students in HAHDFS are also encouraged to take honors versions of their other (natural and social) science and statistics courses whenever possible. By participating in HAHDFS, students will prepare themselves for exciting opportunities in graduate study, industry, government or professional schools (medicine, nursing, dentistry, etc.).
 

Degree Option V: Human Development and Family Sciences Honors for Dean’s Scholars

The Dean’s Scholars honors option is a highly selective program; admission into this degree option is contingent upon a student’s admittance into the College of Natural Sciences’ Dean’s Scholars program. In addition to a core of research, writing, and seminar courses offered through the College of Natural Sciences, students in this honors option consult with the departmental honors adviser to develop a coherent individual program of rigorous and challenging courses from across the university.
 

Special Departmental Honors

All Human Development and Family Sciences majors are encouraged to take part in Departmental Honors. Departmental Honors entails completing a research project, writing an honors thesis, and presenting research findings in a public forum. Students who are accepted to Departmental Honors will work closely with members of the faculty as they complete their research projects.
 
To be eligible to participate in Departmental Honors, students must have a UT GPA of at least 3.00 and a GPA of at least 3.50 in degree-required coursework in the School of Human Ecology. Majors who plan to seek special departmental honors in HDFS should apply to the Departmental Honors Committee no later than the beginning of their senior year.
 
If you are interested in participating in Departmental Honors or would like more information, please contact the Program Coordinator or Honors Faculty Adviser listed below.
 

Taking Honors Coursework 

All “Honors eligible” students regardless of major are welcome to take the honors versions of Human Development and Family Sciences courses as space allows. If you are not in a Human Development and Family Sciences Honors program but are interested in taking an honors course, please contact the Program Coordinator or Honors Faculty Adviser listed below to determine your eligibility. Priority in Human Development and Family Sciences honors courses is given to HDFS majors and Dean’s Scholars students.
 

For More Information, Please contact:

Program Coordinator for Honors:
Dr. Ladia Hernandez
GEA 313B
(512) 471-0890
 
Honors faculty adviser for Human Development and Family Sciences:
Dr. Lisa Neff
SEA 2.438
(512) 475-6886

Curriculum

Lower Division Courses

 

Upper Division Courses

 

 

 

Degree Options

Please go to the Degree Checklist webpage for each option's degree plan. 

 

The Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Sciences

 

  

THE BACHELOR OF SCIENCE AND ARTS IN HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND FAMILY SCIENCES

 

Human-Ecology-logo-white School of Human Ecology The University of Texas at Austin College of Natural Sciences
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