Update: Penn State Shenango is not currently enrolling new students. Current students can access academic advising and degree planning through campus services.
Get started in the expanding human services field
Follow your passion of improving the quality of human services for families and individuals from varied backgrounds and community settings.
Gain a breadth of knowledge that spans a general education background, knowledge of life spans and family development, and a core of professional skills that may be applied in program planning and service delivery activities.
2-year Human Development and Family Studies career opportunities
Completing your degree in Human Development and Family Studies prepares you to work in the human services field, promoting health and preventing social and mental health problems for children, youth and families and adults and the elderly. You may also find employment in the following areas:
- Medical case work
- Mental health work
- Case management
- School support services
- Medical and public health services
- Substance abuse services
Continuing your education
Upon completion of the 2-year Human Development and Family Studies major, you may also choose to proceed seamlessly to a 4-year Human Development and Family Studies or another human development-related major at Penn State.
What to expect in the 2-year Human Development and Family Studies major
Penn State’s Associate in Science in Human Development and Family Studies HDFS integrates practical and academic experiences to provide you with entry-level, professional competencies in the human service fields.
Both concentration areas of the major integrate an internship at a human service organization in our community. This real world experience will help you build professional networks, establish references, and reflect on what you have learned in the classroom.
