人类发展和家庭研究理学硕士学位旨在帮助学生了解在整个生命过程中不断发展的日益多样化的家庭单元以及单个家庭成员。根据学生的兴趣和职业目标，重点可能放在人类发展（青春期，衰老），领导力，政策或多样性上。学生准备在广泛的环境中与家庭，儿童，青年和成人一起工作，并为他们提倡，包括推广办公室，社区机构和决策环境。提供论文（计划A）和非论文（计划B）两种选择。那些追求计划A的人准备在各个相关领域进行博士研究。
HDFS provides cutting-edge graduate education in an inclusive, supportive, and interdisciplinary environment. The expertise of our award-winning faculty spans the areas of child development, couple and family therapy, and diversity, youth, and family development. Faculty and students generate new knowledge that plays a meaningful role in the lives of children, adolescents, families, and marginalized communities. Graduates are prepared for academic and professional positions and are in high demand following graduation. The Master of Science Degree in Human Development and Family Studies is designed to help students gain an understanding of increasingly diverse family units as well as individual family members as they develop across the life course. Depending upon student interest and career goals, focus may be on human development (adolescence, aging), leadership, policy or diversity. Students are prepared to work with and advocate for families, children, youth and adults in a broad range of settings, including extension offices, community agencies, and policy-making contexts. Both a thesis (Plan A) and non-thesis (Plan B) option are offered. Those pursuing Plan A are prepared for doctoral study in a variety of related fields.