Studying child development and early education in the Human Development and Family Studies program will prepare you to serve infants, toddlers and young children, as well as their parents, in home school and community-based settings. You'll be ready for a career or graduate study focused on areas such as early intervention, early childhood education and leadership/advocacy roles. Students in the program complete their practicum experience at the award-winning Child Development and Family Center at NIU. Graduates from the program qualify for various Illinois Gateways credentials. As a human development and family sciences major, you'll investigate how human development and family systems influence each other within the context of culture and society. You'll have several opportunities to apply your classroom knowledge to real-world settings. You'll have many career options with a degree in human development and family sciences. Our alumni find jobs working with children, adults, seniors and families in a variety of areas, such as health care and social services.