The Department of Human Development and Family Studies' mission is to provide strong undergraduate programs in the areas of Early Child Development, Family Studies, Child Life, and Adolescent and Youth Development and strong graduate programs in Human Development, Family Studies, and Marriage and Family Therapy.
The Department is also committed to the generation of new knowledge in the area of Human Development and Family Studies. In addition, through faculty and student research, the Department is dedicated to providing applications of this knowledge base in the service of improving the quality of life for individuals, families, and communities in Alabama and the region.