Degree Options
Degree Option VI: Honors in Advanced 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 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.
Contacts
Dr. Ladia Hernandez, Program Coordinator for Honors
ladia.hernandez@austin.utexas.edu
GEA 313B
(512) 471-0890
Dr. Lisa Neff, Honors Faculty Adviser for Human Development and Family Sciences
SEA 2.438
(512) 475-6886