The Department of Family Relations and Child Development offers graduate study leading to the Master of Science degree and the Doctor of Philosophy. Both the M.S. and the Ph.D. programs develop the theoretical and research foundation for further graduate study or for the application of new knowledge. The graduate programs are tailored to the candidate's professional goals, expertise of faculty members, Department of Family Relations and Child Development, and College of Human Environmental Sciences and Graduate College requirements.
Graduate programs are central to the department's research and generation of knowledge efforts.
Faculty and student share an obligation to make significant contributions to the store of knowledge and share this knowledge with the various audiences. The M.S. in FRCD provides students with a combination of study in the theoretical and research foundations and offers opportunities to gain experience working with individuals and families. The marriage and family therapy specialization is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. The Child Development Laboratories are accredited by the National Academy of Early Childhood Programs of the National Association for the Education of Young Children. The interdisciplinary Ph.D. is awarded in Human Environmental Sciences with a specialization in family relations and child development.