Human Development and Family Sciences Careers
Help people grow and thrive at every stage of life
Careers in human development and family sciences
If you’re driven to understand what shapes who we become and want to make a lasting impact in your community, consider a career in human development and family sciences.
Imagine a career where you help families thrive, support children’s growth and create lasting change in the lives of those who need it most.
Maybe you’ll work with marginalized populations, such as those who are unhoused or underrepresented.
Or perhaps you’ll develop and implement policies for child, adult and family services.
You might even work in pediatrics, other medical professions or apply human development to AI models and applications.
With HDFS, you’ll gain the skills and experience to turn your passion for helping others into a powerful force for social good.
Values and interests
If any of these values and interests sound like you, then an HDFS career might be a great fit.
Values
- Empathy
- Community and family
- Growth and development
- Personal fulfillment
- Social impact
Interests
- Community programs
- Counseling and providing support
- Family dynamics
- Human development
- Interdisciplinary learning
- Mental health
- Policy and advocacy
- Prevention
Employers of OSU grads
HDFS grads support people’s health and well-being at every stage of life, helping them grow and thrive from childhood through adulthood.
Alumni with HDFS undergrad degrees landed positions or pursued graduate programs at:
Human services field
- Assistant teen center director, Boys and Girls Club-Corvallis
- Academic counselor, TRIO Student Support Services
- Behavioral health counselor, Benton County Health Department
- Child Protective Services
- Community Outreach Inc.
- Corvallis Daytime Center
- Corvallis Housing First
- Direct support professional, DSP Connections
- Direct support professional, Home Life Inc.
- Housing grants coordinator, City of Corvallis
- Jackson Street Youth Services
- OSU Extension
- White Bird Clinic
- YMCA
- Master of Counseling, OSU-Cascades
- Master of Social Work, Portland State University
- Master’s degree in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling, Western Oregon University
Child development and early childhood field
- Associate teacher, Azalea Early Childhood Education Center
- Education specialist, High Desert Education Service District
- Private nanny
- MS Education, University of Oregon
Alumni with HDFS graduate degrees landed positions at
- Penn State University
- Stanford University
- University of Denver
- Northern Arizona University
- Oregon State University
- Portland State University
- South Dakota State University
- Research analyst, Oregon Department of Education
- Licensed mental health counselor, Okika Counseling LLC
- Assistant program manager, Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch
Learn more about HDFS grad student successes.
HDFS internships
Through internships and field placements, you’ll gain real-world experience and a competitive edge in the job market.
Many OSU HDFS graduates secure positions where they interned. HDFS internship spotlights.
What do recent HDFS graduates say?
Anna Lane, '24
Majored in: HDFS
Child Protective Services, Corvallis
Relevant, culturally competent curriculum
“I encourage anyone interested in people, advocacy, health, families, children and relationships to join the College of Health. The HDFS program's curriculum is thoughtful, inspiring, culturally competent and relevant to any career working with people.”
Unique counseling perspective
“I came to OSU with an unclear vision of my future self and career, but by the time I graduated I realized I had so much to offer my community.
I'm incredibly grateful for my decision to major in HDFS. It's given me a truly unique counseling perspective, providing a depth of understanding that I likely wouldn't have achieved with a different major.”
Nikki Marr, ’19
Majored in: HDFS-Human Services
Master’s degree in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling, Western Oregon University, ’22
Behavioral health counselor, Benton County Health Department
Riley Hodges, ’24
Majored in: HDFS–Human Services
Direct support professional, Home Life Inc.
Prepared for the real world
“As a direct support professional, I support adults with intellectual/developmental disability to engage in the community and live as independently as possible.
The HDFS program significantly prepared me for the real world. HDFS courses address topics encountered in everyday life and built my ability to analyze different situations through multiple perspectives.”
Rigorous training, impactful HDFS research
“A PhD in HDFS at OSU provides an unparalleled offering of strong methodological and statistical training, theoretical and conceptual foundations to research questions, and impactful scholarship opportunities with community impact and public health relevance.”
Eric Cerino, PhD ’19
Assistant professor, Northern Arizona University
Expand your career opportunities
Adding an HDFS minor or pursuing HDFS as a double major is a great complement to:
- Education
- Public health
- Pre-med
- Health professions
- Psychology
- Sociology
Plan to work with people?
Want to help people?
Start your HDFS career journey
An HDFS degree or minor opens doors to many career paths, from counseling and social work to education and advocacy, allowing you to adapt as your interests evolve.
HDFS undergraduate program
Offered online and on the Corvallis campus and at OSU-Cascades
