School of Human Development and Family Sciences
School of Human Development and Family Sciences
College of Health
Welcome to the School of Human Development and Family Sciences.
We explore how lives and relationships develop within the context of family, work, school and society, and we work to create compassionate, effective solutions for 21st century social problems.
We are consistently in the top 10 HDFS programs in the United States and are the No. 1 undergraduate HDFS program in Oregon.
Our faculty and degree programs were recently part of the School of Social and Behavioral Health Sciences. Learn more about our college name change and restructuring.
Contacts
- School head: Marilyn S. Thompson, PhD
- Assistant to the school head: Annastazia Stoffell
- School directory
- Academic Program Directors
Our academic programs
- Human Development and Family Sciences, BS
- Child Development
- Early Childhood (OSU-Cascades)
- General Option (Corvallis and online)
- Human Services
- Human Development and Family Studies, PhD
Other programs of study
- Program on Gerontology (minors and certificate)
- HDFS minor (Corvallis and online)
Microcredentials
Microcredentials are high-quality educational opportunities that can help advance your career with less time and financial commitment than a formalized degree or certificate program.
- Child and Youth Development (online)
- Children and Youth with Disabilities (online)
Community engagement
Research and outreach
Recent publications
(This is not an exhaustive list. We are still rebuilding our database of faculty publications. Visit individual faculty profiles for more extensive lists of their publications.)
2025
HDFS news and stories
Lexi Geampa shares her journey from teaching and research to advocating for youth. Learn how scholarships have shaped her career path and her passion for supporting children and families.
Undergraduate researchers presented findings on diverse health topics while developing critical thinking and presentation skills through the Healthy Discoveries/URSA Engage Ambassador Program.
Lily Volger reflects on her internship at OSU's Child Development Center and her plans to improve the lives of children and families through early education.
Debbie I. Craig, PhD, ATC will serve as Oregon State University’s new dean of the College of Health effective July 1.
OSU’s Healthy Aging Club took action when Samaritan Village’s activity bus broke, helping secure $65,000+ in funding. Learn how students used grant writing skills to restore transportation for older adults in Corvallis.
A new tool for measuring resilience in young children has been developed by Shannon Lipscomb, Alexis Merculief, and Beth Phelps, supporting early childhood development by providing a reliable assessment method.