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

Ni, Y., Geldhof, G.J., Settersten, R.A., Tominey, S.L. (2025) Civic Participation and Meaning in Life: Similarities and Differences Across Diverse Youth Youth & Society

Korucu, I., Duncan, R.J., Kenny, S.A., Gonzales, C.R., Ahmadi, A., Karing, J.T., McClelland, M. (2025) The Head–Toes–Knees–Shoulders Task as a Screening Tool for Kindergarten-Level Achievement Behavioral Sciences 15(11)

Özkoca, N., Massey, W.V., Farello, A., Arnold, J.P., Belcher, D.J., Rogers, K.A., Stellino, M.B. (2025) The Playground Paradox: An Examination of Belonging and Victimization at Recess During the Playworks Relay Program Research in Human Development

Cameron, C. E., Priore, M., Kenny, S., Cook‐Cottone, C., McClelland, M. M., Gigante, V. (2025) Head-Toes for Neurodiverse Learners: Adapting an Existing Behavioral Self-regulation Assessment Child & Youth Care Forum

Nasir, V., Hosseini, A., Binfield, L., Hasani, N., Ghotb, S., Diederichs, V., Fox, G., McCann, A.J., Riggio, M.A., Chandler, K.D., Hansen, E. (2025) Human‑centric Industry 5.0 manufacturing: a multi‑level framework from design to consumption within Society 5.0 International Journal of Sustainable Engineering 18(1)

HDFS news and stories

Human development and family sciences PhD student presented parenting styles research at SSHD 2025
HDFS doctoral student Mehwish Dawood shared research on parenting styles and child engagement at SSHD 2025, highlighting the role of family-teacher relationships in early learning.
Oregon teens step into worlds of fantasy, fandom and friendship at 4-H Questing Clovers Retreat
The Questing Clovers Retreat brings together Oregon teens who love gaming, cosplay and fantasy role-play in an inclusive 4-H camp environment. Participants in grades 7-12 explore creativity through workshops like Dungeons & Dragons, archery, potions and live-action role-playing.
HDFS Club volunteers at Vina Moses and launches Giving Tree drive
The HDFS Club volunteered at Vina Moses on Dec. 6 and launched its Giving Tree Toy Drive to support families in need.
David Rothwell quoted in The Oregonian on “Trump Accounts” and child well-being
David Rothwell, Knudson Chair in Family Policy and associate professor of human development and family sciences, spoke with The Oregonian about the implications of “Trump Accounts” on child well-being across Oregon.
Professor helps to bridge youth development research and practice
Mary Arnold co-edited a new volume that brings together scholars and practitioners to bridge research and practice in positive youth development.
Carolyn Aldwin receives Distinguished Lifetime Career Award in human development
Professor Emerita Carolyn Aldwin received the Distinguished Lifetime Career Award from the Society for the Study of Human Development, recognizing her decades of influential research on stress, coping, aging and health.