Human Development and Family Studies
Dr. Joanne Storm, Dept. Chair
Dr. Sabrina Bierstetel
Dr. Matthew Breuninger
Dr. Marita O'Brien
Dr. Stephen Sammut
Mission
The human person is a unique creature in the material world in his capacity to have a loving relationship with his Divine Creator. Each person, however, grows into this knowledge and awareness of their profound dignity in the context of the domestic church, that is, the family. Acknowledging the dignity that has been articulated in numerous and various ways throughout the centuries by the Church, and following the Church in recognizing the family as one of the most precious human values, the Human Development and Family Studies Program explores questions and pursues deeper knowledge concerning the human person and the institution of the family from a biological, psychological, social, legal, philosophical, and above all Catholic perspective.
Aims
Human Development & Family Studies is an academic major program that will lead students, within the broader framework of Catholic anthropology, to an appreciation for the psychological, biological, social, and theological dimensions of the developing human person. These dimensions of human development will be situated within the larger context of the family, as students are led to an appreciate the many rapid changes (e.g. legal, sociological, etc.) that have affected the domestic church. With this background, students will be prepared to think about and discuss important issues related to the human person and the family. Further, students will be prepared to work in a variety of settings that require understanding of the overall trajectory and various stages of human development, the interaction between family and individual development, and the sociological and legal concerns faced by families.
Assessment Learning Goals
1. Students will understand the psychological and biological stages of human development and how these stages unfold within a Catholic anthropology.
2. Students will know and understand relevant psychological and sociological data on the institution of the family.
3. Students will understand the sociocultural and legal challenges that have faced the family and be able to articulate these challenges.
4. Students will be prepared to work in a variety of settings that require understanding of various stages of human development, the interaction between family and individual development, and the sociological and legal concerns faced by families.