- About Off
-
Undergraduate
- Major in Human Development and Family Studies
- Associate Degree in Human Development and Family Studies
- Minor in Human Development and Family Studies
- Honors Study in Human Development and Family Studies
- Courses
- Campuses
- Advising
- Student Profiles
- Student Organizations
- Study Abroad
- Research and Teaching Opportunities
- Internships
- Career Opportunities
- Financial Aid and Scholarships
- Visit and Apply
- Contact Off
- Graduate Off
- Alumni Off
-
Research
- Current Research
-
Research Expertise
- Areas of Specialization
-
Cross Cutting Themes of Research
- Adolescence and Young Adulthood
- Child Maltreatment
- Cognitive Health
- Computational Methods for Developmental Systems Models
- Determinants and Promotion of Well-Being
- Development and Family Processes in International Contexts
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Family Systems and Processes
- Gender and Development
- Health and Family Processes
- Healthy Aging
- Influences of Stress on Development and Aging
- Longitudinal Methodologies/Designs for Studying Change and Variability
- Parenting, Parent-Child Relations, and Child Outcomes
- Socio-Cultural and Economic Diversity
- Substance Use
- Work and Family
- Opportunities for Students
- Research Labs and Initiatives
- Contact
Ph.D. Program in Human Development and Family Studies

If you’re interested in examining how individuals develop across the lifespan in the contexts of relationships, families, schools, and communities, Penn State’s Human Development and Family Studies Ph.D. program will elevate you to an even higher level of research competence.
The program of research and graduate training in HDFS is designed to provide students with the training needed to contribute to the field of human development in multiple ways. Students engage in cutting edge research in the study of individuals and families across the life span, with an emphasis on the development and application of new methodological approaches for these areas. This work spans all levels of analysis from the biological (genetics, physiology) to the social context (schools, neighborhoods, and the workplace) to inform the development and evaluation of prevention and intervention programs implemented locally or through changes in public policy.