Family studies and human development programs teach people about the family unit and its influence on human growth and development. Students learn ways to promote human growth and development across the life span. They learn nutrition and wellness. They may also learn to develop programs and services for families.

The late comedian George Burns once said, "Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city." Linus, of the Peanuts gang, grumpily said, "Big sisters are the crabgrass in the lawn of life." Yet American philosopher and poet George Santayana proclaimed that the "family is one of nature's masterpieces."

The familial unit has inspired a wide range of funny quotables from all manners of people, from philosophers to cartoonists, poets to comedians. Why do we view the family in such varied ways? You might think the answer is obvious. Every family is different, right? And each one is complex.

Even though every family is different, all sorts of people - from psychologists to historians to sociologists to teachers - have tried to understand in general terms how people interact in their families and how they grow up within family units. And all of these people agree that families are complex. That's why they study them.

As a student of family studies and human development, you might be curious about why one culture has a lower divorce rate than another. Or you might wonder how the jobs and educational backgrounds of parents influence their children's views toward their own professions. Maybe you're interested in the way that our society's views on death and dying have changed over time.

Being a student in this program gives you the tools and background to start exploring these kinds of questions with your own research and analysis. You take many courses in psychology and sociology that relate to families and human development. These courses often focus on the research findings of past scholars.

Studying such topics may inspire you to do your own research. But it also serves as good background for a diverse array of jobs. You could work as a career counselor or a social worker. You could take calls for a domestic abuse crisis hotline or help prepare families for adoption. These are just a few examples of the kinds of career opportunities for which studying in this program can prepare you.

Many schools offer programs in family studies and human development. You can earn either a bachelor's or graduate degree in this field. A bachelor's degree typically takes four years of full-time study after high school. A master's degree usually takes between six and seven years, and a doctoral degree generally ten to eleven.