Human Development and Family Science & Elementary Education Dual Degree Program
The Human Development and Family Science (Child Development option) & Elementary Education program is a collaborative effort between NDSU and Valley City State University (VCSU). Through this curriculum, offered on the NDSU campus, students are concurrently enrolled in both universities, culminating in a bachelor’s degree from NDSU in Human Development and Family Science (Child Development option) as well as a bachelor’s degree from VCSU in Elementary Education. Students are certified to teach Elementary Education in public schools and may, with additional course work and an additional student teaching experience, be certified to teach kindergarten as well. The HDFS degree complements and strengthens the Elementary Education curriculum and helps future teachers understand development and its diversity, making them more effective teachers and helping them work with children from a wide variety of backgrounds.
Major Requirements
Dual Degree Program
Major at NDSU: Human Development & Family Science
Major at VCSU: Elementary Education
Degree Type at: B.A. or B.S.
Required Degree Credits to Graduate: 126
General Education Requirements for Baccalaureate Degree
- A list of approved general education courses is available here .
- General education courses may be used to satisfy requirements for both general education and the major, minor, and program emphases, where applicable. Students should carefully review the major, minor, and program emphases requirements for minimum grade restrictions, should they apply.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Communication (C) | 12 | |
| College Composition I | ||
| College Composition II | ||
| Fundamentals of Public Speaking | ||
Upper Division Writing † | ||
| Quantitative Reasoning (R) † | 3 | |
| Science and Technology (S) † | 10 | |
| Humanities and Fine Arts (A) † | 6 | |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (B) † | 6 | |
| Wellness (W) † | 2 | |
| Cultural Diversity (D) *† | ||
| Global Perspectives (G) *† | ||
| Total Credits | 39 | |
| * | May be satisfied by completing courses in another General Education category. |
| † | May be satisfied with courses required in the major. Review major requirements to determine if a specific upper division writing course is required. |
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HDFS & Elementary Education Requirements | ||
| HD&E 189 | Skills for Academic Success 1 | 1 |
| HDFS 135 | Family Science (May satisfy general education category B) | 3 |
| HDFS 242 | Couples, Marriages and Families (May satisfy general education category W) | 3 |
| HDFS 250 | Introduction to Research Methods in Human Development and Family Sciences | 3 |
| HDFS 330 | Child Development | 3 |
| HDFS 475 | Children and Families Across Cultures (May satisfy general education category B and D) | 3 |
| EDUC 210 | Creative Activities | 2 |
| EDUC 240 | Educating Exceptional Students | 2 |
| EDUC 250 | Introduction to Education | 3 |
| EDUC 283 | Understanding Cultural Diversity | 3 |
| EDUC 300 | Educational Technology | 2 |
| EDUC 315 | Math in the Elementary School | 3 |
| EDUC 320 | Social Studies in the Elementary School | 3 |
| EDUC 321 | Foundations of Reading Instruction | 3 |
| EDUC 322 | Methods of Language Arts Instruction | 3 |
| EDUC 323 | Reading in Elementary School | 2 |
| EDUC 330 | Children's Literature | 3 |
| EDUC 350 | Elementary School Practicum and Classroom Management (2 cr.) | 3 |
& HDFS 496 | Field Experience (1 cr.) | |
| EDUC 352 | Culturally Diverse Practicum | 1 |
| EDUC 355 | Science Methods/Elementary Teachers | 3 |
| EDUC 400 | Educational Psychology | 2 |
| EDUC 450 | Trends in Assessment & Education Issues | 2 |
| EDUC 490 | Student Teaching (Elementary - 10 cr.) | 11 |
& HDFS 496 | Field Experience (1 cr.) | |
| GEOL 105 | Physical Geology (May satisfy general education category S and G) | 3 |
| or GEOL 106 | The Earth Through Time | |
| HIST 103 | U.S. to 1877 (May satisfy general education category A) | 3 |
| or HIST 104 | U.S. Since 1877 | |
| MATH 104 | Finite Mathematics (May satisfy general education category R) | 3 |
| PSYC 111 | Introduction to Psychology (May satisfy general education category B) | 3 |
| PSYC 250 | Developmental Psychology (May satisfy general education category B) | 3 |
| HDFS Electives: (Cannot take HDFS 230 or HDFS 496) | ||
| HDFS | Elective | 3 |
| HDFS | 300-400 level | 6 |
| Other Elementary Education Requirements | ||
| Biology Elective | 3 | |
| Chemistry or Physics Elective | 3 | |
| CSCI 114 | Microcomputer Packages (May satisfy general education category S) | 3 |
| or MIS 116 | Business Use of Computers | |
| GEOG 111 | Survey of Geography | 2 |
| MATH 277 | Math for Elementary Teachers I | 3 |
| MATH 278 | Math for Elementary Teachers II | 2 |
| EDUC 491 | Seminar (Senior Portfolio) | 1 |
| College Requirement | ||
| HD&E 320 | Professional Issues | 1 |
| Total Credits | 109 | |
| 1 | HD&E 189 is only required for first-time, first-year students--A first-time, first-year student is defined as a student who has not yet completed a college course as a college student. Students that are not first-time, first-year students that either transfer into the university or change their major are not required to take HD&E 189. |
Degree Requirements and Notes
- A grade of ‘C’ or better is required for all HDFS courses for graduation.
- A 2.50 cumulative GPA is required in major courses for graduation.
- Course taken Pass/Fail will not be used to satisfy any requirements other than total credits.
- Though not required, many majors pursue a Reading or STEM credential or an endorsement in Kindergarten, Middle School, English Language Learners (ELL), or as a Special Education Strategist.
Plan of Study
| Freshman | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| HD&E 189 | 1 | ENGL 120 | 3 | ||
| HDFS 135 | 3 | MATH 104 | 3 | ||
| PSYC 111 | 3 | CSCI 114 or MIS 116 | 3 | ||
| ENGL 110 | 4 | HIST 103 or 104 | 3 | ||
| COMM 110 | 3 | PSYC 250 | 3 | ||
| Science & Tech Gen Ed | 3 | ||||
| 17 | 15 | ||||
| Sophomore | |||||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| HDFS Elective (any level) | 3 | HDFS 330 | 3 | ||
| HDFS 242 | 3 | HDFS 300-400 level elective | 3 | ||
| HDFS 250 | 3 | Science & Tech Gen Ed | 3 | ||
| Science & Tech Gen Ed | 3 | EDUC 250: Introduction to Education | 3 | ||
| Co-Req Science & Tech Gen Ed Lab Course | 1 | EDUC 283: Understanding Cultural Diversity | 3 | ||
| Humanities & Fine Arts Gen Ed | 3 | ||||
| 16 | 15 | ||||
| Junior | |||||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| HDFS 475 | 3 | HD&E 320 | 1 | EDUC 210: Creative Activities | 2 |
| HDFS 300-400 level elective | 3 | EDUC 315: Math Methods | 3 | ||
| EDUC 300: Education Technology | 2 | EDUC 320: Social Studies Methods | 3 | ||
| EDUC 240: Exceptional Students | 2 | EDUC 321: Foundation of Reading | 3 | ||
| MATH 277: Math for Elementary Education I | 3 | EDUC 330: Children's Literature | 3 | ||
| EDUC 352: Culturally Diverse Practicum | 1 | EDUC 450: Assessment & Education Issues | 2 | ||
| GEOG 111 | 2 | MATH 278: Math for Elementary Education II | 2 | ||
| 16 | 17 | 2 | |||
| Senior | |||||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| ENGL 325, 358, or 459 | 3 | HDFS 496* | 1 | ||
| EDUC 322: Language Arts Methods | 3 | EDUC 400: Educational Psychology | 2 | ||
| EDUC 323: Reading Methods | 2 | EDUC 490: Student Teaching | 10 | ||
| EDUC 350: Elementary Education Practicum | 2 | EDUC 491: Seminar (Senior Portfolio) | 1 | ||
| EDUC 355: Science Methods | 3 | ||||
| 13 | 14 | ||||
| Total Credits: 125 | |||||
| * | Students should NOT enroll themselves inHDFS 496 via Campus Connection. The NDSU Registration and Records office automatically enrolls students in the course during the student's teaching semester. |
