Studies & Degrees in Family Sciences
Family sciences study how families work: how people develop from childhood to old age, how couples, parents and children relate to each other, and how money, work, law, health and culture affect family life. It is an applied social science that draws on psychology, sociology, education and economics. The Department of Human Development and Family Sciences at the University of Connecticut (UConn) sums up the field in three themes: the healthy development and wellbeing of individuals and families over the lifespan, the interactions and processes within families, and individuals and families in their social and cultural contexts.
Degrees in the field are known by several names: family science, family studies, or human development and family sciences or studies (HDFS). Typical areas of study are child and adolescent development, adulthood and ageing, couples, parenting and family relationships, health and prevention, and diversity and culture. The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) adds intervention research and research methods. Most programmes add supervised practice: at UConn many students take internships and research practicums.
Qualifications and levels
Bachelor's degree. In the United States, family sciences are a bachelor's major, awarded as a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science depending on the university. UConn awards a Bachelor of Arts in HDFS, and the major requires 43 credits in upper-level courses within the degree; it is taught on the main campus in Storrs and on the regional campuses in Hartford, Stamford and Waterbury. Texas Tech University awards a B.S. in Human Development and Family Sciences.
Master's degree and doctorate. Graduate study leads to research, university teaching, programme management or clinical work. UConn offers a master's degree and a PhD in HDFS, and Texas Tech University an M.S. and a Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Sciences. Family therapy is a separate, licensed profession in the United States that requires a master's degree.
Family life education. Some bachelor's programmes are designed to prepare students for certification as family life educators. The University of Florida states that its curriculum includes most of the courses needed for the ten content areas of the family life educator credential.
Spain. There is no bachelor's degree (grado) with this name; the subject is taught at postgraduate level. The Universidad Católica de Valencia teaches the Máster Universitario en Ciencias del Matrimonio y la Familia, an official master's degree of 60 ECTS credits taught in Spanish in a hybrid format. The Institute for Advanced Family Studies of the Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (UIC Barcelona) offers postgraduate programmes in family coaching and guidance, family policies (online) and marriage and family education (online); the family policies programme has 15 ECTS credits and covers the economic and legal dimensions of the family, the history and sociology of the family, and the design and evaluation of family policies. Universidad Villanueva in Madrid offers a master's programme in family educational support and mediation that is the school's own qualification (máster propio), with 60 ECTS credits over 10 months in a blended format.
Where to study family sciences
SpainExchange lists 29 schools for family sciences: 24 in the United States, three in Spain, one in Canada and one in Russia. Programmes in the United States and Canada are taught in English; the Spanish programmes named above are taught in Spanish. Other US schools on the list include The University of Texas at Austin, Miami University in Ohio, whose Department of Family Science and Social Work takes an interdisciplinary approach to the resilience of individuals, families and communities, the University of Maryland and Purdue University.
When comparing programmes, check the focus (child development, family relationships, ageing, family policy or family education), the amount of supervised practice, whether the degree prepares for a professional credential, and, in Spain, whether the master's is official or the university's own qualification.
Careers
Graduates work in family and youth services, parenting and relationship education, early childhood programmes, services for older people, non-profit organisations, schools, and public family policy. The University of Florida lists parenting education, divorce mediation, family financial counselling, adoption and foster care services, prevention programmes, services for migrants and public policy on family life among the fields where family life educators work.
US employment statistics do not have a single category for family scientists. Two related occupations give an idea of the labour market. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there were 463,400 social and human service assistants in 2025, and employment is projected to grow 7 percent from 2025 to 2035. There were 76,300 marriage and family therapists in 2025, with projected growth of 14 percent over the same period; they typically need a master's degree, and every state requires therapists to be licensed.
Frequently asked questions
Is a degree in family sciences the same as a degree in psychology or social work?
No. Family sciences focus on the family as a unit and on human development across the lifespan, and combine several disciplines. Psychology concentrates on the individual mind and behaviour, and social work is a regulated profession with its own degree.
Can I become a family therapist with a bachelor's degree in family sciences?
Not directly. In the United States, marriage and family therapists typically need a master's degree and a state licence, according to the BLS. A bachelor's degree in family sciences is a common starting point for that graduate training.
Can I study family sciences in Spain?
Yes, at postgraduate level. Examples are the official Máster Universitario en Ciencias del Matrimonio y la Familia at the Universidad Católica de Valencia (60 ECTS) and the postgraduate programmes of the Institute for Advanced Family Studies at UIC Barcelona.