Child, Youth and Family StudiesMaster of Science (M.S.)

The CYAF M.S. program promotes work with children, youth, and families in a variety of capacities by targeting students career goals: either research or direct service. The research track prepares students for on-going training and development in research and is designed for those seeking advanced scholarly training (such as through a Ph.D. program). The practitioner track prepares students competitive employment in direct service with children, youth and families. Student in both tracts will expand your knowledge about how lifespan development, stress and crisis and interpersonal dynamics impact individuals, families and communities; and pick from a variety of specialized topics such as addictions and the family, family violence in a global context, or family stress, crises, and recovery.

Students in the program will:

Understand child development and family-based theories and how those apply to real-life contexts
Demonstrate an evidence-informed perspective from which to understand individual, family, and interpersonal dynamics
Development professionally through targeted research design and analyses (research track) or scholarly practice within the human services field (practitioner track)
Work with leading researchers in the field of children, youth, and family studies

Careers

County Extension Offices
Research Professor
Community Services
Family Advocacy Programs
Child Development Centers
Social Services Agencies
Crisis Centers
Foster Care Specialist

Application to this program

Required materials:

1. Graduate Studies Application
2. Unofficial Transcripts
3. Resume
4. Three Letters of Reference

Ensure that at least one reference letter is academic (e.g., instructor, advisor) and any non-academic letters are professional (e.g., relevant employer)

5. Statement of Professional Goals

In your Statement of Professional Goals, address the following:
-What personal and/or professional experiences have led you to want to pursue a degree in Child, Youth and Family Studies?
-What are your professional goals and how will this degree help you achieve those?

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Degree Requirements

CYAF Master's Student Handbook

Students select from two curriculum tracks (Research or Practitioner).

RESEARCH TRACK*
Course Number	Course Name	Credits
REQUIRED: 18 CREDITS
CYAF 972	Theories of Human Dev. and Family Relations	3
CYAF 865	Research Methods	3
PSYC 941 OR EDPS 941	Fundamentals of Research Design and Analysis I Intermediate Statistics: Experimental Methods	3
PSYC 942 OR EDPS 942	Fundamentals of Research Design and Analysis II Intermediate Statistics: Correlational Methods	3
CYAF 899	Thesis	6
ELECTIVES: Select Four courses (12 credits) from choices below
CYAF 833	Nonprofits in a Global Society	3
CYAF 813	Global Case Studies in Refugee Health & Wellbeing	3
CYAF 815	Family Violence in the Global Context	3
CYAF 846	Addictions and Families	3
CYAF 858	Family Stress and Crisis, Coping and Recovery	3
TOTAL CREDITS		30

PRACTITIONER TRACK
Course Number	Course Name	Credits
REQUIRED: 18 CREDIT HOURS
CYAF 972 OR CYAF 884	Theories of Human Dev. and Family Relations Foundations for Family Studies	3
CYAF 865 OR CYAF 863	Research Methods Youth Professionals as Consumers of Research	3
CYAF 873	Program Design & Evaluation	3
CYAF 897D	Internship in CYAF (Contract with instructor required)	3-6
CYAF 996	Scholarly Practice (Contract with instructor required)	3-6
ELECTIVES: Select Four courses (12 credits) from choices below
CYAF 833	Nonprofits in a Global Society	3
CYAF 813	Global Case Studies in Refugee Health & Wellbeing	3
CYAF 815	Family Violence in the Global Context	3
CYAF 846	Addictions and Families	3
CYAF 858	Family Stress and Crisis, Coping and Recovery	3
TOTAL CREDITS		30