The Family Studies and Human Services  department participates in the Ph.D. degree program awarded from the College of Human Ecology  with a specialization in Life Span Human Development. The Life Span Human Development doctoral program is concerned with the development of individuals across the life cycle, the varying contexts of human development, and the processes underlying development. This specialization provides students with a strong, substantive foundation in theory, research, and research techniques in human development. Emphasis is placed on the continuous and systematic changes in the development of individuals as they interact with their physical and social environments. Personal and environmental factors which enhance, support, or impede human development are examined. This multidisciplinary program encompasses theory and research in infant, child, and adolescent development; adult development and aging; family studies; and thanatology.

All students plan a program of study with their major professor and graduate committee to fit their individualized career goals. Developmental periods or processes may be emphasized in individual programs of study.