Table of Contents
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Sample Course Schedule M.A. Program:
Fall Year 1
HFS 621 Statistical Concepts I
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HFS Elective/SWK 775 Program Evaluation
SpringYear 1
HFS 653 Child and Family Development Across Life Cycle
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HFS Elective/SWK 775 Program Evaluation
Fall Year 2
Elective
Elective
Elective
Spring Year 2
HFS 996 Master’s Project
Master of Science (M.S.)
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At least 12 credits of elective coursework must be selected from the H.D.F.S. Department or related programs (e.g., Psychology, Education, Policy Studies, Sociology, Anthropology). Graduate courses are indicated by their course number (500 or above). Students should consult with their faculty advisor prior to selecting courses. Elective courses should be consistent with the student’s academic interests and goals, and form a coherent program of study. For a complete list of available courses, please consult the Syracuse University Course Catalog.
Independent Study:
M.S. students may take up to 3 credits as “Independent Study.” An independent study may include research projects, literature reviews, or other scholarly activities beyond those involved in standard coursework. All independent studies are conducted under the supervision of a faculty member. Students must complete the “Independent Study Form.” The independent study must be completed in the semester when it is undertaken.
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At least 15 credit hours of content must be selected from within the H.D.F.S. Department. The remaining 21 credits can be completed in H.D.F.S. or in other programs such as Psychology, Education, Policy Studies, Sociology, Anthropology, or African-American Studies. Students should consult with faculty advisors prior to selecting courses both inside and outside of the department. Courses should be selected that match with the students’ academic interests and goals. Students may choose courses at or above the 600 level. All students must complete a two-semester sequence in statistics and research methods. For a complete list of available graduate courses, please consult the 2019-2020 Graduate Course Catalog. In addition to the list of courses in the catalog, faculty members regularly offer courses within their areas of specialization and research interests.
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Comprehensive Examination
After completing coursework, students have two years to prepare for, and pass, the comprehensive examination. The exam is intended to assess students’ ability to integrate substantive knowledge within the broad field of Human Development and Family Science. Students are expected to synthesize, critically analyze, and evaluate the literature in the field and articulate this scientific information. Doctoral students must successfully complete the exam before they can advance to candidacy. Students enrolled in the M.S. and who have continued on to the Ph.D. program must have submitted their Master’s thesis prior to sitting for the comprehensive examinations.
Procedures and Guidelines:
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Evaluation and Notification of Results:
Students should notify the Graduate Director of their intents to complete their comprehensive examination requirement using the dates in Table 1. The Graduate Director shall appoint an Assessment Committee for the student’s comprehensive exam consisting of three faculty members including the student’s advisor and inform the student and the advisor of the composition of the Committee.
After notifying the Graduate Director of the intent to complete the comprehensive exam and the Director’s appointment of an Assessment Committee, the student shall develop a proposal outline for their comprehensive exam review outlining the topic, its significance, and the methods to be used in conducting the review (e.g., textual review, meta-analysis, etc.). The proposal outline also should include a preliminary list of at least 15 references from the last 10 years of research that will form the basis of the proposal. Students should assume that the Assessment Committee will need at least 3 weeks to review the proposal outline. The Assessment Committee will review the proposal outline to determine if the topic is appropriate to meet the requirements of the comprehensive examination. The Committee may determine that the proposal is adequate as submitted or may require a meeting with the student to discuss the proposal further. Following approval by the Assessment Committee, students will be allowed to take a semester to complete the review. Students may start the review at the beginning of either the fall or spring semester.
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