The Human Development and Family Science doctoral program at Ohio State ranks No. 6 among 48 similar academic programs in North American universities, according to The HDFS Report released on November 13.
The program, located in Ohio State’s College of Education and Human Ecology (EHE), tied with Arizona State University, Northwestern University and the University of Minnesota.
Ohio State’s ranking assures alumni with the specialization and prospective students of its excellence and value.
Human Development and Family Science (HDFS) doctoral programs nurture scholars who study the development and behavior of human beings, not in isolation, but within a broader social context.
HDFS doctoral scholars analyze and develop solutions to society’s complex problems by examining development and adaptation of the whole person in response to the influence of multiple interconnected factors, such as genetics, family relationships, school, community and the greater society.
The field of HDFS did not have a ranking system until EHE’s Claire Kamp Dush, associate professor of HDFS, created The HDFS Report in 2014. Results of that initial survey were well received.
The majority of the 48 programs ranked this year participated in the survey created by Kamp Dush.
“The field of human development and family science benefits from have a methodologically sound ranking system,” said Cheryl Achterberg, EHE dean.
The HDFS Report also provides the five top-ranked universities in four program areas commonly found within HDFS. They are:
- Family Science
- Child Development
- Adolescent Development and Emerging Adulthood
- Adult Development and Aging
The complete rankings, as well as the methodology, are available at The HDFS Report website.
