HDFL now Applied Behavioral Sciences department

The Department of Human Development and Family Life became the Department of Applied Behavioral Sciences on Aug. 1.

Edward K. Morris, chair of the department, said the new name better reflected the department’s focus, advances in the discipline and opportunities for students.
“This change is the culmination of having redefined our mission, reorganized our curriculum and revised our major requirement,” Morris said.

The department will retain “the KU Program in Human Development and Family Life” as a subtitle to “maintain our historical continuity and identity in the College, the university and the community at large,” Morris said.

In addition to the name change, new undergraduate majors now will be required to complete 33 hours in four required courses and complete additional coursework and a practicum in a specialty area.

The two-track doctoral program has been replaced by one integrated track, requiring minor adjustments to requirements in that area. The doctoral degree’s name has been changed from “developmental and child psychology” to “behavioral psychology.”

Changes are effective this fall for newly enrolling undergraduate and graduate students. Current students may remain in the HDFL major and graduate degree programs or they may elect to change to the ABS programs.

For more information e-mail Morris at ekm@ku.edu or visit www.ku.edu/~absc.