What is MFHD?
The Marriage, Family and Human Development Program centers on theories, research and practices related to optimal human development within the context of family life. Graduates from this program are not licensed to practice marriage and family therapy. It is not an applied degree, but a research-focused academic degree. It provides a life-course perspective by which human development and family behavior can be understood and improved.
About the Program
The MFHD Graduate Program in the School of Family Life was organized in 1980. Faculty members in the program represent a wide diversity of training and interests. They have expertise in family science, resource management, human development, home and family living, and family and consumer science.
The program has an international reputation for excellence in preparing students at the Master's and Doctoral level. The faculty and students regularly publish in prestigious journals. Books are published each year by the faculty. Each publication is designed for a different audience, ranging from highly technical theoretical and research based articles to textbooks and articles for lay audiences.
The Mission of Brigham Young University:
“Assist individuals in their quest for perfection and eternal life”
The Mission of the School of Family Life:
“Provide education in prevention and intervention that promotes quality family living across generations.”
The MFHD graduate program fulfills these missions by helping students:
- Learn the dominant theories, main research findings, and contemporary issues in the MFHD research literature.
- Learn the general research methods used in MFHD and become competent in applying these methods to research questions in the field.
- Contribute to their self-selected area of scholarly specialization through original research.