Undergraduate Programs
Course Information
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HDFS 420 family diversity in the u.s.
3 undergraduate hours or 4 graduate hours (lecture-discussion)
Spring Semesters
Course Objectives
- To introduce students to the essential concepts, theories, and research used in social science research to analyze the family.
- To analyze family diversity within a historical, social, and economic context.
- To analyze the effects of poverty and economic inequality on parenting and child development.
- To evaluate cultural attitudes and social policies affecting family life.
- To improve critical thinking, writing, speaking, and problem-solving skills.
Topics
- Family diversity, social change and family policy
- Social class and families
- Social class, family dynamics and children's lives
- Economic change, work and family life
- Family poverty
- Challenges facing working poor families
- Homeless families
- Poverty and family structure effects on children
- Welfare reform
- Other ways to reduce child and family poverty
- Racial and ethnic composition of American families
- Issues facing African American families
- Latino families
- Asian American families
- Acculturation and multiracial family isues
Graded Activities
- Quizzes (8)
- Family project
- Family policy project