Course information contained within the Bulletin is accurate at the time of publication in June 2025 but is subject to change. For the most up-to-date course information, please refer to the Course Catalog.
HDCE 2304. Families and the Community. 3 Credit Hours.
This course examines the historical and contemporary development of families with a focus on American trends. We explore the way families have changed over time with respect to class and racial/ethnic variations, the division of labor and social power within families, and communication patterns within households. We will also research the stressors affecting families (e.g., divorce, addiction, loss, immigration issues) and the types of family and community resources that support families through these times. We also devote a portion of our time to relating our own family autobiographies to the broader context of American families.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Undergraduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HDCE 3332. Professional Seminar in Human Development and Community Engagement I. 1 Credit Hour.
Many students want to make a difference in children's lives in other ways besides being a teacher. There are several hundred charitable and educational foundations and agencies in the greater metro Philadelphia area alone. State, federal, and local governments also often have child-focused initiatives. The programs, policies, and practices of these agencies and governments could benefit from employees who understand the factors that impede or facilitate the cognitive, social, and physical development of children, particularly in urban communities. This course provides an orientation to the HDCE major and exposure to a variety of career options and organizations that are relevant to HDCE. It aims to help students develop a sense of their future career path and understand their role within a collective impact framework.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Undergraduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HDCE 3333. Professional Seminar in Human Development and Community Engagement II. 1 Credit Hour.
Many students want to make a difference in people's lives in other ways besides being a teacher. There are several hundred charitable and educational foundations and agencies in the Philadelphia area alone. State, federal, and local governments also often have social service-focused initiatives. The programs, policies, and practices of these agencies and governments could benefit from employees who understand the factors that impede or facilitate the cognitive, social, and physical development of individuals, particularly in urban communities. This course provides an orientation to the HDCE major and exposure to a variety of career options and organizations that are relevant to HDCE. It aims to help students develop a sense of their future career path and understand their role within a collective impact framework. This course requires 3-hours of fieldwork. In order to register for this course, students must submit full clearances to the Office of Field Placement.
Student Attribute Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Student Attributes: Clearance for Education.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HDCE 3334. Professional Seminar in Human Development and Community Engagement III. 1 Credit Hour.
This course is a 1-credit course aimed at helping students become familiar with the career opportunities, create network contacts, and develop a deeper understanding of the breadth and depth of the Human Development and Community Engagement field. This course will help students build upon or rethink the career path they identified in Seminar 1 (if taken) and craft a focused professional development plan and identify a professional with whom they can engage in that career field.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Undergraduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HDCE 4185. Community Internship and Seminar. 6 to 12 Credit Hours.
The internship is meant to build on students' practicum experience, by providing a learning experience that unites prior coursework with professional organizational settings and the community as a whole, while also guiding students as they transition into their own professional lives. Students will continue at the site where they completed their practicum course. Having developed relationships and acquainting themselves with the organization, students can seamlessly transition into an internship at the same site. Students are required to complete a total of 65 - 390 hours at their site (depending on the number of credits). Additionally, students will meet eight times during the course of the semester to share observations and experiences gained from the internship placement. In order to register for this course, students must submit full clearances to the Office of Field Placement.
Field of Study Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Fields of study: Human Develop Commnty Engagemn.
Student Attribute Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Student Attributes: Clearance for Education.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C- in HDCE 4187.
HDCE 4187. Practicum in Applied Development. 3 Credit Hours.
This course will give undergraduate students the opportunity to integrate and apply theory and coursework within a community organization working with children or other vulnerable populations. Students will be required to demonstrate increased knowledge and skills in practice, research, and evaluation across multi-level systems. Students will experience a practicum placement under the immediate supervision of a professional who functions as the student's Site Supervisor, and the overall supervision of the Practicum Instructor. The practicum will involve activities such as observing the members within the organization and conducting background research about the organization. Additionally, practicum students will meet five times during the course of the semester to share observations and experiences gained from the practicum placement.
Field of Study Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Fields of study: Human Develop Commnty Engagemn.
Student Attribute Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Student Attributes: Clearance for Education.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C- in HDCE 3332, HDCE 3333, and HDCE 3334.
HDCE 4302. Economics for Education. 3 Credit Hours.
Education plays a central role in the economy through its effects on the labor force, distribution of income, and individuals' earnings and quality of life. This course will provide an introduction to the concepts of economics and how these can be applied to education. Topics to be discussed include education markets and financing (both K-12 and higher education), education production, teacher labor markets, school choice, and school accountability.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Undergraduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HDCE 4305. Curriculum and Training Design. 3 Credit Hours.
This course focuses on helping students learn how to design and implement teaching and training programs in not-for-profit organizations. This course guides students through the process of designing curriculum to support out-of-school learning and training programs. Course activities include program and curriculum evaluation, analysis of existing training programs, a comprehensive research project on teaching and training, student-centered collaboration and group work, working with logic models and working with the Pennsylvania Academic Standards to develop curricula for teaching and training.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Undergraduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HDCE 4333. Program Evaluation. 3 Credit Hours.
Program evaluation is a critical component in designing and operating effective programs and interventions. Evaluations supply information to program managers and policymakers that can assist them in making decisions about which programs to fund, modify, expand or eliminate. Evaluation can be an accountability tool for program managers and funders. Programs need answers to many questions (i.e., Who is a program intended to serve? What are its goals? What does the program actually look like? Who does it actually reach? What are the outcomes for those who received the intervention? How can a program be improved to better meet its goals? What needs to be adapted for a different population or setting? Why should a program continue to be funded? Which intervention works better? Which is more cost-effective?). This course serves as an introduction to evaluation methodology and evaluation tools commonly used to assess programs. Students will become familiar with the concepts, methods and applications of evaluation research; learn how to read evaluation research critically; understand how to use evaluation results to improve program performance; and be able to propose and execute an appropriate evaluation plan to assess the implementation and/or effectiveness of a program. There is no specific policy or sector focus to this course, as evaluation tools are used in all policy areas and by public (government) and private (foundation) funders as well as by public and private sector program managers. Students are encouraged to relate the general material of the course to their specific interests. Students taking this course will already have taken the following courses: (a) Child Development (that explain age trends in outcomes such as achievement and the factors that cause these outcomes), and (b) Statistics for Decision-Making. This course requires fieldwork. In order to register for this course, students must submit full clearances to the Office of Field Placement.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Undergraduate.
Student Attribute Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Student Attributes: Clearance for Education.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C- in EPSY 2325 (may be taken concurrently) and (ECED 2101, EDUC 2109, or AOD 3317)
