Certificate in Pre-Family Law, Advocacy, and Policy

The Certificate in Pre-Family Law, Advocacy, and Policy provides undergraduate students with a focused academic pathway to understand how family dynamics intersect with legal systems, public policy, and advocacy. The program is based in the field of HDFS, with all courses provided by the department, reflecting its particular focus relative to other legal or advocacy programs. This certificate prepares students for impactful careers in law, social work, health services, and family-focused policy and advocacy, while providing a recognized credential for those pursuing law school, graduate study, or entry-level positions in legal, healthcare, public policy, and community-based advocacy fields.

Requirements

Students seeking to earn the Certificate in Pre-Family Law, Advocacy, and Policy will complete 15 total credit hours, consisting of 9 hours of required courses and 6 hours of electives. 

To complete the certificate, students must earn a grade of "C-" or better in each course and a minimum 2.00 GPA overall for the courses taken towards the certificate.

Required Courses9
H_D_FS 1600Foundations of Family Science3
H_D_FS 4720Child and Family Advocacy3
H_D_FS 4725Law and Families in Society3
Elective Courses - Choose 26
H_D_FS 3600Partnering with Parents and Families3
H_D_FS 4610Stress and Resilience in Families3
H_D_FS 4620Family Interaction3
H_D_FS 4660Helping Skills in Human Services3
H_D_FS 4680Family Communication3
H_D_FS 4700Children and Families in Poverty3

Some courses may have prerequisites. Consult with a certificate advisor to plan your schedule of certificate courses.