Youth Development

Kansas State University’s Family Studies and Human Services, in collaboration with other institutions through the Great Plains Interactive Distance Education Alliance offer a Master of Science degree in Family Studies and Human Services with a specialization in youth development, a graduate certificate program in Youth Development.

The core competencies taught through the program include:

Understanding, integrating, and being able to apply conceptual approaches to youth development (e.g., asset building, positive youth development, community youth development, risk and resiliency);
Understanding normative pathways to development;
Understanding youth and family cultural issues/contexts and their micro- and macro-influences on positive youth outcomes;
Understanding and applying basic research and evaluation skills to youth development programming;
Developing skills in problem-solving when working with funding sources, boards, other agencies, families and other professionals;
Demonstrating an understanding of the development and impact of local, regional, state, federal, and global policies on youth;
Being able to develop and apply resources (e.g., agency budgeting, grant development, fund raising) for successful management of youth-serving organizations; and
Understanding the history of the youth development area and advocate for the continued professionalization of the field.