This youth development program prepares you for a career in helping today's youth transition into adulthood. It uses a strengths-based curriculum to provide human and family service workers with research and professional skills that support youth to make them socially, emotionally, and cognitively competent adults.
- Master's degree. The Master of Family and Consumer Sciences - Youth Development is the only online degree of its kind that focuses solely on the skills to serve today's young people. 36 credits.
- Youth Development Specialist Graduate Certificate. 13 credits. (12 credits starting Fall 2021)
- Youth Program Management and Evaluation Graduate Certificate. 13 credits. (12 credits starting Fall 2021)
Check out the Youth Development handbook for more information.
Why study youth development?
An MFCS with Youth Development specialization or graduate certificate in youth development will benefit:
- Elementary, middle, and high school educators
- Extension educators
- Military youth specialists
- Any service providers or practitioners working directly with youth
Increasing demand
There is an increasing demand for employees of youth-serving organizations to obtain graduate degrees, certificates, and/or licensure. The Youth Development program offered as part of the Great Plains IDEA is a recognized leader in professional development and advanced degrees in youth development.
Diverse career opportunities
Non-profits
Boys and Girls Clubs of America
Community recreation
Juvenile justice facilities
Military youth programs
Middle and high school programs
Financial and professional benefits
Generally, professionals with a master's degree can request a higher wage than those holding a graduate certificate. The graduate certificate can be used for continuing education credits or a career ladder opportunity. A graduate certificate can also be used to supplement a master's degree in another field.
About the program
University partnerships
Iowa State is a member of Great Plains Interactive Distance Education Alliance (GP-IDEA), a consortium of universities that have come together to offer fully online degree programs. Youth Development through Iowa State University and the partnership of Great Plains IDEA means you interact with leading faculty nationwide.
Curriculum
Iowa State’s online Master in Family and Consumer Sciences with Youth Development specialization includes 36 credits focused on Positive Youth Development. Through the dynamic curriculum, you gain knowledge and skills to design and implement effective youth programming and be an advocate for youth issues and pro-youth policies.
The Youth Development Specialist Graduate Certificate provides flexibility so you can build a certificate program to benefit your career goals with maximum impact.
The Youth Program Management and Evaluation Graduate Certificate helps you build Positive Youth Development programs that provide youth in your community with opportunities to learn, lead, connect and serve.
Either graduate certificate is a great complement to a master’s degree in a related field such as education, social work, or other human services, or provides working professionals with additional skills needed to advance their career.
Course requirements for students who began program SUMMER 2021 AND BEFORE
Course requirements for students who began program FALL 2021 AND AFTER
*The Youth Development faculty updated the program’s curriculum effective Fall 2021.
Youth Development Course Planners (when courses will tentatively be offered over next four years)
Master’s degree
Youth Development Specialist graduate certificate
Youth Program Management and Evaluation graduate certificate
Non-degree credits
You may take up to nine graduate credit hours as a non-degree seeking student before being formally admitted to the program. If you are interested in taking courses as a non-degree student, please start with the Admissions Office and contact gpideainfo@iastate.edu.
What do students have to say?
Check out some of the comments from a 2012 survey of graduates of the GP-IDEA MFCS programs.
"I have the same position, but an increased salary as a result of my degree."
"I was able to enter a tenure-track position on completion of my masters, changing my academic rank from Adjunct Instructor to Assistant Professor."
"This program has allowed several doors to open for me. I am a professor at the local junior college, and I have my own youth development summer program for 100 children in the local area involving agriculture and where their food comes from."
"This degree program played a significant role in my ability to make a case to be promoted to senior staff status within my organization. My promotion was approved and I will receive an additional $2,500 raise this fall and new title. "
"I fully support this program and what it does for working professionals."
"I have taken many skills from this program and developed my own YD program in my area. My program has been very successful and have a wait list every summer. This summer will be five years I have been directing my own summer program."
"This was an excellent program. Thank you!"
"I have repeatedly recommended this program to colleagues. I appreciate the rigor, flexibility and general course quality."
"Thanks to all the professors that have worked so hard to put this program together. My education is still on the forefront of where youth development programs are in our society. I was one of the first 6 students to graduate from this program."