Your Human Development And Family Studies Program example essay topic

Since the beginning of my academic endeavors, I have long cherished a dream to be a member of the social science research community, which gives our society progressive insights into human ecology. I began my undergraduate studies at Ramapo College of New Jersey with a passion for ecological justice and with the intention of majoring in environmental studies. Ramapo College's progressive liberal arts foundation provided me with ample room to explore the multifarious array of social science courses. As I took more social science courses, however, my understanding of human social groups underwent a metamorphosis. As a result, I decided to pursue a degree in Social Science, with minors in the two fields I felt most passionately interested in, Women's Studies and African American Studies. Two courses that were critical in my intellectual development were the Sociology of Social Movements and the Dynamics of Domestic Violence.

In the Sociology of Social Movements, I designed a research project, "Women, War, and Resistance". In this piece I examined crucial issues surrounding wars on a global level, such as rape as a weapon of war, sexual trafficking, and various grassroots war-resistance groups formed by women on a local level. In addition, after taking the course on Dynamics of Domestic Violence, I had the opportunity of doing field work at a domestic violence shelter. For this independent study, I met with a professor of the women's studies department on a weekly basis to discuss my experiences and to receive assistance in my research project: "The Effects of Domestic Violence on Adolescents". My motivation to research, discover, and stimulate social change is rooted in my childhood experiences. As a young child I grew up in a household filled with domestic violence, which ultimately ended with the suicide of my father.

I subsequently came to know a variation of the typical American nuclear family: a single parent household. As I began to study family dynamics further, I was able to see my life experiences in a broader context. In hindsight, I now realize the impact and weight my own mother had on my personal development. It was through her strength, determination, and optimism that I was able to find the spark within myself to set goals and dreams for my future. She encouraged me never to accept anything at face value, including the way our society attempts to define my womanhood. As a result of this, I now question American culture's classification of a 'successful' family and the factors that determine a 'stable' family.

The social sciences paved an avenue of insight into my own life, providing me with a broader understanding of gender roles and family dynamics. One of the topics that I am interested in researching is the role that family structure has on human development. In particular, I would like to study the variations of family structure and factors that influence them, such as single parenthood, economic disadvantages, race, and sexuality. Another area that I have a keen desire to study, which is interrelated with family affairs, is human resilience. The Human Development and Family Studies program suits my areas of research interests and my desire for a more multidisciplinary approach to family structure and community building. More specifically, Dr. Bolger's research appears to parallel my own areas of interest, with her focus on family hardships and human resilience.

I am currently enrolled in the graduate program of Sociology at William Paterson University, but I have decided that in order to pursue my goals, I need to be studying the complex interconnections between human development and social situations. I will be taking in spring 2005 in American Family Diversity which will lay down a preliminary foundation for the Human Ecology program at Wisconsin. The course will be focusing on variables such as ethnicity and race, sexuality and gender, marital status, and economic status. The Human Ecology program addresses not only the research I wish to pursue, but also the applied component of academia. I was drawn to the program because of the current research on public policies, outreach, and community redevelopment, as well as the opportunities for internships and co-ops. Currently, one of my goals is to create a series of co-operative community resource centers in urban areas for single mothers, in which members of the community define their needs.

I intend to offer programs such as job training, transportation services, child care, tuition reimbursement, democratic community meetings, and an assortment of other community building services. Your Human Development and Family Studies program will enable me to acquire both the knowledge and hands on experience for my intended professional goals. I am confident that acceptance into the Human Ecology program, with such distinguished faculty will grant me the freedom to pave my own path and create a new stepping stone in the field of human ecology.