University’s Human Dynamics Programs Realign to Strengthen Collaboration and Community Impact

Over the summer, four academic disciplines focused on preparing students as professionals in the human, health and social services fields (formerly housed in the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics) transitioned to new academic homes across the University.

• The School of Social Work now resides in the School of Education.
• Marriage and family therapy joined human development and family science and the united department is now in the College of Arts and Sciences.
• The University’s public health programs have joined the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

Concurrently, the Falk College of Sport was reimagined as the nation’s first standalone college of sport on a Research 1 campus.

These changes align with the University’s goal of creating academic synergies among, and supporting the continued growth and impact of, human dynamics programs. They also reflect the University’s ongoing commitment to human thriving, one of the areas of strategic excellence outlined in “Leading With Distinction,” the University’s academic strategic plan.

The moves were announced in fall 2024 following strategic evaluation by the Human Dynamics Task Force, which was informed by input from students, faculty, staff and community partners. The task force’s goal was to ensure that each human dynamics program is positioned for long-term success, deeper collaboration and greater impact as they transition out of the Falk College and into new schools/colleges for the 2025-26 academic year.

Human Development and Family Science (HDFS)/Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT)

New home: College of Arts and Sciences (both disciplines housed in the Department of Human Development and Family Science)

Degrees offered: B.S., HDFS; M.A., MFT (in-person/online); Ph.D., HDFS; Ph.D., MFT; minors in human development and family science, child and family policy, mindfulness and contemplative studies and gerontology

Why it fits: These disciplines align with the College of Arts and Sciences’ (A&S) commitment to solving global challenges around health and well-being and will provide new avenues for collaboration and creativity. Cross-program partnerships will expand student learning opportunities in health-adjacent fields, drive research innovation and significantly enhance A&S’s collective impact on individual and community well-being. HDFS and MFT are natural additions to such existing A&S departments as psychology, communication sciences and disorders, health humanities, LBGTQ studies, neuroscience and women’s and gender studies.

Bringing these programs into A&S strengthens our commitment to interdisciplinary research and teaching that supports individuals and families across the lifespan. We are excited to welcome faculty and students whose work aligns so closely with our mission.

— College of Arts and Sciences Dean Behzad Mortazavi

Public Health

New home: Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs

Degrees offered: B.S., public health; B.S., public health and management (in partnership with the Whitman School of Management); MPH.; MPH/MBA dual program (in partnership with the Whitman School)

Why it fits: Public health’s move to the Maxwell School fits with the school’s academic strategic plan, which includes a focus on addressing health and health disparities. Public health and public policy are highly interrelated, and Maxwell is uniquely positioned to provide evidence-based solutions to the challenges facing public health leaders and practitioners. Opportunities for growth and collaboration will be enhanced across existing external partnerships (such as the public health department’s work with the New York State Department of Health) and within key Maxwell research centers and institutes, such as the Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion and Population Health, Aging Studies Institute and the Policy, Place, and Population Health Lab.

This is a natural fit for the public health department and for the Maxwell School. Adding these experts in global and environmental health, infectious disease and other top public health issues to our community of world-class scholars on population health, aging and health policy, as well as our health scholars across the social sciences, will further enhance our vital voice in the study of health and in the development of health policy.

— Maxwell School Dean David M. Van Slyke

Social Work

New home: School of Education

Degrees offered: B.S.W.; M.S.W. (in-person/online); J.D./M.S.W. (in partnership with the College of Law); social justice minor

Why it fits: The core values of social work—service, social justice, dignity and the worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity and competence—align closely with the School of Education’s mission of mentoring and nurturing the next generations of educators, scholars and leaders who will have meaningful and sustained impact in their communities. The addition of social work to the school brings new possibilities for interdisciplinary research and curriculum development, with social work faculty bringing to the table deep community partnerships, a strong research profile and an enthusiasm for working collaboratively.

I look forward to the new opportunities presented by closer collaboration with programs that share our historical commitments to inclusive pedagogy and practice, as well as to reciprocally valuable partnerships in Central New York. We will benefit from our new colleagues’ expertise in online teaching and their dedication to veterans and military-connected families.

— School of Education Dean Kelly Chandler-Olcott