College of Education and Human Development

Family Social Science

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Summer 2026 special topics in parent and family education

The Parent and Family Education program in Family Social Science has created three new, 1-credit Special Topics classes for Summer 2026. These courses will be open to both current University students and professional learners seeking CEU hours. Discounts are available for school districts that register as a group.

Course offerings

    Have you ever second-guessed a decision or struggled to establish appropriate boundaries in your interactions with families? This six-week, 1-credit graduate seminar will help you devise strategies to navigate common boundary dilemmas across school, community, and home-visiting situations. This course will help you strengthen role clarity; apply ethical boundary-making frameworks; and practice communication skills for situations involving confidentiality, dual relationships, digital communication, mandated reporting, advocacy, and interprofessional collaboration. Learning is highly applied and case-based: each session uses brief readings, vignettes, role plays, and structured peer consultation.

    There are no prerequisites for this course.

    Course details

    • 1 credit (35 CEUs)
    • Day and time of class meeting(s): Virtual-synchronous, Tuesdays, June 23 - July 28, 3-5 p.m. 

    Instructor Information

    Michael Curtis, assistant professor, FSoS 

    This comprehensive one-credit course course will help you avoid burnout and build practices to support resiliency. Designed for early childhood home visitors working with parents and caregivers experiencing increasing levels of stress and trauma, this course weaves together foundational concepts of attachment theory, window of tolerance, regulation, and the real-world barriers that exist for children and families with an approach of reflection and sustainability. You will also explore how home visiting programs begin, grow, and thrive within agencies, and how these structural choices support (or constrain) reflective, relationship-based work with families.

    There are no prerequisites for this course.

    Course details

    • 1 credit
    • Day and time of class meeting(s): Virtual/synchronous June 15-22 (no class June 19) from 9-11 a.m. Virtual asynchronous work June 22-26

    Instructor Information

    Angie Klinefelter MS, LMFT, IMH-E

    Increasing numbers of children are engaging in challenging behaviors and typical parenting tools don't always meet the needs of children or parents. Parent educators, social workers, and other practitioners who work with families need to engage in different ways to support parents as they flex to respond with love and limits. This course will give you practical communication and process tools for working with parents, with a focus on managing resistance, having difficult conversations, and active teaching strategies. Role-playing and small group discussions will give you the chance to practice new skills. The course will draw from family studies, parenting research, and family therapy.

    There are no prerequisites for this course.

    Course details

    • 1 credit
    • Day and time of class meeting(s): In person, Thursday and Friday, July 23 and 24, 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m., 278 McNeal Hall
    • Online work: July 25-31

    Instructor Information

    Chris Mehus, associate research professor, FSOS

    How to register

    • Current UMN students can register in MyU
    • Professionals seeking academic credit should enroll as a non-degree seeking student. Contact famed@umn.edu to register. 
    • Professionals seeking CEUs for relicensure should register through DORS - website link coming.

    Contact us

    Please email famed@umn.edu with any questions. 

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