Bachelor of Arts - Human Development - General

The Human Development Major is an interdisciplinary program that focuses on human growth and development throughout the lifespan, and on the familial, social, cultural, and political networks in which individuals develop. A degree in human development provides students an understanding of the social, cultural, psychological and biological understanding of human beings from birth to death. Course offerings are interdisciplinary, drawing knowledge from psychology, sociology, biology, anthropology, ethnic, racial and gender studies. The Human Development Major is designed to prepare undergraduates to succeed in increasingly diverse cultural, ethnic, economic, and political environments. Respect for those differences in the context of human services settings is an integral part of our program. The mission of the Human Development Department is to promote a holistic and lifespan understanding of human development from multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary and multicultural perspectives. We: Explore the complex interplay of body, mind, culture, and environment, including the role of social and economic inequality, that shapes developmental processes and outcomes. Integrate complementary and interdependent disciplines. Use multiple perspectives and theoretical frameworks to equitably serve diverse communities. Actively and critically utilize and generate research to promote evidence-based practices. Promote social justice, social responsibility, ethical and professional standards, civic engagement, and service to the greater community. In support of this mission, the Human Development Program engages students in a challenging academic curriculum that combines traditional classroom learning with experiential problem-based and field experience opportunities in human development-related professions in diverse settings. General Concentration The General Concentration allows students to create their own concentration area selected from the list of electives taken with faculty advisor permission. For example, students wishing to pursue a career as a teacher may want to select courses that reflect their interest in teaching. In this case, students may choose a focus for their General Concentration and may informally decide to call it, “Education Focus” or “Teaching Focus.” Students wishing to work with youth may choose courses that focus on youth for their concentration and may informally call it “Youth Prevention Focus.” This concentration allows students to create their own focused area of knowledge, which they can convey to future employers or graduate programs and justify it based on the courses they took for the concentration.