Curriculum:
Human development is one of the most diverse majors in the College of Human Ecology. The major is flexible enough to give students ample opportunity to meet the requirements for admission to professional degree programs, including medical, dental, law, public health, social work, and business schools. Requirements specified by the College of Human Ecology make up part of each student’s curriculum, and include classes in the social and natural sciences, statistics, humanities, and writing. To fulfill department and college requirements, Human Development majors must take at least one biology course.
Special Opportunities:
Beyond the required formal course work, students in human development have many other opportunities that involve ongoing individual work with Cornell faculty or other professionals. Academic credit can be earned through all of them, up to the limit specified by the college (with some restrictions noted below).
Laboratory courses. Human development students may earn credit toward the major by taking formal courses designed to teach laboratory and other research techniques, including study design, data collection, and data analysis. Students may count one of these courses toward the credits required for the Human Development major. Additional elective credits can be earned toward graduation by enrolling in individual faculty research programs, as described below.
Faculty research. Many human development students work for several semesters as research assistants on faculty projects. On these projects, students get further training in research techniques such as laboratory experiments, surveys, and scientific behavioral observation. Participation in faculty research provides the type of experience that many graduate and professional schools expect from their top applicants. Recent projects involving students have included (1) language acquisition among infants in bilingual households or settings, (2) experimental studies of risky decision making among teens, and (3) the impact of poverty on stress responses in children and teens. Participation in faculty research for credit counts as elective credit toward graduation in the College of Human Ecology (up to the limit specified by the college). By the time they graduate, approximately 80% of human development undergraduates have had lab or community outreach research experience.
Independent research. Under faculty supervision, some advanced students complete an honors thesis. Applications to enter the honors program are due in the second semester of the junior year. Honors theses typically involve a topic related to faculty research, and all applicants must have experience working on research projects and must meet other program requirements for research methods and advanced statistics. Seniors in the honors program register for honors thesis credits. The honors thesis credits count as elective credits toward graduation in the college (up to the limit specified by the college).
Field Placements. Human development majors can arrange internships with Urban Semester in New York City, Cornell in Washington, and Cornell Abroad programs. Students may also arrange internships during the fall and spring semesters in the Ithaca area. All such field placements are required to be under the supervision of a human development faculty member. In recent years, human development students have participated in projects with the Tompkins County Office on Aging, the Tompkins County Human Service Coalition, Kendal of Ithaca, local schools, the Tompkins County Youth Bureau, and the Law Guardian’s Office of Tompkins County. Field Placement credits count as elective credits toward graduation (up to the limit specified by the college).
Undergraduate Teaching Assistantships. Advanced students can serve as undergraduate teaching assistants. The teaching assistantship requires work with the professor teaching the course as well as contact with students. Undergraduate teaching assistantships are for credit only. Teaching assistantship credits count as elective credits toward graduation (up to the limit specified by the college).
HD Honors Program
All HD majors have the option to complete the Human Development Honors Program, which is a two-year program where students are expected to defend an original research thesis. You must have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher and complete your first statistics class before applying in the Spring of your junior year.
HD Major
Human Development Major
In addition to college requirements , students in the Human Development Major must complete specific requirements listed here.
The requirements listed below pertain to all students matriculating in August 2023 and January 2024.
HD Depth Coursework
HD Depth Coursework (minimum 6 credits, maximum 8 credits)
Take one HD 3000-level course and one HD 4000-level course. HD 4000, HD 4010, 4020, 4030, 4980, and 4990 cannot count for this requirement.
HD 3000/4000 Electives
HD 3000/4000 Electives (18 credits minimum)
6 of these credits must be at the 4000-level.
Note: This may include up to 3 credits of HD 4000, 4010, or 4020. This may also include up to 3 credits of HD 4990.
HD 4030 and HD 4980 cannot be used to fulfill this requirement.
Note: Courses taken for this area cannot also count in Breadth requirement or Additional HD Electives.
HD Additional Coursework
Additional HD Coursework (minimum 14 credits, maximum 19 credits)
In addition to completing the abaove required course work, students must complete the remaining credits, totaling up to 36 HD credits. Up to 12 credits from HD 4000, 4010, 4020 and 4990 can count toward this requirement.
Note: HD 1111 cannot count for this requirement. HD coursework used for Area 6 cannot be used here also.
HD Social Science
Social Science (6 credits)
This fulfills the college distribution social sciences requirement.
Any 2 courses with the Course Distribution SBA or KCM
Note: Courses cross-listed with Human Development cannot be used to fulfill this requirement.
HD Natural Science II
Natural Science II (3-4 credits)
This fulfills the college distribution natural sciences requirement.
Any 3-4 credit course with a Course Distribution PBS, BIOLS-AG, or BIONLS-AG
(HD courses with Course Distribution PBS-HE courses cannot be used)
Note: No AP credit allowed, course must be taken at Cornell.
HD Additional Distribution Coursework
Additional Distribution Coursework (12 credits)
Any course with the Course Distribution PBS, BIOLS-AG, BIONLS-AG, SBA, KCM, MQR, LA, CA, or HA. Language courses may count here.