The Human Development major is open to students in the College of Human Ecology.
Students interested in pursuing a Human Development major will gain an understanding of Psychological Science broadly, building a strong theoretical and empirical foundation in the behavioral sciences while exploring the social, cultural, biological, and cognitive development of humans across the life course. The major also emphasizes translational research and community engagement concerning health and well-being, social and environmental factors (e.g., schools and neighborhoods), and decision-making on context (e.g., legal settings). Please visit the Human Development fact sheet for additional information.
Most students apply to the major during the regular admissions process for the College of Human Ecology and start their time as first-year students. Those students who change major from within the College of Human Ecology simply need to meet with the Student Services Coordinator in the major, Tim Snyder, and submit a change of major form. Students from outside the college will need to do an internal transfer into the college and the major (admissions link here). We recommend that students change major before their Junior Year, though, depending on previous coursework, exceptions have been made to this deadline.
Are you a new student? Psychology advising will help you plan the years ahead.
We strongly recommend the following courses:
Lauren Korfine, Director of Undergraduate Studies
Martha Van Rensselaer Hall, Room G216
E-mail:psych-dus@cornell.edu
Timothy Snyder, Undergraduate Assistant - Human Development
MVR Hall, Room G201
E-mail: tps78@cornell.edu
Phone: 607-255-3181
College of Human Ecology Student and Career Development Office
For additional help in class schedule planning,
get information and schedule an appointment here.
Human Development majors must take at least ONE class in EACH of the two areas listed below. Classes marked with * (a star) may count for either area but only count once. A minimum of six credits must be taken to fulfill this requirement. Courses taken to fulfill the Breadth requirement cannot also be used to fulfill the 3000/4000 level requirement.
Mind, Health & Emotion :
HD 2180 Human Development: Adulthood and Aging *
HD 2520 Narratives of Women's Lives
HD 2510 Social Gerontology: Aging and the Life Course
HD 2580 Six Pretty Good Books: Explorations in Social Science *
HD 2600 Introduction to Personality
HD 2610 Development of Social Behavior *
HD 2650 Psychology and Law *
HD 2710 The Black Family and Socialization of Black Children *
HD 2800 Cultural Psychology *
HD 2820 Community Outreach
HD 3270 Field Practicum I
HD 3280 Field Practicum II
HD 3290 Self-Regulation Across the Life Span *
HD 3300 Developmental Psychopathology
HD 3310 Psychology of Gender
HD 3320 Gender and Psychopathology
HD 3450 The Nature of Leadership
HD 3460 Serious Fun! The Role of Play Throughout Development *
HD 3490 Positive Psychology
HD 3510 Racial and Ethnic Identity Development
HD 3570 Social Inequalities in Physical and Mental Health
HD 3620 Human Bonding
HD 3650 Developmental Human Sexuality
HD 3660 Affective and Social Neuroscience *
HD 3700 Adult Psychopathology
HD 4070 The Origins of Us vs. Them
HD 4120 Aging Policy
HD 4230 Research in Children's Testimony: Exploring Social and Cognitive Mechanisms *
HD 4240 Stress, Emotion, and Health
HD 4280 Research on Health Aging Lab
HD 4310 Mind, Self, and Emotion *
HD 4390 Positive Psychology in Prison
HD 4410 Human-Environment Relations *
HD 4420 Intimate Relationships
HD 4430 Navigate the Social World
HD 4490 Children's Learning in Social Context *
HD 4500 Social Networks *
HD 4520 Culture and Human Development
HD 4570 Health and Social Behavior
HD 4580 The Science of Social Behavior
HD 4590 Transitions Across the Life Span
HD 4690 Research on Adult Attachment Phenomena Lab
HD 4770 Psychopathology in Great Works of Literature
HD 4790 Contemporary Perspectives on Human Development *
HD 4850 Translational Research Lab
HD 4860 Nearest Neighbor
Cognition, Brain & Behavior
HD 2180 Human Development: Adulthood and Aging *
HD 2200 The Human Brain and Mind: An Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience
HD 2300 Cognitive Development
HD 2350 Multilingualism and Multiculturalism in Early Childhood
HD 2580 Six Pretty Good Books: Explorations in Social Science *
HD 2610 Development of Social Behavior *
HD 2650 Psychology and Law *
HD 2710 The Black Family and Socialization of Black Children *
HD 2800 Cultural Psychology *
HD 3110 Educational Psychology
HD 3190 Memory and the Law
HD 3210 Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience
HD 3250 Neurochemistry of Human Behavior
HD 3290 Self-Regulation Across the Life Span *
HD 3330 Children and the Law
HD 3460 Serious Fun! The Role of Play Throughout Development *
HD 3660 Affective and Social Neuroscience *
HD 4230 Research in Children's Testimony: Exploring Social and Cognitive Mechanisms *
HD 4250 Translational Research on Decision Making
HD 4260 Translational Research on Memory and Neuroscience
HD 4290 Psychology and the Law: Experimental and Correlational Research
HD 4300 Concepts and Theories in Childhood
HD 4310 Mind, Self, and Emotion *
HD 4340 Current Topics in Cognitive Development
HD 4380 Language and Thought Throughout Development
HD 4410 Human-Environment Relations *
HD 4440 The Nature of Human Intelligence
HD 4450 Ethical Challenges in Behavioral and Brain Sciences
HD 4470 Psychology of Imagination
HD 4490 Children's Learning in Social Context *
HD 4500 Social Networks *
HD 4540 Creativity and Its Development
HD 4620 Research Seminar: Brain Activity and Cognition Lab
HD 4630 Introduction to Functional MRI Analysis for Human Neuroimaging
HD 4720 Research in Emotion, Cognition, and Brain Lab
HD 4765 How to Think Like a Scientist
HD 4790 Contemporary Perspectives on Human Development *