The Human Development Major

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.

Admission to the Major

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.

General requirements for students entering the Major starting in or after Fall 2023

Students who entered the Major before Fall 2023 have the option of following the new requirements described on this webpage, or the old requirements found here. (The old breadth requirements are listed at the bottom of this webpage.)

  1. Completing a total of 40 credits in human development (including prerequisites). Students must earn a grade of C- or better in each course. Courses, except for HD 4010 Empirical Research, must be taken for a letter grade. First-year Writing Seminars (FWS) or AP courses cannot be counted towards the credit requirements.
  2. Demonstration of proficiency in statistics before the beginning of the senior year by passing PSYCH 2500 Statistics and Research Design with a C- or better, by p assing an approved course or course sequence in statistics in some other department at Cornell, or by p assing an exemption examination by arrangement with Professor Thomas Cleland.
  3. Demonstration of proficiency in research methods or scientific literacy before the beginning of the senior year by passing any of the following courses with a C- or better: HD 2830/PSYCH 2830 Research Methods in Human Development HD 2930/PSYCH 2930, Data Science for Social Scientists I PSYCH 3020, Methods in Neuroscience PSYCH 3420, Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory HD 4765 How to Think Like a Scientist COMM 2820 Research Methods in Communication Studies GOVT 3999 How Do You Know That? STS 2011 What is Science? BIOG 1500 Investigative Biology Laboratory
  4. Completing HD 1130 Introduction to Lifespan Development
  5. Completing two courses in developmental psychology: PSYCH 2090 Mechanisms in Developmental Psychology HD 2150 Infancy and Childhood HD 2170 Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood HD 2180 Adulthood and Aging HD 2510 Social Gerontology; Aging and the Life Course HD 2610 Development of Social Behavior
  6. Completing one course that emphasizes one of the following areas: Translational Research (i.e., moving basic scientific findings into practice) : PSYCH 2090 Developmental Psychology HD 2150 Infancy and Childhood HD 2170 Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood PSYCH 2230 Intro to Behavioral Neuroscience PSYCH 2820 Community Outreach HD 3190 Memory and the Law PSYCH 3250 Intro to Adult Psychopathology HD 3290 Self-Regulation Across the Life Span HD 3300 Developmental Psychopathology PSYCH 3320 Neurobiology of Learning and Memory HD 3450 The Nature of Leadership HD 3460 Serious Fun: The Role of Play in Children's Development HD 3530 Risk and Opportunity Factors in Childhood and Adolescence HD 4250 Translational Research on Decision Making HD 4260 Translational Research in Memory and Neuroscience PSYCH 4320 Topics in Cognitive Science HD 4400 The Nature of Intelligence HD 4490 Children's Learning in Social Context PSYCH 4500 Psychology at the Sciencenter! HD 4540 Creativity and Its Development HD 4550 The Psychology of Wisdom Social and Environmental Influences (e.g., neighborhoods, communities): PSYCH 1500 Environmental Psychology PSYCH 2090 Developmental Psychology HD 2150 Infancy and Childhood PSYCH 2150 Psychology of Language PSYCH 2170 Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood HD 2180 Adulthood and Aging PSYCH 2750 Introduction to Personality PSYCH 2820 Community Outreach HD 3190 Memory and the Law PSYCH 3250 Adult Psychopathology HD 3300 Developmental Psychopathology HD 3310 Psychology of Gender PSYCH 3450 On Being Social HD 3460 Serious Fun: The Role of Play in Children's Development HD 3530 Risk and Opportunity Factors in Childhood and Adolescence HD 4210 Native American Psychology HD 4250 Translational Research on Decision Making HD 4260 Translational Research in Memory and Neuroscience PSYCH 4320 Topics in Cognitive Science HD 4340 Current Topics in Cognitive Development HD 4400 The Nature of Intelligence HD 4490 Children's Learning in Social Context HD 4500 Social Networks PSYCH 4500 Psychology at the Sciencenter! HD 4770 Psychopathology in Great Works of Literature PSYCH 4770 Advanced Developmental Seminar PSYCH 4940 Moral Psychology in Action Cross-Cultural Perspectives (both within and across nations): PSYCH 2090 Developmental Psychology HD 2150 Infancy and Childhood PSYCH 2150 Psychology of Language PSYCH 2170 Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood HD 2180 Adulthood and Aging PSYCH 2750 Introduction to Personality PSYCH 2820 Community Outreach HD 3190 Memory and the Law HD 3300 Developmental Psychopathology HD 3310 Psychology of Gender HD 3450 The Nature of Leadership HD 3460 Serious Fun: The Role of Play in Children's Development PSYCH 4150 Culture, Cognition, Humanities HD 4210 Native American Psychology HD 4260 Translational Research in Memory and Neuroscience PSYCH 4270 Evolution of Language PSYCH 4320 Topics in Cognitive Science HD 4340 Current Topics in Cognitive Development HD 4400 The Nature of Intelligence HD 4490 Children's Learning in Social Context HD 4540 Creativity and Its Development HD 4550 The Psychology of Wisdom PSYCH 4770 Advanced Developmental Seminar The Person in Context (individuals within legal, educational, medical settings, etc.) PSYCH 2090 Developmental Psychology HD 2150 Infancy and Childhood PSYCH 2170 Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood HD 2180 Adulthood and Aging PSYCH 2820 Community Outreach HD 3190 Memory and the Law PSYCH 3250 Adult Psychopathology HD 3290 Self-Regulation Across the Life Span HD 3300 Developmental Psychopathology HD 3310 Psychology of Gender HD 3450 The Nature of Leadership HD 3460 Serious Fun: The Role of Play in Children's Development HD 3530 Risk and Opportunity Factors in Childhood and Adolescence HD 4210 Native American Psychology HD 4250 Translational Research on Decision Making HD 4260 Translational Research in Memory and Neuroscience PSYCH 4320 Topics in Cognitive Science HD 4340 Current Topics in Cognitive Development HD 4400 The Nature of Intelligence HD 4490 Children's Learning in Social Context PSYCH 4500 Psychology at the Sciencenter! HD 4540 Creativity and Its Development HD 4550 The Psychology of Wisdom HD 4770 Psychopathology in Great Works of Literature PSYCH 4770 Advanced Developmental Seminar Engaged Learning (partners with a community organization) PSYCH 2820 Community Outreach PSYCH 3270 Field Practicum I PSYCH 3280 Field Practicum II HD 4490 Children's Learning in Social Contexts PSYCH 4500 Psychology at the Sciencenter! PSYCH 4940 Moral Psychology in Action
  7. To ensure depth, students are required to take at least one content course from the 3000 level and one course from the 4000 level. Independent Study courses will not fulfill this requirement.
  8. Students are encouraged to take independent study or field work (HD 4010 Empirical Research; research conducted under the supervision of a professor). Up to 12 of these credits may be counted towards the major.

Notes

Advising

Are you a new student? Psychology advising will help you plan the years ahead.

Freshmen - First Semester

We strongly recommend the following courses:

Special Advice for Premeds