Program Overview

Program Overview

Human Development (HDEV) is one of two undergraduate majors in the College of Community and Public Affairs. HDEV allows students to explore individual, social, and structural aspects of human development as a basis of understanding principles that benefit themselves and others by:

• achieving a solid foundation in the theories and research defining the field of human development
• engaging in a critical exploration of social, cultural, economic, historical, and political frameworks and the ways in which individuals, families, and communities are situated within them
• developing the understanding and skills needed to enhance and promote diversity, equity, and social justice
• fostering a complex understanding of human conditions.

Committed to exploring issues of equity and social justice and fostering the understanding of complex human conditions, the Department of Human Development values diversity, inclusion, and the promotion of positive human development within our rapidly changing global environment.

HDEV students can also minor in immigration studies, which focuses on immigration trends and challenges from across the world.

Degrees Offered

• BS in Human Development

Internships, Research Opportunities, and More

While all HDEV students are required to take part in an internship as part of the Practicum in Human Development — the final course taken before graduation — students may also choose to perform additional internships or take part in other learning opportunities.

From local human service agencies to schools, healthcare settings, government offices, and Binghamton University offices, the learning opportunities are numerous and diverse. It is not uncommon for students to be hired after graduation by the organizations with which they did their practicums or internships.

These experiences give students a chance to take the knowledge they have gained in the classroom and apply it in meaningful ways on campus or beyond.

Coursework

Some courses to consider in the first year:

• ANTH 114 - Language, Culture, and Communication in the US
• HDEV 100 - The Study of Human Change
• SOC 200 - Foundations of Social Theory
• PSYC 111 - General Psychology

After You Graduate

HDEV is a pre-professional degree that prepares students to go directly into the workforce and provides a solid foundation for advanced degrees. Graduates in human development can be found working in:

• human service agencies as case managers
• hospitals and long-term healthcare facilities
• university, college, and community college settings
• within the criminal justice system
• with children and families in a variety of settings
• in employee relations settings
• in advocacy and public policy settings

Accelerated/4+1 Degrees

Students may also be interested in the accelerated/4+1 degree programs, which allow students to complete their bachelor's degree and a master's degree in just 5 years.