About HDEV

A bachelor’s degree in Human Development prepares students to enter directly into the workforce and contribute significantly by applying human development in community-based settings. ÀóÖ¦ÊÓƵ’s Human Development major also provides excellent preparation for graduate programs in applied human development, anthropology, counseling, criminal justice, developmental psychology, family studies, gerontology, law, medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, physician assistant studies, public health, school psychology, social work, and theology. See the HDEV Career Pathways page for other career ideas. 

Program Learning Outcomes:

  1. ÀóÖ¦ÊÓƵ will describe the interdisciplinarity—anthropological, biological, psychological, and sociological—of human development across the lifespan
  2. ÀóÖ¦ÊÓƵ will practice cultural responsiveness in working with diverse communities locally and globally.
  3. ÀóÖ¦ÊÓƵ will critically analyze how power and inequity interact with intersectional identities and social stratification to shape life course experiences. 
  4. ÀóÖ¦ÊÓƵ will critically evaluate, explain, and communicate research relevant to human development to improve the quality of life of individuals and communities.
  5. ÀóÖ¦ÊÓƵ will design and conduct research and data analysis to communicate findings to address pressing social issues.
  6. ÀóÖ¦ÊÓƵ will engage in experiential learning to strengthen professional skills, including critical thinking, data analysis, and communication, that support career readiness. 

The Department of Human Development is interdisciplinary, applied, engaged, and international.  

Interdisciplinary 

A hallmark of HDEV is its interdisciplinary focus. ÀóÖ¦ÊÓƵ have the advantage of developing a critical understanding of the human experience through multiple lenses. HDEV students learn to think in critical and complex ways about individual and social phenomena, an effort in keeping with a traditional liberal arts education but one that prepares graduates to live and work in a diverse and dynamic global society. 

Applied and Engaged 

Our graduates are set apart through the experience they gain by successfully completing the internship capstone course, HDEV 470: Practicum and Seminar. Our internship program is among the best at ÀóÖ¦ÊÓƵ. Typically, during the final semester, students select an internship site in line with their professional goals. This guided internship provides a concrete and practical bridge between school and the workplace and is a valuable resume-builder in a competitive job market. A significant number of our students are offered paid positions at their former internship site each semester.  

In response to the department’s commitment to foster and maintain partnerships with community agencies and organizations in the greater Los Angeles/Orange County area, HDEV was designated a Service-Learning Engaged Department, pledging to work with the Center for Community Engagement (CCE) to include community-based work in our teaching and research. 

International Focus 

Another unique feature of HDEV is its international focus in both curricular content and classroom experience. In addition, our commitment to internationalization goes well beyond the conventional classroom. HDEV faculty are actively involved in cross-national collaborations to benefit our students by engaging them in a multicultural world.