Human Development

• Experience working with young children in WSU's Child Development Program.
• Develop skills for working in a variety of human service and educational settings.
• Gain a broad perspective on individual and family development by learning from professors who teach and research a wide range of disciplines and professional areas.
• Acquire a focus on physical, social, cognitive, and affective development with an emphasis on development within the family.
• All students complete an internship that provides valuable first-hand experience in their field of interest. The human development internship program has more than 1,000 approved sites to choose from, so you can stay in the Northwest or opt for an international experience.

Joining the human development major

Students can certify as a human development major after taking 24 credit hours and earning at least a 2.35 GPA. Certified human development majors are required to maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.6 or better in human development courses and other courses accepted for the required human development core. 

Core courses

HD 101—Human Development Across the Lifespan
HD 200—Introduction to the Field of Human Development
HD 204—Family Systems: Understanding Family Interaction 
HD 220—Human Development Theories 
HD 306—Child Development
HD 307—Middle Childhood and Adolescent Development 
HD 308—Adult Development
HD 310—Research Methods
HD 350—Family Diversity
HD 410—Public Policy Issues in Human Development
HD 497—Professional Preparation Seminar
HD 498—Field Placement

Note: See the WSU Catalog for degree requirements and talk with your academic advisor about planning and scheduling your courses. All students must meet requirements as outlined in the catalog in order to graduate.

A variety of state, federal, and university-sponsored programs are available to help students with educational costs.

For all students at WSU

Washington State University awards millions of dollars in financial aid and scholarships to students every year based on financial need, academic merit, or a combination of the two.

To get all the financial help WSU can provide, start by doing these two things:

• Complete the University's general scholarship application so you can be eligible for scholarship consideration.
• Complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) so WSU can consider you for aid (scholarships, grants, loans, etc.) based on financial need.

Click here for more info about WSU scholarships and financial aid

For students in human development

The Department of Human Development awards more than $14,000 in scholarships annually.

Students in the program are also eligible to compete for scholarships from the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences that are worth roughly $600,000 annually.

Details on scholarship criteria are available from the College of Agriculture, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences website and the Department of Human Development.

• Desire to strengthen individuals, families, and communities
• Interest in current social issues and policies that impact families or individual family members
• Sensitivity to the valuable contributions and unique needs of all people
• Desire to learn about the development of individuals, families, and communities
• Desire to learn how a variety of educational approaches, social policies, and prevention/intervention strategies can influence the development of children, youth, and families

Human development graduates are employed in community action centers, Head Start family services, domestic violence programs, family support centers, childcare centers, residential treatment centers, programs for the elderly, juvenile correction programs, and youth programs.

Students who earn a teaching certificate are qualified for jobs as teachers at the middle school, junior high, or high school levels.

Additionally, human development is excellent preparation for graduate school in family therapy and human development research.