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Bachelor of Arts in Human Developmental Sciences

The Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Human Developmental Sciences provides broad-based preparation for many fields with solid grounding in both theory and methodology in the discipline of human development, while providing a great deal of curricular flexibility. Please note that all classes taken for the Bachelor of Arts must be taken for letter grades.

Lower-Division ("Major-Prep") Course Requirements

7 courses (28 units)

Introduction to Human Developmental Sciences (1 Course)

HDS 1 - Introduction to Human Developmental Sciences

(0ffered fall and spring)

Statistics (1 Course)

For students who declared the HDS major Fall 2021 or later:

  • HDS 60 - Introduction to Statistical Analysis


For students who declared the HDS major prior to Fall 2021:

One course
selected from the following approved list:

  • HDS 60 - Introduction to Statistical Analysis
  • PSYC 60 - Introduction to Statistics
  • COGS 14B - Intro to Statistical Analysis
  • BIEB 100 - Biostatistics
  • ECON 120 - Econometrics A
  • POLI 30 - Political Inquiry
  • MATH 11 - Elementary Probability and Statistics

Formal Skills (1 Course)

One course selected from the following approved list:
  • CSS 1 - Introductory Programming for Computational Social Science
  • PHIL 10 - Introduction to Logic
  • PHIL 12 - Logic and Decision Making
  • LIGN 17 - Making and Breaking Codes
  • Or one course selected from the MATH 10 or MATH 20 sequence
  • MATH 10 (A, B or C) - Calculus
  • MATH 20 (A, B or C) - Calculus for Science and Engineering

Biological Sciences (2 Courses)

Two courses selected from the following approved list:
  • ANTH 2 - Human Origins
  • BILD 1 - The Cell
  • BILD 2 - Multicellular Life
  • BILD 3 - Organismic and Evolutionary Biology
  • BILD 7 - The Beginning of Life
  • BILD 10 - Fundamental Concepts of Modern Biology
  • BILD 12 - Neurobiology and Behavior
  • BILD 18 - Human Impact on the Environment
  • BILD 20 - Human Genetics in Modern Society
  • BILD 26 - Human Physiology
  • BILD 38 - Dementia, Science, and Society
  • COGS 11 - Introduction to Cognitive Science: Minds and Brains
  • COGS 17 - Neurobiology of Cognition
  • PSYC 2 - General Psychology: Biological Foundations

Social Sciences (2 Courses)

Two courses selected from the following approved list:
  • ANTH 1 - Introduction to Culture
  • ANTH 3 - World Prehistory
  • CAT 1 - Culture, Art and Technology I
  • CAT 2 - Culture, Art and Technology II
  • COMM 10- Introduction to Communication
  • COGS 1 - Introduction to Cognitive Science
  • FPMH 40 - Introduction to Public Health
  • FPMH 50 - Primary care and Public Health
  • HILD 7A, B, or C - Race and Ethnicity in the United States (only one can be used)
  • LIGN 4 - Language as a Cognitive System
  • LIGN 7 - Sign Language and Its Culture
  • LIGN 8 - Languages and Cultures in America
  • LIGN 101 - Introduction to the Study of Language
  • MMW 11 - Prehistory and the Birth of Civilization
  • MMW 12 - The Great Classical Traditions
  • MMW 121 - Exploring the Premodern World
  • MMW 122 - Exploring the Modern World
  • PSYC 1 - Psychology
  • PSYC 3 - General Psychology: Cognitive Foundations
  • PSYC 6 - General Psychology: Social Foundations
  • PSYC 7 - General Psychology: Developmental Foundations
  • SOCI 1 - Introduction to Sociology
  • SOCI 20 - Social Change in the Modern World
  • SOCI 40 - Sociology of Health-Care Issues
  • SOCI 70 - General Sociology for Premedical Students

Upper-Division Course Requirements

12 courses (52 units)

Core Series (4 Courses)

A total of 4 courses with at least 1 course from each Domain is required.

Domain 1 - The Biological Basis of Human Development (one required):

  • HDS 110 - Brain and Behavioral Development (Prerequisite: HDS 1 or PSYC 101).
  • HDS 111 - Evolutionary Principles of Development (Prerequisite: HDS 1 or ANTH 2 or BILD 3).
  • ANBI 111 - Advanced Principles of Human Evolution (Prerequisite: ANTH 2 or equivalent).
  • BIPN 144 - Developmental Neurobiology (Prerequisites: Upper division standing. Students should have a strong background in biology).
Domain 2 - The Cognitive & Linguistic Basis of Human Development (two required, one from each area):
  • 2A. Social-Cognitive Development (one required):
    • HDS 121 - The Developing Mind (Prerequisites: HDS 1 or COGS 1).
    • HDS 122 - Development of Social Cognition (Prerequisites: HDS 1 or equivalent).
    • PSYC 187 - Development Social Cognition (Prerequisite: Upper division standing).
  • 2B. Language Development (one required)
    • HDS 120 - Language Development (Prerequisites: HDS 1 or LING 4 or equivalent).
    • COGS 156 - Language Development (Prerequisites: Upper-division standing. background in developmental psyc and/or linguistics is recommended).
    • LIGN 171 - Child Language Acquisition (Prerequisite: LIGN 101 or Upper division standing or consent of instructor).
Domain 3 - The Socio-cultural Basis of Human Development (one required):
  • HDS 133 - Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Developmental Science (Prerequisite: HDS 1 or PSYC 1).
  • ANSC 126 - Childhood and Adolescence (Prerequisite: Upper-division standing).
  • ANSC 168 - The Human Condition (Prerequisite: Upper-division standing).
  • COMM 112C - The Idea of Childhood (Prerequisite: HDS 1 or COMM 10).
  • HITO 126 - History of Childhood

Development Courses (5 Courses)

A total of 5 courses with at least 1 course from each Domain is required.

Domain 1 - Biological Development:

  • ANBI 116 - Evolution of Primate Reproduction (Prerequisite: Upper division standing).
  • ANBI 130 - Biology of Inequality (Prerequisite: Upper division standing).
  • ANBI 140 - The Evolution of the Human Brain  (Prerequisite: Upper division standing).
  • ANBI 159 - Biological and Cultural Perspectives on Intelligence (Prerequisite: Upper division standing).
  • ANBI 173 - How Monkeys See the World  (Prerequisite: Upper division standing).
  • ANTH 102 - Humans are Cultural Animals (Prerequisite: Upper division standing).
  • BICD 100 - Genetics (Prerequisites: BILD 1 and BILD 3).
  • BICD 112 - Stem Cells and Regeneration (Prerequisites: BIMM 100).
  • BICD 130 - Embryos, Genes, and Development (Prerequisites: BICD 100, BIBC 100 or BIBC 102 or CHEM 114A or CHEM 114B).
  • BIPN 134 - Human Reproduction (Prerequisites: BIPN 100).
  • BIPN 144 - Developmental Neurobiology (Prerequisites: Upper division standing. Students should have a strong background in biology).
  • BIPN 148 - Cellular Basis of Learning and Memory (Prerequisites: BIPN 100).
  • COGS 115 - Neurological Development and Cognitive Change (Prerequisites: BILD 10 or 12 or COGS 17 or HDS 110).
  • COGS 184 - Modeling the Evolution of Cognition (Prerequisites: Programming ability, calculus, and consent of instructor).
  • PSYC 132 - Hormones and Behavior (Prerequisites: Upper Division standing).
  • PSYC 171 - Neurobiology of Learning and Memory (Prerequisite: PSYC 2 or 106 or 181 and Upper-division standing).
  • PSYC 168 - Psychological Disorders of Childhood (Prerequisite: Upper-division standing).
Domain 2 - Cognitive and Language Development:
  • COGS 154 - Communication Disorders in Children and Adults (Prerequisites: Upper-division standing).
  • COMM 100A - Communication, the Person, and Everyday Life (Prerequisite: COMM 10 or consent of instructor).
  • COMM 168 - Bilingual Communication (Prerequisite:COMM 10 and one from COMM 100A, 100B, 100C or consent of instructor).
  • LIGN 119/EDS 119 - First and Second Language Learning - From Childhood Through Adolescence (Prerequisite: Upper Division Standing or consent of instructor).
  • LIGN 179 - Second Language Acquisition (Prerequisite: LIGN 101 or upper divsion standing or consent of instructor).
  • PSYC 101 -  Developmental Psychology (Prerequisite: Upper Division Standing or consent of instructor).
  • PSYC 130 - Delay of Gratification Prerequisite: Upper Division Standing or consent of instructor).
  • PSYC 132 - Hormones and Behavior (Prerequisites: Upper Division standing).
  • PSYC 136 - Cognitive Development (Prerequisites: PSYC 101, or PSYC 105).
  • PSYC 141 - Evolution and Human Nature (Prerequisites: Upper Division standing).
  • PSYC 146 - Language and Conceptual Development (Prerequisites: Upper Division standing).
  • PSYC 156 - Cognitive Development in Infancy (Prerequisites:PSYC 101 or HDS 1).
  • PSYC 168 - Psychological Disorders of Childhood (Prerequisite: Upper-division standing).
  • PSYC 172 - Psychology of Human Sexuality (Prerequisite: Upper-division standing).
  • PSYC 173 - Psychology of Food and Behavior (Prerequisite: Upper-division standing).
  • PSYC 180 - Adolescence (Prerequisite: Upper-division standing).
  • PSYC 187 - Development of Social Cognition (Prerequisite: Upper Division Standing or consent of instructor. PSYC 101 recommended).
  • PSYC 190 - Parenting (Prerequisite: Upper-division standing).
Domain 3 - Socio-Cultural Development:
  • ANBI 159 - Biological and Cultural Perspectives on Intelligence (Prerequisite: Upper-division standing).
  • ANSC 101 - Aging: Culture and Health in Late Life Human Development (Prerequisite: Upper-division standing).
  • ANSC 125 - Gender, Sexuality, and Society (Prerequisite: Upper-division standing).
  • ANSC 126 - Childhood and Adolescence (Prerequisite: Upper-division standing).
  • ANSC 127 - Discourse, interaction and Social life (Prerequisite: Upper-division standing).
  • COMM 102C - Practicum in New Media and Community Life
  • COMM 102D - Practicum in Child Development 
  • COMM 126 - Children and Media  (Prerequisite:COMM 10 and one from COMM 100A, 100B, 100C, or consent of instructor).
  • EDS 115 - Cognitive Development and Education  (Prerequisite: Upper-division standing).
  • EDS 117/SOCI 117 - Language, Culture and Education (Prerequisite: Upper-division standing).
  • EDS 118 - Adolescent Development and Education  (Prerequisite: Upper-division standing).
  • FMPH 110 - Health Behavior and Chronic Diseases (Prerequisite: FMPH 40 and upper-division standing).
  • FMPH 120 - Health Policies for Healthy Lifestyles (Prerequisite: FMPH 40 and upper-division standing).
  • HDS 171 - Diversity in Human Development  (Prerequisite: Upper-division standing).
  • HDS 173 - Race, Media, and Identity Across the Lifespan (Prerequisite: Upper-division standing).
  • HDS 175 - Power, Wealth, and Inequality in Human Development  (Prerequisite: Upper-division standing).
  • LTWL 114 - Children's Literature
  • LTWL 116 - Adolescent Literature
  • LTWL 177 - Literature and Aging
  • PSYC 180 - Adolescence (Prerequisite: Upper-division standing).
  • PSYC 190 - Parenting (Prerequisite: Upper-division standing).
  • SOCI 116/LIGN 174 - Gender and Language in Society (Prerequisite: Upper-division standing).
  • SOCI 129 - The Family (Prerequisite: Upper-division standing).
  • SOCI 131 - Sociology of Youth (Prerequisite: Upper-division standing).
  • SOCI 143 - Suicide
  • SOCI 159 - Special Topics in Organizations and Institutions- NOTE: ONLY WHEN TOPIC IS APPROVED FOR HDS MAJOR (Prerequisite: Upper-division standing).
  • SOCI 161 - Sociology of The Life course (Prerequisite: Upper-division standing).
  • SOCI 184 - Gender and Film
  • USP 134 - Community Youth Development
  • USP 145 - Aging - Social and Health Policy Issues (Prerequisite: Upper-division standing).
  • USP 147 - Case Studies in Health-Care Programs/Poor and Underserved Population (Prerequisite: Upper-division standing).

Methods of Research Courses (2 Courses)

These courses are designed to introduce students to the philosophy and methods of developmental research in both laboratory and real-world settings (must be taken in residence).

HDS 181 - Experimental Projects in Human Development Research (Prerequisites: HDS 1, Statistics,  and a minimum of three upper-division HDS major courses, at least one in each domain. Department approval required to enroll. HDS majors only).

HDS 191 - Field Research in Human Development (Prerequisites: HDS 1 & HDS 181. Department approval required to enroll. HDS majors only).
  • Students must submit the pre-enrollment questionnaire one academic year prior to enrollment. See the HDS 191 Page for details

Senior Seminar Capstone (1 Course)

The Senior Seminar Capstone is a special topics seminar that provides advanced-level study on subfields of human development (must be taken in-residence). 

HDS 150 - Senior Seminar (Prerequisites: HDS 181, Senior Standing, and Department Approval. Priority given to graduating seniors in their final term).