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Choosing Between the B.A. and B.S. Degrees

Human Developmental Sciences offers the option of completing a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree. Academically, a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Bachelor of Science degree are equally valued. Both offer the students who earn them the opportunity to continue their education at the graduate degree level. Most academic or professional tracks will not require one degree over the other -- it is far more important that you focus on the specific classes you need for your future academic preparation and choose the program which has the right fit for you. Typically, Bachelor of Arts degrees in any discipline allow students to sharpen their communication and writing skills. By comparison, a Bachelor of Science degree typically fosters analytical skills and a detailed understanding of subject matter. All of the courses listed within the Human Developmental Sciences B.S. -- such as the methods elective -- can be taken for B.A. elective credit, so the B.S. degree is not required to take advantage of advanced research opportunities. For information about the difference in coursework between the Bachelor of Arts and the Bachelor of Science degree, please see the table in the Bachelor of Arts vs. Bachelor of Science Requirements Overview document. 

Switching from a Bachelor of Arts to a Bachelor of Science

Current students in Human Developmental Sciences who are on track for the Bachelor of Arts and would like to switch the to Bachelor of Science should first review the requirement differences between the B.A. and the B.S. degree, found below. While reviewing the requirement differences, students should make note of what additional courses they would need to complete to satisfy the B.S. degree requirements. Students should then schedule an academic advising appointment with an HDS advisor to go over their academic plan for switching from the B.A. to the B.S. degree.

B.A. & B.S. Requirements Overview

Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of Science
HDS Lower-Division Requirements
(7 courses):
HDS Lower-Division Requirements
(8 courses):
  • Introduction to Human Development (HDS 1)
  • One statistics course
    • HDS 60
  • One formal skills course
    • Selected from: LIGN 17, PHIL 10, PHIL 12, or one course from the MATH 10 or MATH 20 sequence
  • Two biological sciences courses
    • Selected from: ANTH 2, BILD 1, BILD 2, BILD 3, BILD 7, BILD 10, BILD 12, BILD 18, BILD 20, BILD 26, BILD 38, COGS 11, COGS 17, PSYC 2
  • Two social sciences courses
    • Selected from: ANTH 1, ANTH 3, CAT 1, CAT 2, COMM 10, COGS 1, FPMH 40, FPMH 50, one course from the HILD 7A, B, or C sequence - only one allowed, LIGN 4, LIGN 7, LIGN 8, LIGN 101, MMW 11, MMW 12, MMW 121, MMW 122, PSYC 1, PSYC 3, PSYC 6, PSYC 7, SOCI 1, SOCI 20

 

 

Includes the seven preparatory requirements of the BA—with targeted selections in biology and statistics—plus an additional quarter of calculus or computer programming for a total of eight courses.

  • Introduction to Human Development (HDS 1)
  • One statistics course
    • HDS 60
  • Two formal skills courses
    • Selected from: Option 1 - two courses from the MATH 10 or MATH 20 sequence or Option 2 - one course from the MATH 10 or MATH 20 sequence and one computer programming course from the following list, CSE 7, CSE 8A, CSE11
  • Two biological sciences courses
    • Selected from: ANTH 2, BILD 1, BILD 2, BILD 3, BILD 12, BILD 20, BILD 26, BILD 38, COGS 17
  • Two social sciences courses
    • Selected from: ANTH 1, ANTH 3, CAT 1, CAT 2, COMM 10, COGS 1, FPMH 40, FPMH 50, one course from the HILD 7A, B, or C sequence - only one allowed, LIGN 4, LIGN 7, LIGN 8, LIGN 101, MMW 11, MMW 12, MMW 121, MMW 122, PSYC 1, PSYC 2, PSYC 3, PSYC 6, PSYC 7, SOCI 1, SOCI 20
HDS Upper-Division Requirements
(12 courses):
HDS Upper-Division Requirements 
(13 courses):
  • HDS Core Series (4 upper-division courses)
    • Biological Basis of Human Development
    • Social-Cognitive Basis of Human Development
    • Linguistic Basis of Human Development
    • Socio-cultural Basis of Human Development
  • HDS Development Series (5 upper-division courses)
    • Courses selected from Biological Development, Cognitive & Linguistic Development, and Socio-Cultural Development (at least one from each category).
  • HDS Senior Seminar (HDS 150)
    • Special topics seminars, providing advanced-level study on subfields of human development (must be taken in-residence).
  • HDS Methods of Research (HDS 181 and HDS 191)
    • Courses designed to introduce students to the philosophy and methods of developmental research in both laboratory and real-world settings (must be taken in residence).

  

 

   

 

 

Includes the 12 major requirements of the BA—with targeted selections in biology—plus an additional research study (see below) for a total of 13 courses.

  • HDS Core Series (4 upper-division courses)
    • Biological Basis of Human Development
    • Social-Cognitive Basis of Human Development
    • Linguistic Basis of Human Development
    • Socio-cultural Basis of Human Development
  • HDS Development Series (5 upper-division courses)
    • Courses selected from Biological Development, Cognitive & Linguistic Development, and Socio-Cultural Development (at least one from each category).
  • HDS Senior Seminar (HDS 150)
    • Special topics seminars, providing advanced-level study on subfields of human development (must be taken in-residence).
  • HDS Methods of Research (HDS 181 and HDS 191)
    • Courses designed to introduce students to the philosophy and methods of developmental research in both laboratory and real-world settings (must be taken in residence).
  • Self-Designed Research Study/Practicum Experience
    • A third methods/practicum requirement, selected and designed for future professional interests. Options include a variety of courses within traditional lab or field research environments, as well as well as research studies supported within apprenticeships, internships, or professional observations necessary for field specializations.

Specific Course Differences between the Bachelor of Arts and the Bachelor of Science Degree Requirements

Lower-Division: Biological Science Requirement

Bachelor of Arts
BA only options in Green
Bachelor of Science
BS only options in Red
Biological Science: Two Courses Needed Biological Science: Two Courses Needed
  • 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 - Modern Biology
  • BILD 12 - Neurobiology and Behavior
  • BILD 18 - Human Impact on the Environment
  • BILD 20 - Human Genetics
  • BILD 26 - Human Physiology
  • BILD 38 - Dementia, Science, and Society
  • COGS 11 - Cognitive Science: Minds and Brains
  • PSYC 2 - General Psychology: Biological Foundations
  • COGS 17 - Neurobiology of Cognition
  • ANTH 2 - Human Origins
  • BILD 1 - The Cell
  • BILD 2 - Multicellular Life
  • BILD 3 - Organismic and Evolutionary Biology
  • BILD 12 - Neurobiology and Behavior
  • BILD 20 - Human Genetics
  • BILD 26 - Human Physiology
  • BILD 38 - Dementia, Science, and Society
  • COGS 17 - Neurobiology of Cognition

Lower-Division: Formal Skills Requirement

Bachelor of Arts
BA only options in Green

Bachelor of Science
BS only options in Red
Formal Skills: One Course Needed Formal Skills: Two Courses Needed
  • MATH 10 (A, B or C)
  • MATH 20 (A, B or C)
  • PHIL 10 - Introduction to Logic
  • PHIL 12 - Logic and Decision Making
  • LIGN 17 - Making and Breaking Codes
  • MATH 10 (A, B or C)
  • MATH 20 (A, B or C)
  • CSE 7 - Introduction to Programming with Matlab
  • CSE 8A - Introduction to Computer Science: Java I
  • CSE 11 - Introduction to Computer Science and Object-Oriented Programming: Java

Upper-Division: Development Series - Domain 1 - Biological Development Requirement

Bachelor of Arts
BA only options in Green
Bachelor of Science
BS only options in Red

Domain 1 - Biological Development:

Students are required to take at least one course from this category to fullfill the 5 courses need for the developmental series

Domain 1 - Biological Development:

Students are required to take at least one course from this category to fullfill the 5 courses need for the developmental series

  • ANBI 116 - The Evolution of Primate Reproduction
  • ANBI 140 - The Evolution of the Human Brain
  • ANBI 159 - Biological and Cultural Perspectives on Intelligence
  • ANBI 173 - Cognition in Animals and Humans
  • ANTH 102 - Humans are Cultural Animals
  • BICD 100 - Genetics
  • BICD 112 - Stem Cells and Regeneration
  • BICD 130 - Embryos, Genes and Development
  • BIPN 134 - Human Reproduction
  • BIPN 144 - Developmental Neurobiology
  • BIPN 148 - Cellular Basis of Learning and Memory
  • COGS 115 - Neurological Development and Cognitive Change
  • COGS 184 - Modeling the Evolution of Cognition
  • HDP 160 - Special Topics in Human Development (limitations apply)
  • PSYC 132 - Hormones and Behavior
  • PSYC 168 - Psychological Disorders of Childhood
  • PSYC 171 - Neurobiology of Learning and Memory
  • ANBI 116 - The Evolution of Primate Reproduction
  • ANBI 140 - The Evolution of the Human Brain
  • ANBI 159 - Biological and Cultural Perspectives on Intelligence
  • ANBI 173 - Cognition in Animals and Humans
  • ANTH 102 - Humans are Cultural Animals
  • BICD 100 - Genetics
  • BICD 112 - Stem Cells and Regeneration
  • BICD 130 - Embryos, Genes and Development
  • BIPN 134 - Human Reproduction
  • BIPN 144 - Developmental Neurobiology
  • BIPN 148 - Cellular Basis of Learning and Memory
  • COGS 115 - Neurological Development and Cognitive Change
  • COGS 184 - Modeling the Evolution of Cognition
  • HDP 160 - Special Topics in Human Development (limitations apply)

Upper-Division: Methods Elective Requirement

Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of Science
Not required for the BA Methods Elective: One Course Needed
  • HDP 193 - Advanced Research in Human Development
  • HDP 194B - Honors Thesis
  • ANSC 172 - Life-History Seminar and Practicum
  • COGS 120 - Intro to Human-Computer Interaction Design
  • COMM 102C - Practicum in New Media and Community Life
  • COMM 102D - Practicum in Child Development
  • EDS 131 - Introduction to Early Childhood Education
  • FPMH 102 - Biostatistics
  • SOCI 110 - Qualitative Research in Educational Settings