Skip to main content
Human Developmental Sciences HDS
  1. HOME
  2. Undergraduate Program
  3. HDS Minor

Minor in Human Developmental Sciences

A total of 7 courses (1 lower-division, 6 upper-division) are required to complete any minor in Human Developmental Sciences. Two upper division courses may overlap with a major, and the one lower division course--HDS 1--may overlap with any requirement.

HDS Minors Available

HDS has three minors available: our traditional HDS Minor, outlined here, as well as minor specializations in Healthy Aging and Equity and Diversity

How to Declare the HDS Minor

The below information outlines the general process for declaring a minor.  You do not need to meet for an advising session prior to declaring the HDS minor; however, if the below information does not answer all of your questions, please reach out via VAC or schedule an appointment to discuss our HDS minors in more detail.

  • Please note that only 2 upper-division courses can overlap between the Human Developmental Sciences minor and your major. 
  • HDS requires four upper-division courses be from a different subject code than your major (regardless of overlap).

Application process for the HDS minor

To declare any minor, you use the same application process regardless of minor choice, submitting it via the minor application in your TritonLink account. All minors will ask you to list 7 courses. The two HDS minor specializations in Healthy Aging and Equity and Diversity have specific coursework. The traditional minor has the most flexibility in course choice, which includes HDS 1, and six upper division courses of your choosing from our development series (at least one needs to be from each of our 3 domains: Biological, Cognitive, and Socio-Cultural). Course options are at the bottom of this page.

If you are pursuing the traditional minor but do not know all of the courses you will take yet (or just prefer to keep your options open), then you can simply list the minor category itself, such as "biological development course" or "development elective" in place of the course name, if you prefer. You do not need to list specific classes, except in the following instances:

Overlap Limitations
A maximum of TWO upper-division courses can overlap between the minor and your major (HDS 1 can overlap with any requirement).  Please specify overlapping courses on the application.

Disciplinary Breadth
A maximum of TWO upper division courses in your HDS minor can be from the same subject code as your major--even if you have decided not to overlap them.  So for example: if you are a Bio major, four of your upper division HDS minor courses should NOT be Bio.

Both major-minor overlap courses, and/or any courses chosen from the major subject code, should be specified on the application. For most applicants, these courses are one in the same.

Sample Application
An example application, with only overlap & major subject courses specified (using HDS with a Bio Major as an example), should look like this:

Lower-Division Courses

 Subject Code 

 Course No.

 Title

 Institution 

 Units 

 Grade Options 

 HDS

 1

 Introduction to Human Development 

 UCSD

 4.00

 Letter


Upper-Division Courses

 Subject Code 

 Course No. 

 Title

 Institution 

 Units 

 Grade Options 

 BICD

 100

 Genetics  (overlap w/major)

 UCSD

 4.00

 Letter

 XXXX

 XXX

 Cognitive & Language Course

 UCSD

 4.00

 Letter

 XXXX

 XXX

 Soc-Cultural Development Course

 UCSD

 4.00

 Letter

 BIPN

 144

 Developmental Neurobio (overlap w/major) 

 UCSD

 4.00

 Letter

 XXXX

 XXX

 Development Elective

 UCSD

 4.00

 Letter

 XXXX

 XXX

 Development Elective

 UCSD

 4.00

 Letter




Requirements for a Minor in Human Development Sciences

  • All courses must be taken for a letter grade; pass/no pass grades are not accepted (with an exception: courses taken in Spring 2020 through Spring 2021 will be accepted with pass grades).
  • All coursework must be completed with a grade of C- or better.
  • At least one course must be completed from each of the three Domains: Biological, Cognitive, and Socio-Cultural Development.
  • Two upper-division courses may overlap between a student's major and the HDS minor.
  • Four upper division courses for the HDS minor should not be from the student's major subject.
  • Please check with your college regarding overlaps allowed between upper-division minor courses and general education requirements.

 

Lower-Division Requirement

1 lower-division course is required to complete a minor in Human Developmental Sciences

HDS 1 - Introduction to Human Developmental Sciences

(Must be taken in residence. Offered fall and spring).

Upper-Division Requirements

A total of 6 upper-division courses must be taken. At least 1 course must be completed from each Domain: Biological, Cognitive, and Socio-Cultural Development. The last three courses may be selected from the remaining options below, according to academic and professional interests.

Biological Development

At least 1 course selected from the following approved list:

Cognitive & Language Development

At least 1 course selected from the following approved list:

Socio-Cultural Development

At least 1 course selected from the following approved list: