Photograph of students in a classroom setting.

About the department OF Human Development

The Department of Human Development provides multidisciplinary undergraduate and graduate programs that examine individual, social and structural aspects of human development. Students will engage in a critical exploration of social, cultural, economic, historical and political frameworks and the ways in which individuals, families and communities are situated within them. Diversity is highly valued in this department that is committed to exploring issues of equity and social justice, and fostering the understanding of complex human conditions.

Our students are diverse in age, race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexual orientation and physical ability and our courses stress collaborative education and inclusiveness to build trust and supportive relationships.

Our flexible curriculum encourages self-directed learning and our students are expected to:

think critically;
analyze social issues;
express themselves well verbally and in writing;
apply knowledge by linking theory and practice;
understand and use technology;
develop an understanding of self and others as situated in history and community;
develop an understanding for global-local issues and relations of power;
demonstrate an understanding of the ways in which oppression affects the process of development;
demonstrate knowledge, sensitivity and skill in working with diverse populations;
and engage in a critical analysis of the concept of human service in the context of politics, history and economics.

Our graduates are employed in diverse and inclusive settings including social services, schools, child-care organizations, the criminal justice system, health-care agencies, mental health programs and community development organizations. Many of our undergraduates continue to graduate school in fields such as social work, higher education administration, speech pathology, school counseling, education, criminal justice and law.