Young child reading a book in a library.

Bachelor of Science in
Human Development

Prepare for a Rewarding Career in Human Services

To support the well-being of individuals and communities, you need to understand the psychological, social, cultural, and biological aspects of human development and learning across the life span.

In the interdisciplinary bachelor's in human development, you work toward your long-term career goals by personalizing your course of study with a concentration in your specific area of interest.

Graduates are employed as behavioral specialists, at-risk youth counselors, child development consultants, program evaluators, academic advisors, and institutional research analysts.

Common workplaces include schools, social services, pediatric hospitals, juvenile justice systems, wellness clinics, disability support providers, VA hospitals, and mental health agencies.

Program of Study

programofstudy

Core Courses

  • Introduction to Psychology
  • Introduction to Sociology
  • Introduction to Educational Psychology

 

Educational and Counseling Psychology Courses

  • Lifespan Development
  • Psychology, Cultural Diversity, and Social Justice
  • Understanding Research in Human Development
  • Introductory Statistics in Human Development

 

Field-Based Learning Experience

Complete a school or agency-based internship, contribute to research projects in the School of Education or pursue independent studies that are aligned with your interests.

 

Concentration Courses

Five classes required for your chosen concentration.

Psychology or Sociology Elective

Choose one course from the following options:

Psychology: Social Psychology, Personality, Health Psychology, Childhood Behavior Disorders, Abnormal Psychology, The Psychology of Human Sexuality

Sociology: Sociology of Families, Sociology of Aging, Sociology of Race, Gender, and Class, Sociology of Sexualities

 

Human Development Elective

Choose one course from the following options:

Individual and Community Well-Being: Health Psychology, Promoting Healthy People and Communities, Mass Media and Health Behavior, Introduction to Counseling Psychology 

Development and Behavior: Addictive and Compulsive Behavior, Child and Adolescent Development, Introduction to Human Exceptionality, Childhood Behavior Disorders, Juvenile Justice Administration

Education and Culture: Social Foundations of Education, Foundations of Leadership in College and University Student Organizations, Independent Study in Educational Psychology, Children's Literature, Critical Approaches to Gender and Sexuality in Literature

Sociology and Psychology: Sociology of Aging, Sociology of Sexualities, Abnormal Psychology, Personality, The Psychology of Human Sexuality, Social Foundations of Education, Positive Psychology

Areas of Concentration
Counseling Psychology

Learn how to apply psychological counseling skills to help diverse individuals achieve mental health and well-being.

Required Courses

  • Introduction to Counseling Psychology
  • Positive Psychology
  • Abnormal Psychology

Electives (choose two)

  • Personality
  • Addicted and Compulsive Behaviors
  • Principles of Career and Life Planning
  • Childhood Behavioral Disorders
  • Social Psychology

Four-Year Plan

Psychological Studies of Learning and Development

Optimize student outcomes by studying learning sciences and assessment and by mastering research methods.

Required Courses

  • The Psychology of Instruction and Learning
  • Child and Adolescent Development
  • Introduction to Assessment and Measurement
  • Academic Self-Regulation and Motivation
  • Independent Study in Educational Psychology OR Research Project in Human Development

Four-Year Plan


Note: This concentration is also offered fully online.

Higher Education

Gain leadership skills to prepare for administrative jobs in universities and other post-secondary education institutions.

Required Courses

  • College: Past, Present, and Future
  • Leadership in Organizations
  • Social Foundations of Education
  • Foundations of Leadership in College and University Student Organizations
  • Issues in American Higher Education OR Leadership in Practice

Four-Year Plan

Peer Assistance and Leadership

Combine classroom study with community service and organizational leadership development opportunities.

Required Courses

  • Foundations of Peer Counseling and Peer Education
  • Peer Counseling and Peer Education: Theory and Practice (I, II and II)
  • Theory and Practice in Peer Counseling and Education: Peer Supervision OR Foundations of Leadership in College and University Student Organizations

Four-Year Plan

Special and Elementary Education and Literacy

Study atypical development, accommodation for individuals with disabilities, equity law, inclusion, and universal design.

Required Courses

  • The Psychology of Instruction and Learning
  • Special Education for Students with Emotional and Behavioral Problems
  • Introduction to Human Exceptionality
  • Introduction to Autism Spectrum Disorders
  • Children's Literature OR Young Adult Literature OR Childhood Behavior Disorders

Four-Year Plan

Course requirements vary across concentrations.

"When I finish the combined [triple certification] program in undergrad and graduate education I'll be certified to teach special education, elementary education and literacy."

- Maria Latorre, '24

UAlbany Majors: BS Human Development

Combined Master's Programs

Combined Master's in Educational Psychology and Methodology

If you're majoring in human development and plan to pursue doctoral studies in education and/or psychology, you may want to pursue the combined program that lets you finish your bachelor’s and master’s in only 4.5 years.

Graduate coursework in this program includes advanced instruction in educational psychology, learning sciences, assessment, research methods, and statistics.

Earning both degrees strengthens your applications for PhD study and prepares you for employment in research settings and human service agencies.

Combined Master's in Special Education and Literacy II

New York State Education Department recently changed regulations for certification in both Special Education/Teaching Students with Disabilities & Literacy. They have eliminated "grade band" certification areas (i.e. grades 1-6) and will only offer certificates in these areas for "All Grades" (pre-k - grade 12). We will be restructuring the MS in Special Education & Literacy II in response to these new regulations. Please continue to check the School of Education website for updates to the program and the certifications it provides.

2 students studying on the UAlbany academic podium

Combined Master’s in Mental Health Counseling

If you’re a Human Development major with a concentration in Counseling Psychology and a minor in Psychology, you can graduate in 5 ½ years with a Master’s in Mental Health Counseling. You will have the opportunity to take up to 12 credits of graduate coursework as an undergraduate student.

This combined program will prepare you to be a counselor in a wide array of community human service agencies and organizations, including psychiatric and substance abuse settings. The program integrates behavioral science theories with practitioner skills, giving you the ability to be an effective counselor with a strong understanding of the theoretical and scientific bases of professional concepts and techniques.

Combined Certificate of Advanced Study in School Psychology

If you’re majoring in human development and interested in becoming a school psychologist, you can complete the Certificate of Advanced Study in School Psychology graduate program in 7 years. You will have the opportunity to take up to 9 credits of graduate coursework as an undergraduate student. These 9 credits will double count for both undergraduate and graduate school at undergraduate costs.

Choosing the combined program will allow you to apply and be considered for the program before outside applicants. You will graduate with your Master's in Educational Psychology and Methodology as well as your Certificate of Advanced Study in School Psychology. Earning both degrees prepares you to become a licensed school psychologist.

Combined Master’s in Higher Education

If you’re majoring in human development and interested in a career in higher education, you can complete your Master’s in Higher Education graduate program in only 5 years. You will have the opportunity to take up to 12 credits of graduate coursework as an undergraduate student. These 12 credits will double count for both undergraduate and graduate school at undergraduate costs.

Choosing the combined program allows you to apply and be considered for the program before outside applicants as well as fast track your studies to start your career in higher education.

Student Learning Objectives

Learning objectives that UAlbany students are expected to attain through their course of study within their academic program.

Bachelor of Science
  • Understand the concepts and principles of development (biological, cognitive, and psychosocial) and how they interact to affect the life course.
  • Recognize the commonalities as well as the diversity of patterns of human development.
  • Understand various theories of human development, and apply these theories to practice.
  • Demonstrate basic literacy in research methods and statistics relevant to the field of human development.
  • Recognize issues of equity and social justice as they impact human development, and demonstrate sensitivity to cultural issues and challenges in order to work effectively with diverse populations.
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Human Development Degree FAQs
 

What can you do with a human development degree?

Earning a human development degree prepares students to pursue any of a number of career paths in education, community services, health care or another people-centered field. With a bachelor’s degree in human development, you can also apply to graduate programs in counseling, social work, education or psychology. UAlbany offers combined master’s programs for students seeking a graduate degree.

Is the bachelor’s in human development program accredited?

Yes, the bachelor’s in human development degree holds accreditation through the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), an independent nonprofit regional accrediting agency. Both the online and on-campus programs hold MSCHE accreditation. UAlbany also holds full approval from the Board of Regents of New York State to grant degrees.

How long is the human development program?

The human development program takes an estimated four years for full-time students to complete. In addition to core and concentration courses, the four-year degree plan also incorporates credit-bearing professional development options.

What are the program concentrations?

The five human development concentration options are:

  • Counseling Psychology
  • Psychological Studies of Learning and Development
  • Higher Education
  • Peer Assistance and Leadership
  • Special and Elementary Education and Literacy

 

Each concentration offers focused coursework and experiential learning opportunities to prepare students for careers in their specialization.

How do the combined master’s programs work?

UAlbany’s combined master’s programs allow undergraduates to complete graduate-level coursework that applies toward both their bachelor’s and master’s degrees. As a result, students can earn a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in as little as 4 1/2 years.

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