Developmental Science for Health Professions Option

The Developmental Science for Health Professions option is designed for HDFS students who are preparing for graduate study in health professions, including medicine, psychiatry, second degree nursing, and occupational therapy.

This option is built on the foundational premise that patients are people, and that health professionals benefit from both a broad understanding of healthy human development and basic helping and interpersonal skills.

Students learn how social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development interact, as well as how environments—from genes and biology to families, communities, and social policies—influence developmental outcomes. Students also develop core skills in communication, ethics, intervention science, and research methods.

Alongside the core Human Development and Family Studies curriculum, students in this option have the flexibility and space to complete any pre-health requirements for their desired graduate programs. Like the HDFS degree program overall, the Developmental Science for Health Professions option offers students the opportunity to specialize their coursework and capstone learning experience to meet their professional and personal goals.

View the additional course requirements for the Developmental Science for Health Professions option.

Preparation for advanced training

Students in the Developmental Science for Health Professions option combine a strong HDFS background with the necessary pre-requisites to go on to advanced training in the health professions of their choice.

• Public health

• Nursing

• Child life

• Medicine, including pediatrics, family medicine, and geriatrics

• Psychiatry

• Occupational therapy

• Physical therapy

• Healthcare administration

• Doctoral (research) training in psychology, neuroscience, and human development