Optional Minors for HDFS Majors

A minor is optional for HDFS majors. Many students pursue optional minors to help them specialize their degrees. For instance, a student interested in human resources might minor in Labor and Employment Relations or Business Administration. A student interested in social policy might minor in Sociology or Economics.

If you decide you want to pursue a minor, it is important to understand that a minor is a specialization of about 18 credits that supplements your major. There are ways to double count courses toward your major and your minor (see below), but this requires careful planning. If you do not plan carefully, adding a minor can end up adding an extra semester of course work.

If you are interested in a specialization, consider a minor. But plan ahead and discuss your interest with one of our academic advisors.

Students are eligible to apply for the HDFS Minor once 5th semester standing has been earned and accepted into a major. Students apply on eLion. The deadline to apply is the last day of the late drop period in the semester of graduation.

Examples of minors HDFS students have pursued:

• Business/Liberal Arts (25 credits)
• Civic and Community Engagement (18 credits)
• Dispute Management and Resolution (18 credits)
• Gerontology (18 credits)
• Global Health (18 credits)
• Health Policy and Administration (18 credits)
• Nutrition (18 credits)
• Psychology (18 credits)
• Recreation, Park, & Tourism Management (19 credits)
• Sexuality and Gender Studies (12 credits)
• Sociology (18 credits)
• Spanish (18 credits)
• Women's Studies (18 credits)
• Youth and Family Education (18 credits)

If you are interested in other minors, they are listed at this site:

http://www.registrar.psu.edu/majors_minors/index.cfm?progId=UG

Double Counting Courses: Courses for your minor can sometimes also count toward your major or your General Education Requirements. For instance, BIOL 155 could satisfy a three credit requirement in the Gerontology Minor and also satisfy three credits of a student's General Education natural science requirement. Or a student with a Psychology minor might select a course for their minor from our supporting course list and the course would count toward both the minor and the major.

Please check with your academic advisor and the department that runs the minor to be sure you understand where courses double count and wherer they do not.