Applied Psychology & Human Development (APHD)
Quick Look:
36 credits; Combination of required courses, focus area courses, and electives
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
Department: Counseling, Developmental, and Educational Psychology
Faculty Program Coordinator: Dr. Elida Laski
Do you want to enrich the lives of children and adults every day? Do you want to improve the communities, schools, and families around you and throughout the world? Do you want to understand the interface between human development and health, between psychology and the workplace, and between knowledge and action? Are you looking for a practical major that opens up a variety of future options in fields of human resources, counseling psychology, health, education, research, community programming, leadership, or policy and law?
If so, then a degree in Applied Psychology and Human Development is your first step. The program prepares students to contribute to society through service, action, and leadership. It also allows students to study key areas that are at the forefront of current social and educational challenges confronting society: Human Services & Health Sciences; Organization Studies & Human Capital; Policy, Advocacy & Community Change; and the Science of Learning.
Program of Study
Learning Goals
Understand the key tasks and processes underlying human development from infancy to adulthood
Recognize how social and cultural contexts shape developmental and psychological processes
Learn key research methods and statistical approaches used to study human development and psychology
Gain skills in critically evaluating and translating scientific evidence from psychology and human development to real world settings
Develop a specialized understanding of a targeted focus area of study to prepare for a range of further educational and career pathways, including:
Human Services and Health Sciences: Understand psychosocial challenges to healthy development across the lifespan, and learn about a range of individual and community-level strategies to prevent mental and physical illness and enhance psychosocial health and wellbeing.
Organizational Studies and Human Capital: Focus on the intersection of individuals and work/organizational contexts, with the goal of applying the science of psychology and human development to interpersonal relationships, organizational settings, and the workplace.
Policy, Advocacy and Community Change: Understand individual, community, and government roles in sustaining or challenging social and economic inequities affecting human development. Assess how psychological science informs policies and programs designed to address pervasive social problems.
Science of Learning: Understand cognitive, motivational, and affective processes that underlie learning and behavior across diverse contexts, and learn to translate this knowledge into educational and behavioral practice.
Learn more information on the 4 focus areas for the class of 2023 and beyond here