Human Development and Family Studies Major, B.A.

Core Courses: 18 Credits

Students must take all of the following core classes: 

• PSY 1001 - Introductory Psychology Credits: 3
• PSY 2210 - Psychology of Human Development Credits: 3
• PSY 2310 - Statistics for the Social and Behavioral Sciences Credits: 3
• PSY 3340 - Cognitive Development and Learning Credits: 3
• PSY 3350 - Psychology of Social Development Credits: 3
• PSY 4700 - Senior Experience in Human Development and Family Studies Credits: 3 *

• *Meets senior experience requirements

Developmental Foundation Courses: 12 credits (Choose four)

• PSY 1800 - Developmental Educational Psychology Credits: 3
• PSY 2240 - Parenting Across the Lifespan Credits: 3
• PSY 3240 - Infancy Credits: 3
• PSY 3250 - Child Psychology Credits: 3
• PSY 3260 - Psychology of Adolescence Credits: 3
• PSY 3270 - Adulthood and Aging Credits: 3
• PSY 3400 - Child Psychopathology Credits: 3

HDFS Breadth: 12 Credits (Choose four; students can also choose from any additional developmental foundation courses listed above)

Students should choose their breadth courses in consultation with a HDFS advisor to ensure these courses best prepare them for their future career and/or graduate school goals. The following courses can be taken up to two times and be counted within the HDFS major: PSY 3370 - Undergraduate Research Assistant , PSY 3390 - Undergraduate Teaching Assistant Training ,   PSY 3980 - Internship in Psychology  and/or PSY 4650 - Advanced Internship in Psychology , combined, and PSY 4980 - Independent Study. To enroll in any of these specialty classes, please consult with an advisor. 

• PSY 2001 - Careers and Professional Development in Psychology Credits: 3
• PSY 2270 - Death and Dying Credits: 3
• PSY 3030 - Multicultural Psychology Credits: 3

• OR

• PSY 3700 - Psychology of Group Prejudice Credits: 3

• *PSY 3030 and PSY 3700 meet the Multicultural Requirement

• PSY 3050 - Psychology of Gender Credits: 3
• PSY 3370 - Undergraduate Research Assistant Credits: 3
• PSY 3390 - Undergraduate Teaching Assistant Training Credits: 3
• PSY 3540 - Cognitive Aging Credits: 3
• PSY 3980 - Internship in Psychology Credits: 1-3
• PSY 4100 - Introduction to Clinical Counseling Psychology Credits: 3
• PSY 4450 - Advanced Statistics: SPSS Credits: 3
• PSY 4970 - Psychology of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Credits: 3
• CAS 3770 - Family Communication Credits: 3
• CHS 3210 - The Chicano Family Credits: 3
• HSP 2040 - Family Systems Credits: 4
• NUT 3050 - Concepts of Lifecycle Nutrition Credits: 3
• SOC 3410 - The Family in Transition Credits: 3
• SWK 1010 - Introduction to Social Work Credits: 3
• SWK 3010 - Social Work Practice with Children and Youth Credits: 3
• SWK 3030 - Social Work with Older People Credits: 3
• SWK 3080 - Social Work with Families Credits: 3
• SWK 3150 - Social Work and Child Maltreatment Credits: 3

Advising Notes

• All students must complete a minimum of 15 semester hours of upper-division PSY coursework for the HDFS major. Transfer students must take a minimum of 15 semester hours of HDFS course work at MSU Denver, of which at least 9 must be upper-division credits.
• Transfer students must have completed both semesters of a two-semester introductory psychology course for equivalence to exist. Three semester hours will count toward the major or minor; three semester hours will count as general electives (i.e., PSY 8888) to graduate. If a student has taken only one semester of a two-semester introductory course and takes PSY 1001 at MSU Denver, the transfer introductory credits will not count toward the degree.
• A grade of “D-” or better does count toward the bachelor’s degree. However, HDFS majors must have a GPA of 2.00 in their major as well as an overall GPA of 2.00 to graduate. Students should note that programs differ in the minimum grade required.
• HDFS majors cannot use psychology courses to fulfill General Studies requirements EXCEPT for senior experience and multicultural which can be filled by taking Senior experience in HDFS (PSY 4700 ) and Multicultural Psychology (PSY 3030 ) or Psychology of Group Prejudice (PSY 3070 ) for the multicultural requirement.
• Students considering going to graduate school or seeking a certification, should be aware that these programs often have specific undergraduate course prerequisites within the major, minor, general studies or electives. Please talk to an HDFS advisor about your goals so they can help you to select the most appropriate courses.
• The Department of Psychological Sciences does not accept correspondence study courses toward the total number of semester hours required for a major or minor.

Total Hours Required for the Major: 41