The Human Developmental Sciences major at UC San Diego offers an interdisciplinary study of how people grow and change across the lifespan. Students explore biological, cognitive, and socio‑cultural development while gaining strong research and analytical skills. The curriculum blends psychology, neuroscience, sociology, data science, and applied research methods, preparing students to understand real‑world developmental challenges. Through coursework, labs, and field experiences, students learn to analyze human behavior in diverse contexts and apply evidence‑based approaches. The major provides a strong foundation for careers or graduate study in education, health professions, research, social services, and related fields.
Specializations
- Equity and Diversity
- Healthy Aging
- Human Developmental Sciences Bachelor of Arts
- Human Developmental Sciences Bachelor of Science
Program Highlights
- The program incorporates the resources of over 12 UC San Diego Departments for an interdisciplinary approach to explore lifespan development divided very broadly into three areas, Biological Development, Ontogenetic Development, and Socio-Cultural Development.
Human Developmental Sciences
This page is intended to give some highlights about the program. If you are interested in learning more about the major and its curriculum, visit the department website.
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
Co-curricular Programs
Learn how to make the most of your experience at UC San Diego within the context of your major.
Research
Conduct research in your field of study with one of the many research programs available. Research opportunities in this major include, but are not limited to:
Regents Scholars Research Initiative (RSRI)
- Available in Fall, Winter, and Spring terms.
- Open to newly admitted transfer students and first-years.
- Independent studies credit available.
- Available Summer.
- Open to junior and seniors.
- Stipend, course credit, and housing available.
- Available Winter, Spring and Summer term (8 weeks; 3 quarter commitment).
- Open to juniors and seniors.
- Stipend, course credit, and housing available.
For more details, eligibility, and to explore more programs, visit our Undergraduate Research website.
Internships
UC San Diego offers strong internship pathways for undergraduates through the Academic Internship Program (AIP) and the Research Experience and Applied Learning (REAL) Portal. AIP enables students to earn academic credit while gaining professional experience in fields across all majors, supported by faculty mentorship and an academic component. The REAL Portal serves as a centralized hub for finding research, internships, service learning, and other hands‑on opportunities on and off campus. Together, these resources help students explore career interests, build professional skills, and connect academic learning with real‑world experience.
Find a Program
- Academic Internship Program: https://aip.ucsd.edu
- REAL Portal: https://real.ucsd.edu
Study Abroad
Students are encouraged to explore study abroad opportunities which allow students to experience the culture and history of another country and gain a global perspective, all while earning academic credit toward their degree.
Learn more about study abroad opportunities for Human Developmental Sciences.
Student Organizations
With over 600 student organizations, students are able to connect with other students who share similar interests. And, if you can't find something that interests you, it's easy to create a new one with just a few other students. Explore UC San Diego student organizations.
Be sure to check out these organizations related to your major:
- Human Development Student Association
What can I do with this major?
Learn about how you can apply your major to various opportunities after you graduate. The information below is based on recent surveys from alumni in this (or similar) majors and is not an exhaustive list.
- Recent Employers - Top 10 employers alumni reported working for.
- Job Types - Industries and types of jobs that alumni reported.
- Skills - Common skills and skills specific to the major that alumni reported gaining from this major.
- Graduate Programs - The types of graduate programs alumni reported going to (if applicable)
Recent Employers
- University of California
- YMCA
- Scripps Health
- Irvine Unified School District
- Carta
- California Association Of Food Banks
- Cajon Valley Union School District
- Bernardo Dermatology Medical Group
- Barnettx
- Bank of America
Job Types
- Social and Human Service Specialists
- Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse Counselors
- Guidance, Career, and Academic Counselors
- Medical Assistants
- Recruiters and Human Resources Specialists
- Registered Nurses
- Coaches and Scouts
- Customer Service Representatives
- General and Operations Managers
- Physical Therapist Aides
Graduate Programs
- Education
- Social Work
- Law
- Teacher Education and Professional Development
- Applied Behavior Analysis
- Registered Nursing
- Teacher Education
- Counselor Education
- Counseling Psychology
Skills
Common
- Research
- Customer Service
- Leadership
- Communications
- Teaching
- Microsoft Office
- Management
- Sales
- Planning
Specific
- Autism Spectrum Disorders
- Marketing
- Data Entry
- Project Management
- Event Planning
- Clinical Research
- Medical Assistance
- Preschool Education
- Rehabilitation
- Data Analysis