Human Development Major
Our program focuses on applying knowledge and skills to make a difference in people's lives. We use theory and practice to understand and work with children and adults in the context of different families, communities, and cultures.
#2
RANKING AMONG HD PROGRAMS IN THE U.S.
22
AVERAGE UPPER-LEVEL CLASS SIZE
45
DEDICATED FACULTY MEMBERS
100%
OF OUR STUDENTS COMPLETE FIELDWORK
Total Credit Hours: 120
Human Development Courses (48 hours)
General Education (42 hours)
Free Electives (30 hours)
What You'll Study
- 120 credit hours for a Bachelor of Science in Human Development, including Virginia Tech's Pathways
- 45 credits in Human Development courses, including
- Childhood and Adolescence
- Adulthood and Aging
- Family Relationships
- Principles of Human Services
- Family Financial Management
- Field study work with a local human services organization
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What Is a Major in Human Development?
This discipline studies how humans learn and develop, from birth through old age and in many specific contexts. Researchers might look at how children are affected when their parents are incarcerated or how close friendships change as we grow older. The field mixes principles of psychology, sociology, and health to study and improve people's daily life experiences.
Why Study Human Development Here?
You'll learn about the physical, social, and cognitive areas of development and serve others through a hands-on field experience at our Adult Day Services or child development centers, the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, a local free clinic, or other social services programs. A few examples of typical careers for human development majors includes teachers, school counselors, speech therapists, occupational therapists, social workers, and non-profit professionals.
Beyond the Classroom
Our program includes a field study experience to observe and participate in the work of human services. You'll get the chance to see first-hand what the work is like, and learn the challenges and triumphs people in the helping professions deal with every day.
Learn With Us
We have four centers that serve as living laboratories where we train students in the human services professions, serve the community, and conduct research that improves people's lives and sets new standards for the care industry.
- Adult Day Services Center
- Child Development Center for Learning and Research
- Family Therapy Center
- Center for Family Services at the National Capital Region campus
Faculty Mentor
You'll learn to perform top-notch research with our faculty, who have a reputation among their peers for designing complex research studies. Talk to a professor about designing your own research project or investigating a topic that interests you. You'll work closely with a faculty mentor to plan a course of action, discuss your findings, and write a report. You can also assist a faculty member with their research project.
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What Our Students Are Saying
"Attending Virginia Tech was the experience of a lifetime. During my time at Tech, I learned so much about myself, others, and how I can apply my skills and passions to do my part in making the world a better place."
— Carrie Covey, BS '06, MSEd. '08
"I am a double major with human development and Spanish. Human development is flexible; you can do anything with it. When I was a freshman I had space in my schedule to take biology, chemistry, and physics. My human development internship taught me how to work effectively with people and gave me insight on how to work with children, which has been beneficial in preparing to attend law school to focus on child and family law. Spanish has helped me relate to so many different people and provided me the opportunity to study in Spain. These majors have opened up my world to opportunities that I never knew I would have."
— Michelle Arroyo, '17
“In my field study, I shadowed an occupational therapist and worked side-by-side with a physical therapist and speech therapist. My desire to pursue occupational therapy has grown as I've experienced a new setting to practice therapy. I've always worked in pediatrics; this field study has opened my eyes to the possibility of working in geriatrics, too.”
— Elizabeth "Liz" Aker, '16
“My experience in the HDFS department has been nothing short of amazing. Between the interesting classes and the supportive professors, switching to the Human Development major was the best decision I made at Virginia Tech. My favorite class within my major has to be the Human Development 1 class. Considering my love for children, learning about their development was constantly intriguing and has provided a strong foundation for graduate school.”
- Cassidy Cromer, ‘21
“I worked with the On-Campus Transition Program which supports students with disabilities. I assisted students on campus with classes, jobs, and other activities that allowed them to broaden their social, vocational, and educational skills. This experience will be helpful in my work with The Choice Group as a vocational counselor before I continue my education for occupational therapy.”
- Lauren Wescott, '22
Careers and Further Study
Anna Gehring, '15
While pursuing a degree in Human Development, Anna began to observe Speech-Language Pathologists at local schools. Her Virginia Tech experience was most shaped by her study abroad opportunities in Lugano, Switzerland and Kenya. While there, she prepared curriculum, planned, and ran camps for students. After completing a speech pathology graduate program at the University of Virginia, she now works as a speech pathologist at Sentara Healthcare.
Gina Schnur, '18
Gina furthered her passion for studying children by completing a field study with Virginia Tech’s Child Development Center for Learning and Research and serving as a research assistant in the Children’s Emotions Lab. Gina also interned at Massachusetts General Hospital for Children and is now studying human development and psychology at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Amy Crow, '18
Amy’s always had a passion for working with children. She completed her field study requirement at two local elementary schools, shadowing teachers and engaging students. Amy says, “From that experience, I gained more confidence than I ever would have imagined, and I feel ready to teach my own elementary classroom in just a few years.” Amy is completing the Masters of Curriculum and Instruction in Elementary Education program here at Virginia Tech.
Allison Meyer, '16
Applying her passion for healthcare operations and children, Allison completed an internship at LewisGale Hospital Montgomery in the Administration Department, where she worked to help facilitate a streamlined patient experience. Following graduation, Allison served as a site supervisor at a local elementary school. Now she works as a human resources generalist at the Pediatric Connection, an organization serving medically fragile children.
Meredith Young, '19
Meredith credits the faculty for shaping her into an understanding, passionate, and educated human service worker. Her human development as well as medicine and society courses prepared her to pursue a Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Lauren Hughes, '19
Lauren developed a passion for higher education and student affairs after serving in New Student and Family Programs. Following these experiences, she switched into the Human Development major, and continued to engage in meaningful coursework directly correlated to her future aspirations. Lauren is attending graduate school for Student Personnel in Higher Education at the University of Florida.
Tori Sheets, '16
Tori studied Human Development and Psychology at Virginia Tech. She completed her field study at Christiansburg Elementary School with 5th graders and the school counseling office. After finishing a master’s program in Industrial-Organizational Psychology at Radford, Tori has worked in employee relations for a hospital and is now serving as a Human Resources Coordinator for The Hershey Company.
Danielle Sperry, '20
Danielle developed a passion for improving the lives of working mothers while pursuing her degree in human development. She is attending graduate school at Clemson University to receive her M.S. in Applied Psychology with a concentration in Industrial-Organizational Psychology where her research will focus on occupational health issues. Danielle plans to get her doctorate and pursue a career in academia.
Katherine Corl, '19
Katherine completed her field study with an elementary school counselor, confirming her future career plans. The field study provided first-hand experience to share with graduate schools about working with students and their parents, understanding the role and responsibilities of a school counselor, and the ethical considerations of school counseling. Katherine is currently pursuing a Master of Education in School Counseling at the University of Virginia.
Jasmine Porter, '16
After graduating from Virginia Tech, Jasmine received a Master of Counselor Education from Virginia Commonwealth University. Currently, she serves as the Program Specialist for an initiative through the Virginia Space Grant Consortium in Hampton, Virginia. She has held various roles within higher education including an Admissions Advisor, TRIO Student Development Advisor, and Career Advisor. Jasmine also serves on the Young Alumni Board at Virginia Tech.
Carly Rettie, '21
Carly explored careers in education through different internship and field study experiences. She interned at the National Children's Museum where she focused on developing curriculum and with Literacy Volunteers of the New River Valley where she worked with adult learners. Carly also interned with a national non-profit where she wrote grants and learn about fundraising. These internship experiences led to Carly pursuing a Master’s degree in Politics and Education at Columbia University Teachers College.
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Ally Copeland, '21
In preparation for a doctorate degree in occupational therapy, Ally completed her field study in Montgomery County schools, where she worked as a special education aid with the Virginia Tech On Campus Transition Program. She completed research with Dr. Choi in the Cognitive and Developmental Science Lab, while also leading the Occupational Therapy Club at Virginia Tech.
Cassidy Treanor, '21
Through her experience on the undergraduate honor council, Cassidy discovered a passion for educating young people. She used the flexibility of the Human Development major to also pursue math coursework on her path to a career in secondary math education. Cassidy is completing a master’s degree in secondary math education at New York Institute of Technology.
Cassidy Cromer, ’21
Cassidy majored in human development, with minors in disabilities studies, language sciences, and psychology, while working in the Children’s Emotions undergraduate research lab. Her lab experience showed her the process of research, how to code and analyze data, and introduced her to her dream career path. Cassidy completed her field study with a speech language pathologist, confirming her future career plans. She is pursuing a master's degree in Speech Language Pathology at the University of Virginia.
Noushin Sharmeli, '19
"Noushin nurtured her passion for child development and working with children by serving as a research assistant in the Children’s Emotions Lab and completing a field work study at Virginia Tech’s Child Development Center for Learning and Research. The coursework, first-hand learning opportunities, and research experiences have prepared her with the skills and knowledge to become an educated and compassionate healthcare worker. Noushin is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy at Virginia Commonwealth University."
Sade Cole, ‘21
During Sade's time at Virginia Tech, she was able to intern at the Department of Social Services office in Christiansburg within the Foster Care and Child Protective Services department. She also participated in undergraduate research at the Child Development Center for Learning and Research with Dr. Bradburn. Sade also served as a small group leader, a mental health advocate for her peers in the PAL program through Cook Counseling, an academic tutor through Trio Upward Bound, and an intramural official at Recreational Sports. Sade is now pursuing a Master’s of Public Policy.
Marnie Adelkopf , '22
Marnie had many hands-on experiences during her time in undergrad, starting with the Human Services class where she volunteered in an after-school homework helpers program. She also became a Crisis Intervention Intern at the Women's Resource Center of the New River Valley. Marnie will teach English to elementary school children in Israel after graduation.
Caroline Hopper, '22
Caroline majored in Human Development and minored in disability studies and music while at Virginia Tech. She volunteered at Warm Hearth Village where she created meaningful connections with residents who were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and dementia. Caroline got additional experience with older adults and young children as she participated in the Adult Day Services program and the Child Development Center for Learning in Wallace Hall. She is studying occupational therapy at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Madison Woodell, '22
After exploring other programs, Madison landed with a human development major, which she says is about loving people and wanting to make humanity better. She participated in the Building Bridges program, where she helped older individuals practice their cognitive skills. Madison is working as a victim advocate in Montgomery County and plans to attend graduate school to become a counselor for women and children suffering from abuse.
What do I do with a human development major?
The human services profession is interdisciplinary in nature, so our curriculum will give you a strong foundation you can tailor to your goals and interests.
Our students pursue graduate school and careers, such as:
- Case managers
- Community support professionals
- Teachers
- School counselors
- Activities directors at nursing homes
- Behavioral counselors
- Social workers
- Youth advisors
- Sexual assault advocates
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