Human Development

Website

http://hcd.ucdavis.edu/

The Human Development major lives in the Human and Community Regional Development department in Hart Hall.

Human Development is exactly that - the study of the development of humans. It explores the developmental processes humans undergo throughout their life cycle. Classes range from pre-natal development to death. Most HDE classes, however, focus on childhood, and accordingly, many HDE majors want to become elementary school teachers. Many others enter counseling, education, social work, nursing, or research.

HDE is very similar to Psychology in that it studies the development of cognitive processes and personality and social development. However, HDE has a strong focus on cultural and biological influences, and believe it or not, HDE majors earn a Bachelors of Science degree and take many Anthropology and science classes (granted, they are 'science for non-majors' classes).

HDE majors study different developmental perspectives that attempt to answer questions such as those posed by the "nature vs. nurture" debate. However (as one would predict), the conclusion most Developmentalists come to is "a little of both."

There is also a Human Development Graduate Group that offers a M.S. degree in child development and a Ph.D. in human development.

HDE 12 - Human Sexuality

Judy Reitan teaches this class, although not every quarter. In this class students have a chance to participate in a panel in which they openly discuss their sex lives to the entire lecture hall, view giant pictures of genitalia on the overhead screen, watch a childbirth video, and write a 10-page term paper in which they address the topic, "How I discovered my sexuality."