The question isn’t whether or not you should go back to school to get an undergraduate degree. After all, Americans who had four-year college degrees made a whopping 98% more an hour on average in 2013 than those who didn’t have such a degree. That’s a lot more than you might think. Research shows that not going to college will cost you about half a million dollars, after taking into account average additional wages, etc. It’s no wonder why 83% of all college attendees say earning their degree “has paid off.”
No, the real question is what should you should major in. An English major, communications major, and family studies major are all great, but have you ever considered going for a human development degree? Here’s what you should know.
What Is a Human Development Degree?
If you study Human Development, you will prepare to work with children, adolescents, adults, and families in a variety of different human service and community settings. This degree integrates theory and methodology from such disciplines as anthropology, biology, linguistics, psychology, and sociology to explore the processes and mechanisms that underlie developmental change and stability, as well as the socio-cultural and historical contexts in which development occurs.
What Are the Areas of Concentration?
There are several different areas of concentration, such as child settings, early childhood education, family and community settings, and family finance. The child settings concentration focuses on childhood development, and the role of the family. The early childhood education will prepare you to teach children in preschool through second grade. The family and settings concentration examines human development all the way from adolescence to adulthood. The family finance concentration looks at how families and individuals learn how to gain control over their financial situation, and will teach you how to help them plan a more financially secure future.
What Can You Do With a Human Development Degree?
There are several exciting, rewarding positions you can get with a human development degree. You can be an adult day care service provider, an autism agency staff member, a customer service rep, a domestic violence shelter advocate, a teacher, a recruiter, an HR professional, an independent living assistant, a youth advocate, and more.
If you’d like to learn more about this exciting program, feel free to share your questions in the comments.
