Minor in Applied Human Development

Particularly attuned to the mission of Wheelock, the study of Applied Human Development (AHD) prepares students to address critical issues of child and youth advocacy, the psychological and emotional well-being of diverse individuals, and the creation of more equitable and just institutions that allow all people to grow and thrive. The AHD minor is open to all undergraduate students across Boston University and is a good choice for those interested in careers that involve children, youth, and emerging adults in a wide variety of settings (e.g., school, community/neighborhood, legal, nonprofit, medical, sports, athletics, exercise, and other applied settings), and includes the opportunity to integrate knowledge, theory, and practice in community-based internship sites.

For the 26-credit minor, students complete four foundational courses and choose one of two tracks: 1) Positive Youth Development: Justice, Advocacy & Sport or 2) Developmental & Educational Psychology.

Those choosing the Positive Youth Development track will have options for exploring positive youth development, youth empowerment, and youth advocacy in a variety of applied settings (e.g., legal systems, school systems, out-of-school time, sports, healthcare) and understand how practice and policy are related to positive developmental outcomes for young people. Adolescent development and well-being is directly relevant to social justice and current issues such as disproportionate school discipline/legal involvement and access to sport and exercise.

Those choosing the Developmental & Educational Psychology track will explore human development across the lifespan in both local and international contexts, understand the role of culture, family, and social systems in mediating individual outcomes, and examine the conditions necessary for optimal development and well-being in children and youth, with a particular focus on school and educational settings.

Students intending to declare a minor must complete a Minor Declaration form in the records/advising offices of their home school.

Requirements for the Minor in Applied Human Development

The 26-credit minor offers 14 credits of foundational coursework, including human development, positive youth development, anti-oppressive practices with multicultural populations, an internship experience; and 12 credits of focused coursework in one of two tracks: 1) Positive Youth Development: Justice, Advocacy & Sport or 2) Developmental & Educational Psychology.

Foundation Courses (14 credits)

• SED HD 306 Introduction to Human Development (4 cr)
• SED CE 342 Anti-Oppressive Practice: Education & Psychology (4 cr)
• SED HD 400 72-hour Internship & Seminar (2 cr)
• SED YJ 360 Positive Youth Development (4 cr)

Track Requirements (12 credits)

Positive Youth Development: Justice, Advocacy & Sport Track

• Core course:
  • SED YJ 201 Introduction to Youth Justice & Advocacy (4 cr)
• Choose 8 elective credits:
  • SED YJ 301 Juvenile Courts & Law (4 cr)
  • SED YJ 302 Causes & Prevention of Delinquency (4 cr)
  • SED YJ 380 Youth Advocacy (4 cr)
  • SED PE 211 Movement Education: Early Childhood to Adolescence (2 cr)
  • SED PE 250 Community Leadership through Youth Sport Coaching (2 cr)
  • SED PE 375 Psychology of Sport (4 cr)
  • SED PE 500 Universal Design for Working with Youth (2 cr)

Developmental & Educational Psychology Track

• Choose two core courses:
  • SED HD 224 Emotional Development (4 cr)
  • SED HD 300 Educational Psychology (4 cr)
  • SED HD 354 Achievement Gap (4 cr)
• Choose one elective:
  • SED HD 211 Student Motivation (4 cr)
  • SED HD 311 African American School Achievement (4 cr)
  • SED HD 316 Children’s Political Lives (4 cr)
  • SED HD 327 Asian American Psychology (4 cr)
  • SED HD 330 Psychology of Race (4 cr)
  • SED HD 385 Psychological Trauma (4 cr)