Human Sciences Majors

Review your bachelor's degree options in the broad field of human sciences, which encompasses areas like family studies, human services and nutrition. Explore the coursework you'd take in these degree programs, and find out what online programs are available. Learn about job options for those who earn a bachelor's degree in a human sciences field.

<h3 id="section---WhatAreOtherNamesForHumanSciencesMajors">What are Other Names for Human Sciences Majors?</h3> <p>Some schools offer an undergraduate major in human sciences. However, it's more common for a university to have a college or school of human sciences, with several major options within that division. These majors might include human development, health and nutrition, food science, family studies, child development, consumer sciences and human services. Some schools also provide a general major within the school of human sciences. This option, which is uncommon, usually consists of a variety of human sciences courses. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><td><b>Programs </b></td><td> Undergraduate degrees</td></tr> <tr><td><b>Common Courses</b></td><td> Human nutrition and health; infant, child, adolescent and adult development; interpersonal communication; general psychology; general sociology</td></tr> <tr><td><b>Online Availability</b></td><td> Fully online and hybrid formats offered</td></tr> <tr><td><b>Career Options</b></td><td> Nutritionist, nutrition educator, teaching, counseling</td></tr> <tr><td><b>Median Salary (2020)</b></td><td>$69,760 <i>(Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations)</i></td></tr> <tr><td><b>Job Outlook (2019-2029)</b></td><td>5% growth <i>(Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations)</i></td></tr> </table><p><i>Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)</i> </p> <h3 id="section---WhatCoursesWillITake">What Courses Will I Take?</h3> <p>Human sciences programs can cover a range of topics, including psychology, health, sociology, communication, biology, human development and anthropology. Some programs may only require courses from one or two categories, while others may take a broad, interdisciplinary approach and require courses from all of them. Some courses you might see in your human sciences curriculum include the following: </p> <ul><li>Human nutrition and health </li><li>Infant, child, adolescent and adult development </li><li>Interpersonal communication </li><li>General psychology </li><li>General sociology </li><li>Human biology </li><li>Statistics </li><li>Global issues </li><li>Parenting and family violence in the United States </li></ul><h3 id="section---CanICompleteMyDegreeOnline">Can I Complete My Degree Online?</h3> <p>Online human sciences programs are fairly common. Some programs can be completed entirely via the Internet, while others are completed partially online and partially on-campus. All online programs will require you to have a computer and an Internet connection; most also require word processing software, such as Microsoft Word. Some programs may include an internship, which cannot be completed online. </p> <h3 id="section---WhatJobsCanIGetWithMyDegree">What Jobs Can I Get with My Degree?</h3> <p>Since there are so many major options within human sciences, your job eligibility will depend on the kind of program you've completed. For example, if you concentrated on health and nutrition, you might find a position as a nutritionist or nutrition educator for a school, doctor's office, hospital, clinic or community center. Some jobs that fall under the human sciences category, such as teaching and counseling, may require additional licensing, certification or training.</p>