Cultivate
Provides opportunities inside and outside the classroom to cultivate and enhance your overall learning and academic experience.
DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Major milestones are activities Human Development and Family Studies Major, B.A. students should complete during their first year, middle years and final year at MSU Denver.
Explore the Human Development and Family Studies Major, B.A.
Psychological Sciences is one of the largest departments at MSU Denver, serving students majoring or minoring in Psychology or Human Development & Family Studies. Our programs, available both in person and fully online, connect classroom learning with applied, real-world experiences. Students complete engaging coursework and participate in enriching hands-on opportunities tailored to their interests. As a STEM discipline, students not only develop scientific literacy, but also gain transferrable skills that make them ready to enter the job market as soon as they graduate.
CAREER MILESTONES
There are nine essential skills you should have in order to find, acquire, maintain, and grow within a job.
Essential skills build through majoring in Human Development and Family Studies include:
- Global Learning, Teamwork & Collaboration, Professionalism & Work Ethic, and Oral & Written Communication
- Understand and apply knowledge related to human development across the lifespan
- Understand how to work best with people from different age groups (i.e., children, adolescents, adults, and their families) that result in positive outcomes in various career settings
Students graduating from Human Development and Family Studies find themselves as:
- Child Life Specialist
- Marriage & Family Therapist
- Case Worker
- Mental Health Counselor
- Child Advocate
- Nurse
More than 50 of our students present at peer-reviewed academic conferences per year.
30 students complete Research or Teaching Assistantships in a typical semester.
Click here to explore career opportunities by major.
Many students also choose to pursue a graduate degree.
WHAT ARE MAJOR MILESTONES?
Major milestones consist of activities students should complete during their first year, middle years and final year at MSU Denver. These milestones will help prospective and current students explore major and career options and create a year-by-year plan to integrate curricular (what happens inside the classroom), co-curricular (what happens inside and outside the classroom, and non-curricular (what happens outside the classroom) experiences. For example, milestones might list specific classes student should take at specific times along their journey or may suggest when students should participate in research opportunities with faculty members.
Simply put, Major Milestones are meant to enhance your student experience and set you up for success.
MAJOR MILESTONES CATEGORIES
Engage
Highlights activities you can engage and participate in globally, nationally and locally to enhance your essential skills and start building your resume.
Prepare
Lists steps to prepare for postgraduate success whether that's entering the workforce, attending graduate school or pursuing other goals and plans.
HOW TO USE THE MAJOR MILESTONES TOOL
- Scroll to your current year in school.
- Read the steps listed in each category: Cultivate, Engage and Prepare.
- Complete any necessary steps listed.
- Check out further resources by connecting with your academic advisor, the Classroom to Career Hub, and your department faculty.
All options listed below are available in-person and online unless noted otherwise.
ARRIVE - Your First Year at MSU Denver
First Year Milestones
- Join a student organization and get connected to support on campus.
- Declare a major, (explore our fully online programs!) or meet with an exploratory advisor to learn about options.
- Attend signature events on campus (Convocation, Fall Fest, Spring Fling, etc.).
- Check out Career Link for on-campus and career-aligned jobs.
- Attend Classroom to Career Hub (C2Hub) career workshops and events.
- Write your early experience resume and utilize resume resources from the C2Hub.
- Meet with an academic advisor to discuss your interests and create an academic plan.
- Start exploring the major with PSY 1001 and PSY 2210.
- Join Research Club or the Clinical/Counseling Club.
- Meet other HDFS and Psychology student colleagues to develop your personal and professional network.
- Attend an event through the C2 Hub.
- Conduct an informational interview with a professor or professional who is in the career you think you might want to pursue.
THRIVE - Your Middle Years at MSU Denver
Middle Years Milestones
- Consider adding a minor or adding a certificate to your chosen major.
- Explore resources like the tutoring program or the writing center.
- Get familiar with MSU Denver’s Academic Planning Tool.
- Explore student leadership on campus and volunteering in your community.
- Earn credit and gain experience through an internship, study abroad, or community-engaged learning.
- Attend identity or interest-based campus events like the Richard T. Castro speaker series.
- Connect with the Undergraduate Research and Scholarship program.
- Attend an in-person Career Fair to network and secure a professional headshot.
- Connect with the Classroom to Career Hub (C2Hub) for opportunities for professional mentoring and job shadowing.
- Consider adding a minor or pursuing a dual degree in Psychology.
- Meet with an academic advisor to review your Degree Progress Report.
- Research potential study abroad opportunities.
- Join Psi Chi International Honor Society in Psychology.
- Volunteer in community organization.
- Foster relationships with professors who can serve as mentors and future letters of recommendation.
- Create and maintain a resume.
SOAR - Your Final Year at MSU Denver
Final Year Milestones
- Meet with your advisor to complete remaining graduation requirements.
- Ready to Graduate? Check out this guide from the registrar!
- Attend or present in-person at a major-specific or industry-specific conference or networking event.
- Attend in-person alumni and campus-wide networking events.
- Submit a proposal to present in-person at the Undergraduate Research Conference.
- Seek to collaborate with local civic organizations.
- Finalize your portfolio of relevant projects and skills.
- Get help on your industry-ready resume, then attend in-person career-focused events.
- Identify needs for Professional Certifications or MCAT/LSAT etc. and prepare for professional school admissions.
- Prepare and submit applications for jobs, explore graduate school, or relevant post-grad training.
- Complete your Senior Experience course.
- Meet with an advisor to make sure all graduation requirements are met.
- Apply to graduate.
- Serve as a research or teaching assistant.
- Seek leadership positions in Research Club, Clinical/Counseling Club, or Psi Chi.
- Attend a conference.
- Conduct an internship.
- Attend graduate school preparation workshops offered through the Department.
- Attend a career fair.
Roadrunner Roads
Things every student should do at MSU Denver.
Roadrunner Upkeep
- Complete FAFSA/CASFA/COF/Scholarship Applications every year.
- Stay on track for graduation by meeting with your advisor every year and check into the Rowdy Pit Stop every semester.
- Read The Runner in your email every Monday.
Roadrunner Career Readiness
- Find and get hired for jobs during college and beyond by visiting the Classroom to Career Hub (C2Hub) and utilize C2Hub resources for students.
- To be prepared for any opportunity that comes your way, update your resume early & often.
- Explore options for hands-on learning and explore graduate school & get prepared for both.
- Log in to Career Link each month to stay up to date on programs, events, and job/internship opportunities.
Roadrunner Wellbeing
- Explore wellness and belonging resources from CESA.
- Access mental wellbeing support through the Counseling Center.
- Visit Rowdy’s Corner when you need some food access support.
- Nourish your physical well-being by checking out the Rec Center and checking out Exercise Sciences, including for-credit courses.
- Determine if you need to fill out the Health Insurance Opt-Out Waiver each semester.
Additional College Resources
College of Letters, Arts and Sciences (CLAS) Steps for Success
Major Map
Download the Human Development and Family Studies Major, B.A. Map (from CLAS), a print version of this webpage.
Academic Program Page
Visit the Human Development and Family Studies Major, B.A. Program Page to learn more about this program and all it offers.
Student Success Roadmap
Complete additional steps on the CLAS Student Success Roadmap to round out your MSU Denver experience.
Contact the Department of Psychological Sciences
Connect with Us
Phone: (303) 615-0699
Email: [email protected]
Campus Location:
Plaza Building
Room 220
Plaza Building, Auraria Campus – Google Map