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Applied Behavioral Sciences

Occupational Possibilities

Through study of human behavior, family relations, and the effects of community and culture on human behavior, human development and family life majors develop skills applicable to a wide range of occupations. The list below is only a sample of suitable careers for majors in Applied Behavioral Science. Some occupations, such as job counselor, may require specialized skills or additional training. Additional graduate study is generally required for listings marked with an *.

Business and Industry

  • *Actuary
  • *Industrial psychologist
  • Employment recruiter
  • Loan officer/bank employee
  • *Union legal counsel
  • Environmental impact assessment researcher
  • Marketing manager
  • Journalist
  • Human resources manager
  • Management consultant
  • Salesperson
  • Advertising account executive
  • Executive search consultant

Government and Public Sector

  • Friend of the Court caseworker
  • *Bureau of Indian Affairs researcher
  • National/state park interpreter
  • International agency representative
  • *Attorney
  • Congressional committee staff director
  • *Coroner/medical examiner
  • Head Start program director
  • State/federal government policy analyst
  • *Public administrator

Education and Research

  • Friend of the Court caseworker
  • *Bureau of Indian Affairs researcher
  • National/state park interpreter
  • International agency representative
  • *Attorney
  • Congressional committee staff director
  • *Coroner/medical examiner
  • Head Start program director
  • State/federal government policy analyst
  • *Public administrator


Health and Human Services

  • *Social worker
  • *Public health educator
  • Advocate (e.g. children, ethnic group members, aging)
  • *Genetic counselor
  • *Physician
  • *Transplant registry database manager
  • Job counselor
  • *Health-service administrator
  • Day care center director
  • Probation/parole officer
  • Youth counselor
  • *Psychiatrist
  • *Clinical psychologist

 

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Skills and Abilities

Students of human development and family life develop general and technical skills and abilities applicable to diverse occupational paths. While many continue education in graduate, medical, or law school, many other possibilities exist. The representative skills below may be used in a variety of careers. For example, cross-cultural observational skills may be equally useful for an international agency representative, a corporate trainer, or a freelance journalist.

Communication

  • Summarizing results
  • Writing clearly
  • Presenting/defending a position
  • Communicating across cultures/languages
  • Understanding societal development

Analysis and Research

  • Gathering and organizing data
  • Examining data
  • Conducting field studies
  • Applying non-intrusive methods
  • Computer modeling
  • Reaching new conclusions through comparative study
  • Utilizing statistical applications
  • Evaluating theory and evidence

Interpersonal Relations

  • Interviewing
  • Understanding group dynamics
  • Observing human interactions
  • Recognizing cultural differences/similarities
  • Surveying and sampling
  • Identifying value systems

Project Development

  • Planning long-term projects
  • Recruiting/coordinating research subjects
  • Writing grant proposals
  • Evaluating
  • Maintaining records
  • Developing project designs

Career Planning and Resources

Internships

Job Search

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Professional Associations

For More Information

...about careers, graduate and professional schools, internships, professional associations, or job descriptions contact:

University Career Center
110 Burge Union
(785) 864-3624

For information about majors and concentrations in human development and family life:

Applied Behavior Science Department
4001 Dole Human Development Center
(785) 864-4840

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