Applied to through a college
Cornell says you apply directly to one of its colleges or schools. Cornell Admissions lists Human Development under Human Ecology.
Undergraduate · Cornell Human Ecology
Cornell Human Development: a Human Ecology major most students apply to at admission
Cornell applicants apply directly to one of its colleges or schools, and Human Development is a major in the College of Human Ecology, taught by the Department of Psychology. The department says most students apply to it during the regular admissions process for Human Ecology. This guide sets out what the page says.
Official information · read 1 November 2026, no entry-year label
What Cornell says about Cornell Human Development
Taken from the Department of Psychology's Human Development major page, Cornell Admissions' Majors, First-Year Applicants and Standardized Testing Policy pages, read on 1 November 2026. The pages carry no entry-year label, so for a 2028-entry application every statement below is evidence for the previous cycle and may change; check Cornell's pages for the 2028-entry details.
Applied to at admission
Most students apply during the Human Ecology admissions process.
40 credits in human development
Including prerequisites, with C- or better in each course.
Psychological science broadly
Social, cultural, biological and cognitive development across the life course.
The SAT or ACT is required
Cornell has reinstituted standardized testing and requires first-year applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores.
Official sources
- Cornell Admissions: First-Year Applicantsadmissions.cornell.edu
- Cornell Admissions: Majorsadmissions.cornell.edu
- Cornell Department of Psychology: Human Development majorpsychology.cornell.edu
- Cornell Admissions: Standardized Testing Policyadmissions.cornell.edu
Read on 1 November 2026 on the Department of Psychology's Human Development major page, Cornell Admissions' Majors, First-Year Applicants and Standardized Testing Policy pages, which describes 2027 entry. The pages carry no entry-year label. The major's curriculum pages, course descriptions, college admission requirements, deadlines and financial aid were not read, and the pages do not mention A-levels or the IB by name and are not stated.
The major
What the college and department pages say the major is
The department's page says students gain an understanding of psychological science broadly, with a theoretical and empirical foundation in the behavioural sciences while exploring the social, cultural, biological and cognitive development of humans across the life course, and that the major also emphasises translational research and community engagement. Most students apply during the regular admissions process for the College of Human Ecology. The major requires a total of 40 credits in human development, including prerequisites. This guide does not list individual courses.
Is it the right major?
Human Development beside HBHS and other Human Ecology majors
Cornell lists these as separate majors, and the colleges differ, so the choice starts at application. Avandy's comparison is general.
Human Development fits if
you want development across the life course through psychological science.
Human Biology, Health, and Society fits if
you want biology-heavy health. Avandy's Cornell HBHS guide covers it.
Global and Public Health Sciences fits if
you want public health. Avandy's Cornell GPHS guide covers it.
Admission and testing
A college application and the SAT or ACT
Cornell says you apply directly to one of its colleges or schools, so the college is part of the application; the pages read list Human Development under Human Ecology. Cornell has reinstituted standardized testing and requires first-year applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores. The pages read do not mention A levels or the IB by name, and Cornell says all students must show a strong command of English. This guide states no score.
A decision framework
Three questions before you commit
This is Avandy's own framework, not Cornell's.
Are you ready to apply to Human Ecology?
Most students apply to the major that way.
Do translational research and community engagement interest you?
The department emphasises them.
Can you plan the SAT or ACT with your A levels or IB?
Cornell requires one of them for first-year applicants.
Planning for 2028 entry
Planning for 2028 entry: what carries over and what is awaiting publication
Cornell's pages carry no entry-year label, so nothing on them is confirmed for 2028 entry. Use them to understand the structure of the application, then check Cornell's own pages for the 2028-entry details.
The requirements and descriptions on the pages read on 1 November 2026, which carry no entry-year label
These are the best guide to what to prepare. Cornell has not confirmed them for 2028 entry.
Deadlines, fees, financial aid and any department prerequisites not quoted here: not stated
This guide has not read them. Check Cornell for the values that apply to your application year.
What to do now
Read the major page and plan the SAT or ACT alongside your A levels or IB.
Support
Independent support with planning your own application
Avandy provides independent academic and admissions support. It is not affiliated with Cornell University or any of its colleges or departments. Preparation sits within the Avandy Trinity Advisory Model: a Strategic Admissions Consultant, a PhD-level Academic Mentor and a Subject-specific Tutor, working to the actual requirements of each course. Support here is limited to understanding the requirements and planning the applicant's own work; Avandy does not write or edit essays, does not submit any materials and has no partnership with Cornell University. No outcome is promised.
Questions
Questions applicants ask
Which Cornell college is Human Development in?
Cornell Admissions lists it under Human Ecology.
How do students enter the major?
The department says most apply during the regular admissions process for Human Ecology.
How many credits?
A total of 40 credits in human development, including prerequisites.
Do I need the SAT or ACT?
Cornell says first-year applicants are required to submit SAT or ACT scores.
Does Cornell name A levels or the IB on these pages?
No. The pages read do not mention them by name.
Are these the rules for 2028 entry?
No. They are Cornell's wording with no entry-year label. Check Cornell's pages again when Cornell publishes its 2028-entry requirements.
Students and families
Talk to us about Cornell Human Development
Tell us about the student's curriculum, their psychology and social-science subjects, their interest in research and community work and their SAT or ACT plan, the universities on the list, and the intended year of entry. A senior adviser will review the academic profile before recommending how to prepare.