The Human Development and Family Studies concentration is a general concentration that is available to HDFS majors who do not choose one of the more specific concentrations. This general concentration is an excellent choice for students who are interested in a lifespan or more general focus in HDFS and are not seeking the specialized training offered in the other four concentrations. Students choosing this concentration will be preparing to enter a variety of different careers or graduate programs, as outlined above. The curriculum includes primarily HDFS, psychology, and social work courses as well as selected courses from other disciplines for a well-rounded and robust education in human development and family studies. By selecting this concentration, students have an opportunity to participate in a variety of experiential learning courses and internship options as they explore and prepare for their career path and additional credentialing options. Please note that the HDFS general concentration does not appear on students' transcripts.

Application: Freshman/first year students can apply using the Common App OR the CSU Application. Official High School transcripts: Unofficial transcripts can be sent while high school or secondary school work is in progress. Faxed transcripts are not accepted. All decisions are provisional until a final, official transcript verifying graduation is received. Only transcripts sent directly from the school or stamped and sealed are considered official. If a record is not in English, a certified literal English translation must accompany the transcript. Personal Statement: A personal statement is required from all freshman/first year applicants. It’s your opportunity to help us understand what makes you unique. Refer to these writing prompts and instructions whether you’re applying through the Common App or the CSU Application. Short written responses to the Academic Explanation and Academic Gap prompts are optional and allow you to provide more context for us to understand your academic background. Recommendation: We require one counselor OR teacher recommendation. Additional recommendations are optional. If you’re not currently in school, we’ll accept recommendations from others outside of your family (e.g., supervisor, commanding officer) who can speak to your strengths. Using the CSU application? You’ll be prompted to list the name and email address of your recommender(s). We’ll email them an invitation and link to a secure site to submit your recommendation(s). Using the Common App? To maximize your flexibility, the counselor/teacher prompts are not flagged as required, and you can choose to list the counselor and/or teacher(s) who will recommend you. Common App will email them an invitation and instructions to submit either the Counselor Recommendation or the Teacher Evaluation through Common App. English Proficiency: Within your application, you’ll be prompted to indicate whether you are seeking direct or “clear” admission (English proficiency required) or conditional admission (no English proficiency required). If you wish to be considered for direct or clear admission, we’ll ask how you intend to demonstrate English proficiency. If you plan to submit TOEFL, IELTS or PTE scores, we prefer results sent directly from the testing service. Alternatives to these tests are considered on a case-by-case basis. Applicants who do not present (sufficient) evidence of English proficiency can be considered for conditional admission and, if admitted, will be referred to our INTO CSU Academic English program. Freshman applicants to Business, Engineering, Computer Science and Biomedical Sciences must submit official SAT or ACT scores to be considered for direct admission to one of these more competitive majors. Without ACT or SAT, admissible applicants will be considered for an alternative major or an undeclared advising track.