Career Pathways & Academic Connections
The Developmental & Youth Studies major provides foundational preparation for a wide range of careers and graduate programs.
Declare the Developmental & Youth Studies major to pursue:
Clinical Careers
- Applied Behavior Analysis
- Child psychology or mental health counseling
- Child life specialist
- Developmental therapist
- Early intervention specialist
- Health education
- School counseling
- School psychology
- Social work
Policy, Advocacy, & Community-Based Careers
- Arts education
- Child advocate
- Community engagement management
- Data & policy analysis and research
- Equity specialist work or consulting
- Health education
- Law, legislative affairs, or community development
- Library science
- Museum work – children’s museums, art museums, science museums
- Nonprofit management
- User Experience (UX) design
- Youth recreation and after-school programming
PK-12 & Higher Education Careers
- Childcare & childcare center management
- College professor & academic research
- Early childhood education
- Educational technology specialist
- Equity specialist work or consulting
- Family support or outreach specialist
- Higher education: academic advising, student life and engagement, multicultural affairs, financial aid
- K-12 teaching (requires certification)
- K-12 student services
Many minors are a great addition to the Developmental & Youth Studies major, including:
Career Preparation & Resources
UW Bothell provides students with many ways to explore co-curricular opportunities and develop and deepen professional skills. Be sure to connect with your academic advisor to learn more.
Career Services
Career Services engages with the UW Bothell community to empower Huskies to explore career interests, build skills, and connect with the employment community and experiential learning opportunities.
- Developmental & Youth Studies Career Map
- Schedule an appointment with a Career Coach
- Career exploration
- Networking
- Career Resources – resumes, interview, cover letters
Applied Experience & Community-Engaged Learning & Research
Developmental & Youth Studies majors are expected to participate in experiential learning experiences in community-based settings to put theory into practice, gain valuable professional experience, and explore possible career opportunities. To accomplish this, the Developmental & Youth Studies major requires the completion of B EDUC 495 Applied Experience.
Internships
An internship is a form of experiential learning that integrates academic learning and professional experience. Through an internship, students can explore career interests, develop professional skills, and network with potential employers.
Study Abroad
Undergraduate Research
Conducting research under the mentorship of a faculty member or having hands-on experience in creative projects deepens learning, boosts students’ chances for employment, and prepares students for acceptance into a professional or graduate program.