Human Development Program
HDP 191 – Field Research in Human Development
Course Overview
HDP 191 is a 6 unit course required for the completion of the HDP major. This course requires that HDP students select an off-campus site where they will then go to conduct 40 hours of observational research over the 10 week quarter. The Human Development Program offers a wide variety of field research sites carefully selected in order to represent the multitude of interests held by our majors. Site opportunities that are offered give the HDP students the chance to gain experience working in educational, clinical, and public health settings, as well as the opportunity to work with people of a variety of age groups ranging from infants to senior citizens.
HDP 191 Prerequisites
- Declared Human Development major.
- Completion of HDP 181 prior to enrollment is strongly recommended.
- Completion of a significant portion of upper-division coursework.
- Completion of the HDP 191 Pre-Enrollment Questionnaire one year prior to enrollment.
- Application period occurs in May.
Note: Non-completion of any of the prerequisites does not preclude qualification for submitting the HDP 191 application; in this case, students must apply for enrollment for a quarter in which they will have completed all of the pre-requisites. For additional information, see our frequently asked questions regarding HDP 191.
Application Process
- Review the current academic year's field research site opportunities & select the five (5) most interesting and relevant sites for placement.
- Please note that an explanation of the reasoning behind site preferences will be required by the application.
- Over the course of the 10 week quarter, students will complete a minimum of 40 hours of research at their assigned site.
- It is important for students to realize what a great opportunity this temporary internship can be. Researching at a site is a great way to gain experience in a field of interest, establish contacts, network, earn a great letter of recommendation from their site mentor, build their resume or possibly parlay their work into a regular internship or even a job.
- Students are strongly encouraged to choose their sites carefully in order to make the most of this opportunity.
- Complete the HDP 191 Pre-Enrollment Questionnaire during the designated application period.
- The application period for HDP 191 typically begins May 1 with a deadline to submit by May 11. Dates are subject to change.
- This application reserves enrollment in HDP 191 for the fall, winter and spring quarters of the following academic year.
- Attend mandatory HDP 191 orientation.
- Quarter and site placements will be given at this orientation.
- The orientation typically lasts 30 minutes and goes over what to expect.
Field Research Site Opportunities
Clinical & Health Programs
Crimson Center for Speech & Language
Rady Children's Hospital - Feeding Team
Rady Children's Hospital - North County Center
Rady Children's Hospital - Occupational & Physical Therapy
Rady Children's Hospital - Speech Therapy
Education Programs
Barrio Logan College Institute
Del Mar Heights Elementary School
Early Childhood Education Center
Hanna Fenichel Center of Child Development
Mission Bay Montessori Academy
Pacific Beach Middle School AVID
Rady Children's Hospital - Child Care Center
Reality Changers: Agentes de Cambio
Reuben H. Fleet Science Center
University City High School AVID
Senior Programs
Senior Community Centers - Broadway Day Center
Senior Community Centers - Potiker Senior Family Residence
Social Programs
Barrio Logan College Institute
Reality Changers: Agentes de Cambio
Reuben H. Fleet Science Center
Summer 2009 Field Research Site Opportunities
Clinical & Health Programs
Crimson Center for Speech & Language
Rady Children's Hospital - North County Center
Rady Children's Hospital - Occupational & Physical Therapy
Education Programs
Early Childhood Education Center
Hanna Fenichel Center of Child Development
Rady Children's Hospital - Child Care Center
Reuben H. Fleet Science Center
Senior Programs
Senior Community Centers - Broadway Day Center
Senior Community Centers - Potiker Senior Family Residence
Social Programs
Reuben H. Fleet Science Center
HDP 191 Pre-Enrollment Questionnaire
- Students will have the opportunity to request 5 sites for placement.
- The Human Development Program reserves the right to place students at any site based on priority level, date/time when the application was received, and classroom dynamics.
- Students should provide their current address and UCSD e-mail address on the Pre-Enrollment Questionnaire.
- The Human Development Program will send an email confirming receipt of the Pre-Enrollment Questionnaire. If e-mail confirmation is not received after 24 hours of submission please contact the HDP Office at (858) 534-9919 or by e-mail at hdp191@ucsd.edu.
- The questionnaire will only be active for the time period indicated, typically May 1-15. Students must submit the questionnaire by May 15 at 11:59 p.m.
Placement Information
Priority for Quarterly Placements
HDP 191 requires students to conduct 40 hours of research during the 10 week quarter (approximately 4 hours/ week) at their research site, so students should plan their quarterly schedule accordingly.
- Priority enrollment will be given to seniors on a first come first served basis.
- Secondary priority will be given to juniors on a first come first served basis.
- All other students will be enrolled only when space permits.
Priority for Site Placement
- Every effort will be made to give the first choice of quarter and site to students, however first choice cannot be guaranteed. Therefore, it is strongly recommended students submit the Pre-Enrollment Questionnaire as soon as the enrollment period begins on May 1, 2008 at 8:00 am.
- Confirmation of fall, winter or spring quarter site placement or waiting-list status will be given at the mandatory orientation meeting that will occur in late May 2008. If you do not receive a letter or email invitation by June 1st, it is your responsibility to contact the HDP office immediately.
- It is the student's responsibility to contact the site mentor and set up a 15 - 30 minute orientation meeting the quarter before they are enrolled for the HDP 191 class. Site visits should start the FIRST WEEK of assigned quarter (site orientation meeting does not count as a "site visit"). For further information please contact the Field Research Coordinator at (858) 534-9919 or email hdp191@ucsd.edu.
Orientation
Students are required to attend one mandatory orientation session to secure their placement in HDP 191 for the following academic year. At orientation, students will receive their quarterly placement as well as their site placement.
Late Enrollment
Students who have missed the application period must contact the Field Research Coordinator as early as possible to waitlist for HDP 191. Students will be enrolled in the course and placed at sites as space permits.
Important Considerations
- HDP 191 is a time intensive course.
- Four hours of off-campus observational field research in addition to three hours of lecture per week.
- Assignments are due throughout the quarter.
- Students are encouraged to enroll in only three courses (including HDP 191) during their quarter of placement.
- HDP 191 is a great opportunity.
- Internship in a field of interest.
- Great way to establish contacts and network.
- Potential to earn a great letter of recommendation from an industry professional.
- Experience to put on resume.
- Valuable research for the site is conducted.
Contact Information
Field Research Coordinator: Christina Knerr cknerr@ucsd.edu
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