College Life

Private Schools That Are Well Known for This Major

• Cornell University
• University of Wisconsin—Madison
• East Carolina University
• Stanford University

State Schools That Are Well Known for This Major

• Kansas State University
• Ohio State University
• Delaware State University
• California State University—Chico

Classes in the Major

Socio-Psychological Aspects of Dress. Many human ecology programs require a fashion class, but don't blow your allowance on those Manolos just yet. This is a different kind of fashion class. Instead of studying fabric drapes and pattern drafting, you'll be studying how a person's clothing can show their social role, social status, aesthetic sense, and their relationships with other social institutions.

Nutrition 101. Also known as ''What to Eat and When to Eat It (And Why),'' Nutrition 101 is a science class that focuses on humans' relationship with food. Like yeah, we love it, but it's not always an easy-breezy kind of love. We eat junk food, skip meals, adopt special diets, and develop allergies, diseases, and disorders. Nutrition 101 will give you the basics about what our bodies need to function and why. This is a science class, so you'll be getting into the nitty-gritty of human dietary needs. There will be chemistry, the scientific method, and some very interesting discussions about exactly why oatmeal is a better breakfast than Pop Rocks. It's a big ol' scientific party.

Children in Families. If you're going to figure out how humans work, you need to figure out how they think. Or don't think, in some cases. Human ecology has you starting at the very beginning of a person's psychological life—which is a very good place to start—with child development. The basic idea, when studying child development, is that the way a child is raised will impact its development into adulthood. You'll learn about how kids develop psychologically, socially, and cognitively as they go through major life phases, from prenatal all the way through those awkward teenage years. And just to warn you, part of this class might involve interacting with real live children. Better learn cat's cradle or something.

Food. This class will be similar to the nutrition class you'll take, but rather than learning about what's healthy, you'll learn how to prepare all that healthy food so that it stays healthy. Turns out that you can't make syrup healthy by pouring it over spinach. Who knew? A human ecology major, with its emphasis on good clean eating and keeping people happy, is a great way to get into the restaurant business. Want to be a chef? A manager? A waiter? The practical kitchen skills you'll learn in your food class will range from food preparation to product ordering to menu planning.

Consumer Resource Management. Companies are made and broken by whether or not people are buying their stuff. In order to keep their consumer base hale and hearty, companies will hire consumer resource managers to…well, to put it bluntly, keep the consumers happy so the company stays in the black. This class will prepare you for a glorious future in consumer resource management by teaching you how to make decisions and manage stress—specifically in a work-related or managerial context, but also in real life. Soon, you'll be getting your homework done on time and going to bed at a reasonable hour.