The requirements listed below pertain to all students matriculating in August 2025 and January 2026.
All sections below must be completed to graduate.
Overall Required Credits (120 credits)
- Total: 120 credits
- Human Ecology: 45 credits (courses from DEA, FSAD, HD, NS, PUBPOL at any level or HE at the 3000/4000 level)
- Human Ecology, outside the major: 11 credits (from DEA, HD, NS, PUBPOL at any level or HE above 1500 level).
1. HBHS Introductory Course (3 credits)
- NS 1400 Introduction to Human Biology, Health and Society
2. HBHS Survey Course (3 credits)
Choose one of the following
- NS 1150 Nutrition, Health, and Society
- NS 1220 Nutrition and the Life Cycle
3. Social Science Perspective on Health Selectives (6+ credits)
Courses should cover some aspect of health (including nutrition) from a social science perspective. More than half of the course content must be devoted to consideration of health/life course/disease issues from a social science (e.g. sociology, anthropology, psychology, economics, communications and other social science disciplines). Courses with a focus on public policy related to health or education/counseling related to health are included in this category.
Courses used to fulfill this requirement must be at the 2000-level or above. See the Requirements for HBHS majors for regular updates to course options and information; new options are available to all class years.
- NS 2450 Social Science Perspectives on Food and Nutrition
- NS 4250 Nutrition Communications and Counseling
- NS 4450 / 6455, AEM 4450 / 6455 Toward a Sustainable Global Food System: Food Policy for Developing Countries
- NS 4480 / 6480 Economics of Food and Malnutrition
- NS 4500 Public Health Nutrition
- NS 4510 Nutrition and Health Equity
- NS 4570 / ECON 3910 Health, Poverty, and Inequality: A Global Perspective
- COMM 2850 Communication, Environment, Science, and Health
- COMM 4760 Population Health Communication
- GDEV/ LSP 2200 Sociology of Health and Ethnic Minorities
- GDEV 3020 Political Ecologies of Health
- GDEV 3111 / BSOC 3111 / SOC 3130 / STS 3111 Sociology of Medicine
- HD 2170 Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood
- HD 2180 Human Development: Adulthood and Aging
- HD 2300 Cognitive Development
- HD 2510 Social Gerontology: Aging and the Life Course
- HD 2600 / PSYCH 2750 Introduction to Personality
- HD 3290 Self-Regulation Across the Life Span
- HD 3300 Developmental Psychopathology
- HD 3325 Theory and Practice of Contemporary Clinical Psychology
- HD 3490 The Science of Well Being
- HD 3620 Human Bonding
- HD 3700 / PSYCH 3250 Adult Psychopathology
- PUBPOL 2350 The U.S. Health Care System (PUBPOL formerly PAM)
- PUBPOL 3110 Pharmaceutical Management and Policy (PUBPOL formerly PAM)
- PUBPOL 3280 Fundamentals of Population Health (PUBPOL formerly PAM)
- PUBPOL 3780 Sick Around the World? Comparing Health Care Systems Around the World (PUBPOL formerly PAM)
- PUBPOL 3870 / 5870 Economic Evaluations in Health Care (PUBPOL formerly PAM)
- PUBPOL 4280 / ECON 3710 Economics of Risky Health Behaviors (PUBPOL formerly PAM)
4. Natural Science Perspective on Health Selectives (6+ credits)
Courses should cover some aspect of health (including nutrition) from a life science perspective. More than half of the course content must be devoted to consideration of health/life course/disease issues from a life science/biological perspective (e.g. biochemistry, molecular biology, physiology, neuroscience, evolution, animal science, food science, plant sciences and other natural science disciplines).
Courses used to fulfill this requirement must be at the 2000 level or above.
Coursework taken for HBHS Selectives may not also count for Biology Electives. See the Requirements for HBHS majors for regular updates to course options and information; new options are available to all class years.
- NS 3060 Nutrition and Global Health
- NS 3150 Obesity and Regulation of Body Weight
- NS 3310 Nutrient Metabolism
- NS 3320 Methods in Nutritional Sciences
- NS 3450 Introduction to Physiochemical and Biological Aspects of Food
- NS 4140 Maternal and Child Nutrition and Health
- NS 4200 Diet and the Microbiome
- NS 4300 Proteins, Transcripts, and Metabolism: Big Data in Molecular Nutrition
- NS 4330 Nutrition and the Brain
- NS 4410 Nutrition and Disease
- NS 4420 Implementation of Nutrition Care
- NS 4430 Applied Anatomy and Physiology
- NS 6310 Micronutrients: Function, Homeostasis and Assessment
- NS 6320 Regulation of Macronutrient Metabolism
- BIOMG 4390 Molecular Basis of Disease
- BIOMI 2500 Public Health Microbiology
- BIOMI 2600 Microbiology of Human Contagious Diseases
- BIOMI 2950 Biology of Infectious Disease: From Molecules to Ecosystems
- BIOMI 3210 Human Microbes and Health
- BIONB 3215 / FGSS 3210 / LGBT 3210 Gender and the Brain
- BIONB 3920 Drugs and the Brain
- BIOMI 4040 Pathogenic Bacteriology
- BIONB 4560 Neural Control of Food Intake and Energy Metabolism
- BIONB 4750 Sleep – Evolution and Neural Basis
- ENTOM 4000 Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases
- ENTOM 4520 Biology of Disease Vectors
- FDSC 4220 Foods, Dietary Supplements, Health
HD 2200 The Human Brain and Mind: An Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience - HD 3210 Development Cognitive Neuroscience
- HD 3660 Affective and Social Neuroscience
- MSE 4610 Biomedical Materials and Their Applications
- PLSCI 2100 Medical Ethnobotany
5. Nutritional Science Perspective on Health Selectives (3-4 credits)
Courses should cover some aspect of health (including nutrition) from a nutritional science perspective. More than half of the course content must be devoted to consideration of health/life course/disease issues from a nutritional science perspective.
Courses used to fulfill this requirement must be at the 2000 level or above.
Coursework taken for HBHS Selectives may not also count for Biology Electives. See the Requirements for HBHS majors for regular updates to course options and information; new options are available to all class years.
- NS 3060 Nutrition and Global Health
- NS 3150 Obesity and Regulation of Body Weight
- NS 4140 Maternal and Child Nutrition and Health
- NS 4200 Diet and the Microbiome
- NS 4210 Precision Nutrition and Health
- NS 4300 Proteins, Transcripts, and Metabolism: Big Data in Molecular Nutrition
- NS 4330 Nutrition and the Brain
- NS 4410 Nutrition and Disease
- NS 4420 Implementation of Nutrition Care (enrollment restricted – priority to Dietetics students)
- NS 4450 / AEM 4450 Toward a Sustainable Global Food System: Food Policy for Developing Countries
- NS 4480 Economics of Food and Malnutrition
NS 4500 Public Health Nutrition - NS 5510 Nutrition Assessment
6. Introductory Chemistry (8 credits)
Choose one of the following options:
- CHEM 2070 General Chemistry I and CHEM 2080 General Chemistry II1
- (AP Chemistry score of 5 or IB HL Chemistry score of 6 or 7) and CHEM 2080 General Chemistry II2
- (AP Chemistry score of 5 or IB HL Chemistry score of 6 or 7) and CHEM 2150 Honors General and Inorganic Chemistry2, 3
1Recommended for nearly all students, especially those on or considering a pre-health (e.g. pre-med) track.
2Students may use an AP Chemistry score of 5 or an IB HL Chemistry score of 6 or 7 to place out of CHEM 2070. Pre-health (e.g. pre-med) students should not use AP or IB scores to fulfill chemistry requirements. Students who take CHEM 2070 forfeit AP or IB credit.
3Students should only select the third option above if they are very strong in chemistry and are not considering a pre-health (e.g. pre-med) track.
7. Introductory Biology (8 credits)
Choose one of the following labs:
- BIOG 1500 Investigative Lab
- BIOSM 1500 Investigative Marine Biology Lab
And choose two out of the three lecture options1:
- BIOMG 1350 Cell and Development
- BIOG 1440 Comparative Physiology or2 BIOG 1445 Comparative Physiology (autotutorial)
- BIOEE 1610 Ecology and the Environment or BIOEE 1780 Evolution and Diversity
1Students may use an AP Biology score of 5 or IB HL Biology score of 7 to place out of one introductory biology lecture. Pre-health (e.g. pre-med) students should not use AP scores to fulfill biology requirements.
2Students cannot take both courses within one category to fulfill this requirement.
8. Physics (4 credits)1
Choose one of the following:
- PHYS 1101 General Physics I
- PHYS 2207 Fundamentals of Physics
1Students interested in pre-health tracks should also take PHYS 1102 General Physics II or PHYS 2208 Fundamentals of Physics.
9. Organic Chemistry Lecture (3-8 credits)1
Choose one of the following:
- CHEM 1570 Elementary Organic Chemistry (not for pre-health)
- CHEM 3570 Organic Chemistry for the Life Sciences I AND CHEM 3580 Organic
Chemistry for the Life Sciences II - CHEM 3590 Honors Organic Chemistry I AND CHEM 3600 Honors Organic Chemistry II 2
1Students interested in pre-health tracks should take a two-course sequence of organic chemistry lectures (CHEM 3570-80 or CHEM 3590-3600).
2Students who select CHEM 3570-80 or CHEM 3590-3600 above must take both courses in sequence; one course alone will not fulfill requirement.
10. Organic Chemistry Lab (2-4 credits)
Choose one of the following:
- CHEM 2510 Introduction to Experimental Organic Chemistry
- CHEM 3010 Honors Experimental Chemistry
11. Physiology (3-4 credits)1
Choose one of the following:
- NS 3410 Human Anatomy and Physiology
- BIOAP 3110 Animal Physiology
1Pre-health students might also consider taking NS 3420 Human Anatomy and Physiology Lab, as a corequisite with NS 3410, which also counts toward advanced biology elective requirement. Students may also take NS 4430 Applied Anatomy and Physiology after completing NS 3410.
12. Biochemistry (4-6 credits)
Choose one of the following:
- NS 3200 Introduction to Human Biochemistry
- BIOMG 3300 Principles of Biochemistry
- BIOMG 3310 Principles of Biochemistry: Proteins and Metabolism and BIOMG 3320 Principles of Biochemistry: Molecular Biology
- BIOMG 3310 Principles of Biochemistry: Proteins and Metabolism and BIOMI 2900 General Microbiology
- BIOMG 3330 Principles of Biochemistry: Proteins, Metabolism and Molecular Biology
- BIOMG 3350 Principles of Biochemistry: Proteins, Metabolism and Molecular Biology
13. Biology Electives (6 credits)
Six additional credits selected from courses that require one year of introductory biology (or above) as a pre-requisite fulfills this category. Coursework taken for Biology Electives may not also count for Biochemistry or HBHS Selectives.
May not include Special Studies or independent research credits (e.g., NS 4000, 4010, 4020, 4030, or 4990 or non-DNS equivalent).
Suggested areas of study include genetics, microbiology, neurobiology, cell biology, physiology, biochemistry, nutrition and areas of study with impact on human health, such as ecology, environment and sustainability, agriculture and food science.
14. CHE Core Curriculum (5 credits)
Students must complete all three courses in their first three semesters:
- HE 1800 Blazing Your Trail in Human Ecology
- HE 1850 Introduction to Human Ecology
- HE 2000 Social Justice, Thriving, and the Human Experience
15. First-Year Writing Seminars (6 credits)
The two required first-year writing seminar courses must be completed during the first two semesters at Cornell.
16. Social Sciences (6 credits)
Choose one course in any two of the following four areas:
Anthropology
- ANTHR 1400 The Comparison of Cultures
Economics
- ECON 1110 Introductory Microeconomics
- ECON 1120 Introductory Macroeconomics
Psychology
- HD 1130 Introduction to Human Development
- PSYCH 1101 Introduction to Psychology
Sociology
- SOC 1101 Introduction to Sociology
17. Humanities (3-4 credits)
Choose any course with the Course Distribution Historical Analysis (HA or HST-AS), Literature and the Arts (LA or ALC-AS), or Cultural Analysis (CA).
18. Calculus/Advanced Math (3-4 credits)
Choose one of the following:
- MATH 1105 Finite Mathematics for the Life and Social Sciences (not for pre-health)
- MATH 1106 Calculus for the Life and Social Sciences
- MATH 1110 Calculus I
- MATH 1120 Calculus II
- A score of 4 or 5 on the AB or BC Calculus AP Exam1 (not for pre-health)
1Unless a student scored a 4 or 5 on both the Statistics and the BC Calculus AP Examinations, they must take either statistics or calculus at Cornell. Discuss your AP (AB/BC) credits with the Registrar if you have questions.
19. Quantitative Analysis (3-4 credits)
Choose one of the following:
- STSCI 2150 Introductory Statistics for Biology (recommended) 1
- PAM 2100 Introduction to Statistics
- AEM 2100 Introductory Statistics
- BTRY 3010 Biological Statistics I
- ILRST/STSCI 2100 Introductory Statistics
- MATH 1710 Statistical Theory and Application in the Real World
- PSYCH 2500 Statistics and Research Design
- SOC 3010 Statistics for Sociological Research
- A score of 4 or 5 on the Statistics AP Exam2
1Students planning to take NS 3600 Epidemiology must take either STSCI 2150 or BTRY 3010.
2Unless a student scored a 4 or 5 on both the Statistics and the BC Calculus AP Examinations, they must take either statistics or calculus at Cornell. Discuss your AP (AB/BC) credits with the Registrar if you have questions.
20. Electives (Variable)
Any courses that are not taken in areas 1-19 above count as electives.
21. Physical Education Requirement (2 courses)
Physical Education must be completed in order to graduate. However, physical education does not count toward college and university minimum credit requirements for full-time status, nor does it count towards the 120 credits required for graduation.
22. Swim Test Requirement
A successful swim test must be completed in order to graduate.
College Policies
TOTAL CREDITS TO GRADUATE = 120
• Students must complete 120 credits toward graduation.
• A maximum of 15 credits of AP credit and in absentia credit can count towards the 120 total credits.
• A maximum of 15 credits of Study Abroad/Exchange, Cornell-In-Washington or Capital Semester can count towards total electives.
45 HE credits:
Courses from: DEA, FSAD, HD, NS, PUBPOL at any level or HE above 1500 level
• Students must complete a minimum of 45 Human Ecology credits.
• HE non-departmental courses at the 1500-level and below do not count toward the 45 HE credits.
• Students must enroll in a minimum of one 3-credit course each semester in HE for their first four semesters, excluding winter and summer sessions.
11 credits HE credits outside the major:
Courses must be from DEA, FSAD, HD, PUBPOL at any level or HE above 1500 level.
• Students must complete a minimum of 11 HE credits outside of the Division of Nutritional Sciences (DNS). All DNS courses are listed under the course code “NS”.
• FWS, HE non-departmental courses below the 1500 level, Statistics and Research Methods courses (PUBPOL 2100, PUBPOL 3120, DEA 3550, or
HD 2830), Special Studies (4000, 4010, 4020), and teaching assistantships (4030) do not count toward this requirement.
• These can be taken S/U only if course is NOT used to fulfill a curriculum requirement [Areas 1-18 on the following pages].
HUMAN ECOLOGY CORE COURSES: Within these required 11 credits listed above, 5 credits will come from the following courses.
- HE 1800 Blazing Your Trail (1 credit)
Required in the first fall semester of matriculation to HE (first-year students only) - HE 1850 Introduction to Human (1 credit)
Required in the first spring semester of matriculation to HE Human Ecology (first-year, internal & external transfers) - HE 2000 Social Justice, Thriving, and the Human Experience (3 credits) (updated course name effective Fall 2025)
First-Year students will complete HE 2000 in their third semester.
Internal and external transfer students must complete HE 2000 in their first fall in Human Ecology.
Pass/Fail Courses (S/U)
- S/U grading option may not be used for any required course unless it is the only grade option offered for that course.
- S/U may be used for the 9 HE credits outside the major and for electives.
- Students may apply no more than 12 credits of S/U toward graduation requirements. If a required course is only offered S/U, it will not count toward this limit. Students may take more S/U courses if they choose, but the additional credit will not be applied toward graduation.
- The deadline for changing grade options is the 57th calendar day of the semester, the same as the “drop” deadline.
Special Study Courses (4000, 4010, 4020, 4030)
- A maximum of 12 credits of special study course work from Human Ecology or other colleges will count toward the 120 overall credits. Courses will be indicated on the class roster with a Component of either IND or RSC. (Additional credits can be taken but will not be applied.)
- A maximum of 12 credits of 4000-4030 may count toward the 43 HE credit requirement.
- A maximum of 3 credits of 4000-4020 (not including 4030) may count toward the 9 credits outside the major requirement as long as the special study is in a department outside the student’s major.
- Students cannot TA (4030) the same course for credit more than once or take and TA the same course simultaneously. 4030 does not fulfill any requirements toward the major. Registration for 4030 may not exceed 5 credit hours per semester.