The Bachelor's Degree in Family and Child Development emphasizes basic processes in child development, exploring the cognitive, social, and emotional development of children from birth to adolescence, and prepares the graduate for working with children in a variety of educational settings. In addition, the program focuses on the family as a unit, how family members communicate and interact, the external influences upon the family, and conditions that influence human growth and the development of the individual within the context of the family. 

Degree Program Objectives

In addition to the institutional and general education level learning objectives, the Bachelor of Arts in  Family and Child Development also seeks the following specific learning outcomes of its graduates.  With reference to each of the respective areas of family and child development, graduates in this degree program will be able to:

• Incorporate childhood theories and development into family, parenting, lifespan, and societal constructs.
• Integrate the theoretical and applied aspects of family and child development within a variety of social issues; identify the relationships that exist among the family and other social institutions, and recognize and discuss how social, cultural, and economic forces influence family definitions and composition.
• Identify and analyze practices that influence a child’s ability to develop into a physically, emotionally, and psychologically mature adult.
• Identify the major growth and developmental issues associated with the early life stages.
• Explore the biological, social/cultural, cognitive, and emotional development of the child.  xxx
• Identify the contributions of major theorists to the study of family and child development.
• Examine trends in family formation and dissolution within the context of social change and changing definitions of “family.”
• Communicate the developmental complexities of family life in a variety of social settings.
• Evaluate and think critically about how scientific research methods can be applied to study the family.
• Discuss how cultural, racial, ethnic, class, legal, policy, and gender differences influence marital and family life.

* A note for students who wish to be child care providers.  Students who wish to pursue a career working with children are advised that each state has different licensing requirements for child care providers.  It is strongly suggested that students check with the state or jurisdiction in which they will be working to be sure that University System courses will fulfill the requirements for their specific locale and desired license.

Degree Program Requirements

RQ295 / COL 100 Foundations of Online Learning (fomerly Academic and Career Planning) (3 semester hours) - Required as the first course in all undergraduate programs.

General Education Requirements (34 semester hours)
English Composition - 6 semester hours
EN101 / ENG 101 - Proficiency in Writing (Required)
EN102 / ENG 102 - Effectiveness in Writing or
EN202 / ENG 200 - English Composition and Literature

Social Sciences - 6 semester hours
SS101 / ECO 101 - Microeconomics
SS102 / ECO 102 - Macroeconomics
SS111 / GEO 101 - Introduction to Geography
SS133 / SOC 111 - Introduction to Sociology
SS134 / PSY 101 - Introduction to Psychology 
SS190 / ANT 100 - Introduction to Anthropology
SS210 / CFD 220 - Human Sexuality  
SO220 / SOC 220 - American Popular Culture

Science - 4 semester hours including required 1 hour labs
SC100 / SCI 100 - Introduction to Biology
SC198 / SCI 100 L - Introduction to Biology Lab
SC101 / SCI 110 - Introduction to Chemistry
SC199 / SCI 110 L - Introduction to Chemistry Lab   
SC102 / SCI 102 - Introduction to Human Anatomy & Physiology 
SC122 / SCI 102 L - Introduction to Human Anatomy & Physiology Lab
SC103 / SCI 103 - Introduction to Physics 
SC123 / SCI 103 L - Introduction to Physics Lab
SC104 / SCI 104 - Introduction to Astronomy
SC124 / SCI 104 L - Introduction to Astronomy Lab
SC106 / SCI 106 - Introduction to Oceanography 
SC126 / SCI 106 L - Introduction to Oceanography Lab
SC107 / SCI 107 - Introduction to Meteorology
SC127 / SCI 107 L - Introduction to Meteorology Lab

Mathematics - 3 semester hours
MA110 / MA112 / MAT 110 - Introduction to College Algebra and Trigonometry / College Algebra, or
MA111 / MA113 / MAT 111 College Algebra and Trigonometry / College Trigonometry, or
MA125 / MAT 125 - Math for Liberal Arts Majors, or
MA225 / MAT 225 - Calculus

History - 6 semester hours
HS101 / HIS101 - American History to 1877
HS102 / HIS 102 - American History since 1877
HS111 / HIS 111 - World Civilization I
HS112 / HIS 112 - World Civilization II
HS121 / HIS 121 - Western Civilization Before The Thirty Years War
HS122 / HIS 122 - Western Civilization Since Thirty Years War
HS215 / HIS 223 - History of the American Indian
HS217 / HIS 221 - African-American History before 1877
HS218 / HIS 222 - African-American History since 1877

Humanities - 3 semester hours
HM101 / SPA 100 - Spanish I 
HM102 / SPA 101 - Spanish II (Prerequisite: HM101) - or other foreign language
HM200 / MUS 200 - Music Appreciation
HM230 / REL 201 - Introduction to World Religions  
HM240 / ART 200 - Art Appreciation  
HM277 / PHI 200 - Introduction to Ethics
PH101 / PHI 101 - Introduction to Philosophy

Literature - 3 semester hours
HM201 / LIT 220 - American Literature before the Civil War
HM202 / LIT 221 - American Literature from Civil War to Present
HM221 / LIT 210 - English Literature: Beowulf to 18th Century
HM222 / LIT 211 - English Literature: 18th Century to Present
HM211 / LIT 201 - World Lit through the Renaissance
HM212 / LIT 202 - World Lit since the Renaissance

Political Science - 3 semester hours
SS121 / POL 210 - American Government I
SS131 / INR 210 - International Relations
 

Core Courses (27 semester hours)
PY307 / PY313 / CFD 307 - Child Psychology / Child and Adolescent Development
PY377 / CFD 308 - Infant-Toddler Development
PY393 / CFD 310 - Early Childhood Development
PY384 / CFD 331 - Parenting
PY340 / CFD 340 - Family Development
PY373 / CFD 348 - Marriage and the Family
SO210 / CFD 220 - Introduction to the American Family
SO330 / SOC 330 - Research Methods and Statistics
SS251 / CFD 215 - Introduction to Child Development

Major Courses (24 semester hours)
A student enrolled in Family and child development must take eight (8) courses from the following two lists:

Child Development - Students must take four (4) courses from the following:
PY100 / CFD 210 -  Childhood Educational Development
PY101 / CFD 212 - Infant and Toddler Programs
PY396 / CDF 311 - Guidance in Early Childhood
PY305 / PY309 / CFD 312 - The Exceptional Child / Special Needs Students
PY383 / CFD 313 - Middle Childhood Development
PY341 / CFD 410 - Advanced Child Development
PY397 / CFD 415 - Children and Stress

Family Development – Students must take four (4) courses from the following:
SS210 / CFD 212 - Human Sexuality
PY342 / CFD 342 - Human Life Span Development
SO350 / CFD 350 - Family Life Education
SO360 / CFD 360 - Family Resource Management
PY470 / CFD 420 - Intergenerational Trauma and Family Dynamics
PY345 / CFD 445  - Family Communications
PY346 / SO346 / CFD 446 - Family Law and Policy / Families and Social Action

Capstone Course (3 semester hours)
SO495 / CFD 498 - Senior Seminar in Child and Family development
Prerequisite: Senior Standing and completion of all core and major courses prior to enrollment.

Electives (30 semester hours)
Select any courses that have not been used to fulfill core or major requirements. Credits applied toward a minor or certificate in an unrelated field may be used to fulfill elective credit for the major.

Total = 121 semester hours