OVERVIEW OF THE CHILD DEVELOPMENT MAJOR

About the Major - Internships - Resources

CHILD DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPAL COURSES:

  • Child and Adolescent Development
  • Program Planning for Infants and Toddlers
  • Supervised Study of Children in Laboratories & Internships
  • Family Development
  • Guiding Young Children
  • Helping Relationships
  • Learning, Development & Technology
  • Research Methods in Child Development

LEADING TO CAREERS IN:

  • Teaching and administrative positions with public or private institutions
  • Child and family service agencies
  • Head Start
  • Child research and support services
  • Teaching and research at college and university levels
  • Educational technology

About the Major
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The Child Development major is designed for students who are interested in working with children in educational settings. The major provides a background in how children learn and develop, and serves as preparation for working in infancy through middle school programs, for employment as developers of educational resources and software, and for graduate study in teaching credential programs and child development.

The Child Development major is designed to enable students to develop a program of study suited to meet their individual needs. While completing major courses in child development, students, with the assistance of an adviser, develop a personal program of study by selecting adviser-approved electives, free electives, two internships, and a senior project.

In the Child Development major, students:

  1. Learn about children, how they learn and develop physically, emotionally, socially, and intellectually, and how adults can facilitate or hinder the process.

  2. Gain experience working with children of different ages in different settings.

  3. Develop expertise in the use of educational technology through developing competencies in accessing, processing, and disseminating information through the use of computers and video technology.

  4. Develop an understanding of multicultural and anti-bias issues and how to lead children into a celebration of cultural pluralism transmitting ideals of fairness and respect.

  5. Develop skills in leadership and team and community building.

Internships

The Child Development major provides students with many opportunities for practical application. Internships are chosen by the student and faculty internship coordinator based on previous experience and possible future goals. For example, students may apprentice with teachers, counselors, administrators, and experts in technology.

Resources