Child and Family Development, BA
Bachelor of Arts in Child and Family Development (H40108BAT)
Our Bachelor of Arts in Child & Family Development program prepares students for a variety of careers in fields such as parent and family education, child welfare, early childhood education, case-management, home-based intervention, child life, child/family advocacy, and much more! The curriculum blends theoretical foundations with application to real-world settings and students choose coursework that fits their interests. Every student also completes a minor or certificate and an internship that aligns with individual career goals, which makes our graduates more competitive in the job market.
Requirements for Admission
A Grade of C or better in the following courses:
The following information has official approval of The School of Social Work and Family Sciences and The College of Health and Human Sciences, but is intended only as a supplemental guide. Official degree requirements are established at the time of transfer and admission to the degree-granting college. Students should refer to the Degree Progress Report (Stellic) which is definitive for graduation requirements. Completion of this degree within the identified time frame below is contingent upon many factors, including but not limited to: class availability, total number of required credits, work schedule, finances, family, course drops/withdrawals, successfully passing courses, prerequisites, among others. The transfer process is completed through an appointment with your academic advisor.
Requirements
Summary
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements | 36 | |
| Core Courses | 7 | |
| Human Development | 9 | |
| Diversity Issues | 6 | |
| Health and Nutrition | 2-3 | |
| Family Resource & Financial Management | 3 | |
| Family Dynamics | 6 | |
| Applications in Child and Family Development | 12 | |
| Child & Family Development Seminar | 3 | |
| Internship Experience | 3 | |
| Minor/Certificate Requirement * | 12 | |
| Child & Family Development Electives ** | 21-20 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
- *
Variable credits total
- **
Elective credit can vary based on crdits needed for minor/certificate program. A minimum of 120 credits is required for degree completion.
General Education Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Students pursuing a bachelor’s degree must complete the following General Education coursework. Diversity courses may also fulfill major or Breadth of Knowledge requirements. Integrated and Applied Learning courses may also fulfill requirements in the major. | ||
| Academic Foundations | 12 | |
Mathematics, Statistics and Logic: 3 credit hours | ||
Speaking: 3 credit hours | ||
Writing: 6 credit hours | ||
| Breadth of Knowledge | 22 | |
Arts/Humanities: 9 credit hours | ||
Natural Sciences: 7 credit hours | ||
Social Sciences: 6 credit hours | ||
| Diversity | ||
Domestic Diversity | ||
Global Diversity | ||
| Integrated and Applied Learning | 2 | |
Select one class from one of the following subcategories: | ||
Complex Issues Facing Society | ||
Capstone | ||
Review the General Education Requirements page for detailed course listings. | ||
| Total Hours | 36 | |
Core Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CHFD 147 | Orientation to Child & Family Development | 1 |
| CHFD 201 | Intimate Relationships | 3 |
| CHFD 265 | Child Development | 3 |
| Total Hours | 7 | |
Human Development
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Choose 9 credits: | 9 | |
| CHFD 365 | Infant Development | |
| CHFD 380 | Play and Human Development | |
| CHFD 404 | Middle Childhood and Adolescence | |
| CHFD 442 | Human Sexuality | |
| PSYC 230 | Developmental Psychology | |
| PSYC 475 | Psychology of Adulthood & Aging | |
| Total Hours | 9 | |
Diversity Issues
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Choose 6 credits: | 6 | |
| CHFD 401 | American Families in Poverty 1 | |
| CHFD 446 | Culture, Ethnicity & Family | |
| SOWK 270 | Diversity and Social Work 2 | |
| PSYC 250 | Psychology of Diversity 2 | |
| Total Hours | 6 | |
- 1
Meets Complex System Requirement
- 2
Meets Domestic Diversity Requirement
Health and Nutrition
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete 1 course: | 2-3 | |
| NUTR 132 | Early Childhood Nutrition | |
| SOWK 349 | Integrated Human Behavior and Health | |
| HEDU 101 | Personal Health | |
| Total Hours | 2-3 | |
Family Resource & Financial Management
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Choose 3 credits: | 3 | |
| CHFD 362 | Family Resource Management | |
| CHFD 406 | Family Financial Management | |
| Total Hours | 3 | |
Family Dynamics
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Choose 6 credits: | 6 | |
| CHFD 360 | Parent-Child Relations | |
| CHFD 440 | Family Crisis | |
| CHFD 441 | Family Relationships in Middle and Later Years | |
| Total Hours | 6 | |
Applications in Child and Family Development
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete 12 credits: | 12 | |
| CHFD 300 | Legal Environment of Families | |
| CHFD 496 | Parent Education | |
| CHFD 461 | Case Management for Children & Families I | |
| CHFD 462 | Case Management for Children & Families II | |
| CHFD 403 | Home-Based Intervention Theory | |
| CHFD 464 | Home-Based Intervention Techniques & Practice | |
| SOWK 345 | Death and Dying for Health Care Professionals | |
| PSYC 430 | Psychological Disorders of Children | |
Early Childhood Programs | ||
| CHFD 245 | Infant/Toddler Care and Education Programs | |
| CHFD 250 | Observing & Recording Children's Behavior | |
| CHFD 385 | Early Childhood Curriculum Methods | |
| CHFD 460 | Organization & Supervision of Child Care Centers | |
| CHFD 448 | Programs for School-Aged | |
Research Methods | ||
| SOWK 442 | Social Work Research | |
| PSYC 110 | Quantitative Methods in Psychology | |
| SOCIO 301 | Social Research Design | |
| Total Hours | 12 | |
Child & Family Development Seminar
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CHFD 485 | Seminar in Child and Family Development (topics vary) | 3 |
| Total Hours | 3 | |
Internship Experience
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CHFD 494 | Internship: Child and Family Development | 3 |
| Total Hours | 3 | |
Minor/Certificate Requirement
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Minor, Certificate, or Specialized Area of Coursework (variable credits total): | 12+ | |
Child & Family Development Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CFD Electives (variable credits total): | 20+ | |
Recommended Sequence
| 1st Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Hours | |
| ENGL 111 | English Composition I | 3 |
| Mathematics, Statistics and Logic Requirement 1 | 3-4 | |
| Social Science Requirement 2 | 3 | |
| CHFD 201 | Intimate Relationships 3 | 3 |
| CHFD 265 | Child Development 3 | 3 |
| Hours | 15-16 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| ENGL 112 | English Composition II | 3 |
| COMM 105 or COMM 106 | Introduction to Public Speaking or Effective Oral Communication | 3 |
| Social Science Requirement 4 | 3 | |
| Natural Science Requirement with Lab 5 | 4 | |
| CFD: Human Development Course | 3-4 | |
| Hours | 16-17 | |
| 2nd Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| Natural Science Requirement | 3 | |
| Arts Requirement | 3 | |
| Humanities Requirement | 3 | |
| CHFD 147 | Orientation to Child & Family Development | 1 |
| CFD: Human Development Course | 3-4 | |
| CFD: Health and Nutrition Course | 2-3 | |
| Hours | 15-17 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| Arts or Humanities Requirement | 3 | |
| Domestic Diversity or Global Diversity Requirement 4 | 3 | |
| CFD: Family Resource and Financial Management Cours | 3 | |
| CFD: Family Dynamics Course | 3 | |
| CFD: Elective, Minor, Certificate, or Approved Coursework course | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| 3rd Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| CFD: Human Development course | 4-3 | |
| CFD: Family Dynamics course | 3 | |
| CFD: Diversity Issues course | 4-3 | |
| CFD: Applications in Child and Family Development course | 4-3 | |
| CFD: Elective, Minor, Certificate, or Approved Coursework course | 3 | |
| Hours | 18-15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| CFD: Family Dynamics course | 3 | |
| CFD: Diversity Issues course | 3-4 | |
| CFD: Applications in Child and Family Development course | 4-3 | |
| CHFD 485 | Seminar in Child and Family Development | 3 |
| CFD: Elective, Minor, Certificate, or Approved Coursework course | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| 4th Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| CFD: Applications in Child and Family Development course | 4-3 | |
| Elective, Minor, Certificate, or Approved coursework requirement | 3 | |
| Elective, Minor, Certificate, or Approved coursework requirement | 3 | |
| Elective, Minor, Certificate, or Approved coursework requirement | 3 | |
| Elective, Minor, Certificate, or Approved coursework requirement | 3 | |
| Hours | 16-15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| CHFD 494 | Internship: Child and Family Development 6 | 3 |
| Elective, Minor, Certificate, or Approved coursework requirement | 3 | |
| Elective, Minor, Certificate, or Approved coursework requirement | 3 | |
| Elective, Minor, Certificate, or Approved coursework requirement | 3 | |
| Elective, Minor, Certificate, or Approved coursework requirement | 2 | |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Total Hours | 125 | |
- 1
Recommended: STAT 250 Statistics for Everyday Life or STAT 260 Basic Statistics to meet the General Education Mathematics, Statistics and Logic requirement.
- 2
Recommended:PSYC 100 Introduction to Psychology
- 3
A grade of C or better is required in order to be accepted into the Child and Family Development program.
- 4
Recommended: Domestic Diversity SOCIO 100 Introduction to Sociology; or Global Diversity ANTH 251 Human Diversity
- 5
Recommended: ANTH 105 Human Evolution
- 6
A grade of C or better must be earned in the Internship