Child Development and Family Studies, Bachelor of Arts
The Child Development and Family Studies Program prepares students for professional work with young children between the ages of birth to six years. Additionally, students are prepared to work with families from diverse cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Upon graduation, students will have opportunities to pursue positions as childcare practitioners in child development centers, family learning centers, as teachers in private school settings, Early Head Start and Head Start Programs as well as parent educators in learning centers.
General education requirements for this major consist of coursework in liberal arts thus establishing a broad knowledge base prior to professional coursework. The professional sequence provides knowledge, skills and dispositions in child development, curriculum, and assessment of children from birth to six years of age. Professional courses also include effective ways to communicate and work with families of young children. After completion of the major coursework, students have a semester long internship in a child care or learning center to complete the program.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Courses | ||
| I. Communication | ||
| English: | ||
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| Composition I | ||
| Composition II | ||
| Speech: | ||
| SPCH U201 | Foundations in Oral Communication | 3 |
| II. Mathematics, Logic & Natural Sciences | ||
| Mathematics: | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Probability and Statistics | ||
| College Mathematics | ||
| College Algebra | ||
| Basic Concepts of Elementary Mathematics I | ||
| Natural Science (w/ lab): | ||
| Select one of the following: | 4 | |
| Descriptive Astronomy and Descriptive Astronomy Laboratory | ||
| Introductory Biology I and Introductory Biology I Lab | ||
| General Biology and General Biology Lab | ||
| Botany and Society and Botany and Society Laboratory | ||
| Chemistry and Society and Chemistry and Society Lab | ||
| Chemistry of Living Things and Chemistry of Living Things Lab | ||
| General Chemistry and General Chemistry Lab | ||
| General Chemistry and Qualitative Analysis and General Chemistry and Qualitative Analysis Lab | ||
| Physical Geology and Physical Geology Lab | ||
| Historical Geology and Historical Geology Lab | ||
| Environmental Geology and Environmental Geology Lab | ||
| Introduction to Physical Science and Introduction to Physical Science Laboratory | ||
| Natural Science: | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Foundations of Human Physiology and Foundations of Human Physiology Laboratory | ||
| Genetics and Society | ||
| Human Biology and Society | ||
| Emerging Infectious Diseases | ||
| Environmental Science | ||
| Natural Disasters | ||
| Geology of the Southeast | ||
| Elementary Statistics | ||
| Psychological Statistics | ||
| III. Information Technology | ||
| Information Technology: | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Computer Technology | ||
| Introduction to Computer Science | ||
| Intro to Digital Studies | ||
| Survey of Information Technology | ||
| Introduction to Digital Safety | ||
| Strategies for Information Discovery | ||
| Intro to Music Technology | ||
| IV. Fine Arts, Humanities & History | ||
| Fine Arts: | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Art | ||
| History of Western Art: Prehistory - Middle Ages | ||
| History of Western Art: Renaissance - Modern | ||
| Introduction to Music | ||
| History of American Popular Music | ||
| Introduction to Theatre Art | ||
| Fundamentals in Acting | ||
| History: | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to World History I | ||
| Introduction to World History II | ||
| History of the United States to 1877 | ||
| History of the United States from 1865 | ||
| Humanities: | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| African American Culture | ||
| American Studies, 17th - 19th Century | ||
| American Studies, 20th Century | ||
| Introduction to Creative Writing | ||
| Survey of American Literature I | ||
| Introduction to Philosophy | ||
| Political Philosophy | ||
| Contemporary Moral Issues | ||
| Comparative Religion | ||
| Introduction to Southern Studies | ||
| V. Foreign Language & Culture | ||
| Foreign Language: | ||
| Select one of the following: 3 | 3 | |
| American Sign Language I | ||
| American Sign Language II | ||
| Introductory French I | ||
| Introductory French II | ||
| Introductory German I | ||
| Introductory Spanish I | ||
| VI. Social & Behavioral Sciences | ||
| Social & Behavioral Science: | ||
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| Understanding Other Cultures | ||
| Introduction to Criminal Justice | ||
| Principles of Macroeconomics | ||
| Principles of Microeconomics | ||
| American National Government | ||
| Introduction to Psychology | ||
| Introduction to Sociology | ||
| Interpersonal Communication | ||
| Leadership Development I | ||
| Introduction to Women's & Gender Studies | ||
| VII. General Ed. Electives | ||
| Select any approved general education course or courses | 3 | |
| Major Requirements 1 | ||
| EDCF U201 | Introduction to Early Care and Education | 3 |
| EDCF U346 | Introduction to Family Studies | 3 |
| EDCF U350 | Development of the Young Child I | 3 |
| EDCF U352 | Curriculum Methods and Standards I | 4 |
| EDCF U354 | Exceptional Children and Early Intervention | 3 |
| EDCF U356 | Family Interaction and Communication | 3 |
| EDCF U449 | Mental Health and Play Therapy | 3 |
| EDCF U450 | Development of the Young Child II | 3 |
| EDCF U452 | Curriculum Methods and Standards II | 4 |
| EDCF U454 | Guidance and Assessment Methods | 3 |
| EDCF U455 | Legal and Ethical Issues in Early Care and Education | 3 |
| EDCF U456 | Working with Parents in Diverse Settings | 3 |
| EDCF U458 | Internship | 12 |
| EDEC U349 | Creativity and Play | 3 |
| EDFO U210 | Foundations of Education | 3 |
| EDFO U341 | Introduction to Exceptional Learners/ Special Education | 3 |
| EDFO U333 | Educational Development of the Lifelong Learner | 3 |
| ENGL U245 | Business Writing | 3 |
| or ENGL U371 | Grant Writing | |
| Major Electives or Child Advocacy Studies 2 | 15-21 | |
| Child Development and Family Studies majors must select 15 credit hours of Option 1: Major Electives or Option 2: Child Advocacy Studies Minor (18-hour minimum) | ||
| Option 1 or Option 2 | ||
| Total Hours | 123-129 | |
- 1
A minimum grade of 'C' is required for all courses.
- 2
Students choosing the Child Advocacy Studies Minor must choose PSYC U101 Introduction to Psychology, SOCY U101 Introduction to Sociology, or CRJU U101 Introduction to Criminal Justice as one of the Social & Behavioral Science General Education courses to allow the Child Advocacy Studies Minor to reduce from 21 credit hours to 18 credit hours.
- 3
The minimum acceptable level of competency is completion of the 101 level of a language. Students who place into the 102 or higher level of a language satisfy the language requirement but will have additional hours in general education electives, if hours are required by their degree program.
Option 1: Major Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select five of the following: | 15 | |
| Introduction to Child Maltreatment | ||
| System Responses to Child Maltreatment | ||
| Business Writing | ||
or ENGL U371 | Grant Writing | |
| Topics in Psychology | ||
| Psychology of Learning and Memory | ||
| Psychology of Personality | ||
| Individual and Society | ||
| Sociology of Families | ||
| Total Hours | 15 | |
Option 2: Child Advocacy Studies Minor1
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Psychology | ||
| Introduction to Sociology | ||
| Introduction to Criminal Justice | ||
| CAST U301 | Introduction to Child Maltreatment | 3 |
| CAST U401 | System Responses to Child Maltreatment | 3 |
| CAST U402 | Prevention and Intervention Strategies | 3 |
| CAST U499 | Child Advocacy Internship | 3 |
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| Developmental Psychology | ||
| Sociology of Families | ||
| Criminal Trial Practice | ||
| The Juvenile Justice System | ||
| Victimology | ||
| Women and Crime | ||
| Child Sexual Exploitation | ||
| Total Hours | 21 | |
- 1
Final responsibility for satisfying degree requirements as outlined in the USC Upstate Academic Catalog rests with the student.