This program prepares you to work with children, adults, and families throughout the lifespan in a broad range of settings. You will gain a thorough understanding of every major developmental period in life in multiple contexts from birth to adolescence, to working with mid-life and older adults. The curriculum includes classes in child, adult, and family development with a lifespan emphasis, as well as courses such as diversity in families, family ties and aging, human sexualities, the impact of stress and trauma, and death and dying.
Professional skill development is an essential part of the program and intended to give you the practical skill set needed by human services specialists. Required courses from other departments include social and public health, early childhood education, psychology, sociology, and social work. Also required are a 75-hour practicum and a 600- hour full-time internship. These provide practical experience and the opportunity to integrate theory and course content into real-life situations.
Why Choose this Program
With an accumulation of over 700 hours of service-learning, practicum, and internship experiences, students who graduate from this program will have ample opportunities to explore career options, gain valuable experience, and develop/refine marketable skills. Child and Family studies graduates find employment in many areas of human services, including:
- Child and family services
- Adolescent group homes
- Rehabilitation centers
- Community programs for the developmentally disabled
- Senior citizen centers and facilities
- Family planning centers
- Mental health agencies
- Probation services
- Emergency shelters
- Adult foster care
- Hospice
- Hospitals
- 4-H programs
- Other agencies that assist families and individuals in crisis
The program also is designed to provide a strong foundation for those students who plan to go on to graduate school.
Students in Child and Family Studies program may choose one of three concentrations: 1) child, adult, and family services; 2) child life; and 3) family gerontology.