Offered at: San Luis Obispo Campus
The Child Development major is designed for students who are interested in professions involving children and adolescents in a variety of settings. The major provides the scientific base for understanding development from birth through emerging adulthood. The program emphasizes the ecological contexts in which development occurs, including family, school, technology, community, and culture. Graduates often continue studies in graduate and credential programs, and pursue a range of careers in education, intervention programs, and human services.
The Child Development major is designed to enable students to develop a program of study suited to their individual needs and become part of a learning community of faculty and students. After completing core courses in child and adolescent development, they will develop a personal program of study by selecting electives, two internships, and a senior project. Each student graduates with a BS in Child Development.
Goals of the Child Development major are for students to:
- Learn about theories and research that have helped us to understand how children and adolescents develop physically, emotionally, socially, and intellectually.
- Study how children and youth affect and are affected by the formal and informal environments in which they grow.
- Gain experience working with children and youth of different ages and backgrounds in various settings.
- Develop expertise in the use of digital technologies to access, create, and disseminate information related to the learning and development of children and youth.
- Develop an understanding of multicultural and anti-discrimination issues and how to lead children and youth into an appreciation of diversity.
- Develop skills in research, leadership, effective communication, and community building.
Program Learning Objectives
- Students completing core courses should demonstrate breadth of knowledge in developmental science and application of research and theory to “real-world” problems relevant to children, youth, and families.
- Students should be able to understand scientific principles, think critically, and interpret, design, and conduct developmental science research.
- Students will develop intrapersonal knowledge and interpersonal skills to contribute to building a society responsive to multicultural and global concerns.
- Students should demonstrate competence in writing and in oral and interpersonal communication skills.
- Students will develop skills and experience to enable them to succeed personally and professionally.
Degree Requirements and Curriculum
In addition to the program requirements listed on this page, students must also satisfy requirements outlined in more detail in the Minimum Requirements for Graduation section of this catalog, including:
- 40 units of upper-division courses
- 2.0 GPA
- Graduation Writing Requirement (GWR)
- U.S. Cultural Pluralism (USCP)
Note: No Major or Support courses may be selected as credit/no credit. In addition, no more than 12 units of cooperative or internship courses can count towards your degree requirements.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| MAJOR COURSES | ||
| CD 1102 | Orientation to the Child Development Major | 2 |
| Select from the following: | 3 | |
| Observing and Interacting with Children | ||
| Developmental Science Technology Activity | ||
| Child, Family, and Community | ||
| CD/PSY 2229 | Research Methods in Psychology | 3 |
| CD 2230 | Preschool Laboratory | 3 |
| CD/PSY 2256 | Developmental Psychology | 3 |
| Select from the following: | 8 | |
| Infant and Toddler Development | ||
| Early and Middle Childhood Development | ||
| Adolescence | ||
| CD 3329 | Advanced Research Methods in Developmental Science | 4 |
| CD 4424 | Children's Development in Diverse Cultures | 4 |
| Child Development Electives | ||
| Select any 3000-4000 level CD courses | 16 | |
| Internship | ||
| Select from the following: | 3 | |
| Research Internship I | ||
| Supervised Fieldwork Internship I | ||
| Senior Project | ||
| CD 4461 | Senior Project Seminar | 2 |
| CD 4462 | Senior Project | 2 |
| SUPPORT COURSES | ||
| PSY 2201 | Introductory Psychology (4B) 1 | 3 |
| PSY 2240 | Biopsychology (5B) 1 | 3 |
| STAT 1110 | Applied Statistical Concepts and Methods (2) 1 | 3 |
| Professional Skills | ||
| Select from the following: | 3-4 | |
| Intercultural Communication | ||
| Intergroup Communication | ||
| Intergroup Dialogues | ||
| The Helping Relationship | ||
| Teamwork | ||
| Upper-Division Science | ||
| Select from the following (Upper-Division 2/5): 1 | 3-4 | |
| Human Genetics | ||
| Gender, Race, Culture, Science, and Technology | ||
| Nutrition and Exercise for Health and Disease Prevention | ||
| Human Factors and Technology | ||
| Public Engagements with STEM | ||
| Global Climate Change | ||
| Behavioral Genetics | ||
| Diversity, Equity and Inclusion | ||
| Select from the following (Upper-Division 4): 1 | 3-4 | |
| Critical Race Theory | ||
| Social Constructions of Whiteness | ||
| Intergroup Dialogues | ||
| Contemporary Issues in Women's and Gender Studies | ||
| Feminist/Queer Transnational Studies | ||
| Gender, Race, Class, Nation: Critical Computing and Engineering Studies | ||
| GENERAL EDUCATION (GE) | ||
| (See GE program requirements below) | 28 | |
| FREE ELECTIVES | ||
| Free Electives 2 | 18-21 | |
| Total Units | 120 | |
- 1
Required in Major or Support; also satisfies General Education (GE) requirement.
- 2
If a General Education (GE) course is used to satisfy a Major or Support requirement, additional units of Free Electives may be needed to complete the total units required for the degree.
General Education (GE) Requirements
General Education (GE) Requirements
- 43 units required, 15 of which are specified in Major and/or Support.
- If any of the remaining 28 Units is used to satisfy a Major or Support requirement, additional units of Free Electives may be needed to complete the total units required for the degree.
- See the complete GE course listing.
- A grade of C- or better is required in one course in each of the following GE Areas: 1A (English Composition), 1B (Critical Thinking), 1C (Oral Communication), and 2 (Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning).
| Lower-Division General Education | ||
| Area 1 | English Communication and Critical Thinking | |
| 1A | Written Communication | 3 |
| 1B | Critical Thinking | 3 |
| 1C | Oral Communication | 3 |
| Area 2 | Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning | |
| 2 | Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning (3 units in Support) 1 | 0 |
| Area 3 | Arts and Humanities | |
| 3A | Arts | 3 |
| 3B | Humanities: Literature, Philosophy, Languages other than English | 3 |
| Area 4 | Social and Behavioral Sciences (Area 4 courses must come from at least two different course prefixes.) | |
| 4A | American Institutions (Title 5, Section 40404 Requirement) | 3 |
| 4B | Social and Behavioral Sciences (3 units in Support) 1 | 0 |
| Area 5 | Physical and Life Sciences | |
| 5A | Physical Sciences | 3 |
| 5B | Life Sciences (3 units in Support) 1 | 0 |
| 5C | Laboratory (may be embedded in a 5A or 5B course) | 1 |
| Area 6 | Ethnic Studies | |
| 6 | Ethnic Studies | 3 |
| Upper-Division General Education | ||
| Upper-Division 2/5 | Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning or Physical and Life Sciences (3 units in Support) 1 | 0 |
| Upper-Division 3 | Arts and Humanities | 3 |
| Upper-Division 4 | Social and Behavioral Sciences (Area 4 courses must come from at least two different course prefixes.) (3 units in Support) 1 | 0 |
| Total Units | 28 | |
- 1
Required in Major or Support; also satisfies General Education (GE) requirement.
Child Development
Suggested Four-Year Flowcharts are planning guides and do not represent a required course sequence.
Courses may be completed in a different order, provided requisite requirements are satisfied.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Units | |
| CD 1102 | Orientation to the Child Development Major | 2 |
| PSY 2201 | Introductory Psychology (4B) 1 | 3 |
| STAT 1110 | Applied Statistical Concepts and Methods (2) 1 | 3 |
| General Education Requirement (1A) | 3 | |
| General Education Requirement (1C) | 3 | |
| Units | 14 | |
| Term 2 | ||
| CD 1131 | Observing and Interacting with Children or Developmental Science Technology Activity or Child, Family, and Community | 3 |
| CD/PSY 2229 | Research Methods in Psychology | 3 |
| CD/PSY 2256 | Developmental Psychology | 3 |
| General Education Requirement (1B) | 3 | |
| General Education Requirement | 3 | |
| Units | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Term 1 | ||
| CD 2230 | Preschool Laboratory | 3 |
| CD 3304 | Infant and Toddler Development or Early and Middle Childhood Development or Adolescence | 4 |
| General Education Requirement (5A) | 3 | |
| General Education Requirement (5C) | 1 | |
| General Education Requirement | 3 | |
| Units | 14 | |
| Term 2 | ||
| CD 3304 | Infant and Toddler Development or Early and Middle Childhood Development or Adolescence | 4 |
| CD 3329 | Advanced Research Methods in Developmental Science | 4 |
| PSY 2240 | Biopsychology | 3 |
| General Education Requirement | 3 | |
| Units | 14 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Term 1 | ||
| Child Development Elective | 4 | |
| Professional Skills Course | 3-4 | |
| Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Course (Upper-Division 4) 1 | 3-4 | |
| General Education Requirement | 3 | |
| Free Elective 2 | 3 | |
| Units | 16 | |
| Term 2 | ||
| CD 4424 | Children's Development in Diverse Cultures | 4 |
| Child Development Elective | 4 | |
| Upper-Division Science Course (Upper-Division 2/5) 1 | 3-4 | |
| General Education Requirement (Upper-Division 3) | 3 | |
| Units | 14 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Term 1 | ||
| CD 4448 or CD 4453 | Research Internship I or Supervised Fieldwork Internship I | 3 |
| CD 4461 | Senior Project Seminar | 2 |
| Child Development Elective | 4 | |
| Free Elective 2 | 3 | |
| Free Elective 2 | 3 | |
| Free Elective 2 | 3 | |
| Units | 18 | |
| Term 2 | ||
| CD 4462 | Senior Project | 2 |
| Child Development Elective | 4 | |
| Free Elective 2 | 3 | |
| Free Elective 2 | 3 | |
| Free Elective 2 | 3 | |
| Units | 15 | |
| Total Units | 120 | |
- 1
Required in Major or Support; also satisfies General Education (GE) requirement.
- 2
If a General Education (GE) course is used to satisfy a Major or Support requirement, additional units of Free Electives may be needed to complete the total units required for the degree.