Child and Family Studies Major
College of Education and Social & Behavioral Sciences - Department of Education
Child and Family Studies (U_FC)
The Education Department offers a Bachelor of Science with a major in Child and Family Studies. This major prepares students in the areas of two concentrations. (1) Students prepare to work as early childhood educators (ages birth to 8) in the mixed delivery system, including in early intervention, private and public pre-school settings, family child care centers, Head Start, and out-of-school child care settings. (2) They also may prepare to work as community-based educators. Within the Child and Family Studies major, a strong focus is placed on family involvement, family engagement, and collaboration across families, educational settings, and communities. It is recognized that by working together, families, educators, and communities support the holistic development and education of children and can prepare children from varied socio-economic, cultural, and geographic backgrounds for a promising future. Students who complete the Early Education and Care concentration of this major will be eligible to apply for their infant, toddler, or preschool teaching certification from the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC). Students also are prepared to assume leadership roles in the field as directors of early childhood centers or as staff with connected state level agencies. Students who complete the Community-Based Education concentration may pursue various educational roles in community-based centers. Students also are prepared for graduate studies in connected fields.
The General Education Requirement
All students must satisfy a general education requirement consisting of ten (10) courses outside of the major department. The General Education Domain III-C (Global Competency, Ethical Reasoning, and/or Human Diversity) requirement is satisfied through the completion of the Child and Family Studies major.
Course Prerequisites
Courses may have specified conditions for enrollment, such as prior completion of less advanced courses, permission of the instructor, or appropriate placement test scores. Students should refer to course descriptions in the department listings for prerequisite requirements.
Requirements for Major (U_FC):
Required Core Courses (8 courses):
- CFST 118 Child, Family, School, and Community: Connections and Collaborations
- CFST 212 Disability in Society
- CFST 321 Theory and Practice of Play
- CFST 440 Research in Child and Family Studies
- EDUC 205 Race, Class, Culture, and Language in Education
- EDUC 305 Educational Policy
- PSYC 200 Psychology of Development or
- PSYC 201 Child Development
- SOCI 212 Sociology of Families
Concentration in Community-Based Education (UFCC) (4 courses):
- CFST 333 Community-based Education
- CFST 495 Internship in Child and Family Studies
- Select two (2) concentration elective courses from:
- CFST 390 Special Topics in Child and Family Studies
- CFST 490 Independent Study in Child and Family Studies
- EDUC 350 Education and Social Change
- PSYC 212 Adolescent Psychology
- PSYC 231 Adult Development
- PSYC 271 Principles of Behavior Modification
- SOCI 255 LGBTQ Communities in the United States
- SOCI 306 Nonprofit Giving
- SOCI 325 Health and Illness
- SOCI 333 Society, Mental Health, and the Individual
- SOCI 350 Education and Social Change
- SOCI 366 Death and Dying
Concentration in Early Education and Care, Birth – 8 (UFCE) (4 courses):
Courses Focused on Curriculum and Administration of EEC Settings
- CFST 301 Infant and Toddler Curriculum
- CFST 311 Pre-school Curriculum: Language Development and Early Literacy
- CFST 312 Pre-school Curriculum: Integrating Math, Science, Social Studies, and Art
- CFST 405 Administration and Leadership of Early Education and Care Settings