Child Development, Early Education and Family Studies
The Child Development and Family Studies Program will prepare you for a career focused on children, youth and families from diverse cultural, ethnic and linguistic backgrounds and abilities. Curriculums are focused on theoretical and ecological work with children from birth through adolescence, within a broad context of families, socio-cultural networks, communities, and societal influences.
The program offers two bachelor’s degrees, and one master of arts in teaching (M.A.T):
- Bachelor of Science (B.S.) - Child Development and Family Studies (Child Development and Family Relations) - This curriculum prepares you to become a North Carolina state certified child care provider and administrator, and provides the option of becoming a Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE) through the National Council on Family Relations.
- Bachelor of Science (B.S.) - Child Development and Family Studies (Child Development, Early Education and Family Studies - B-K Licensure - This curriculum prepares you for teaching young children (from birth through 5 years). Graduates earn the North Carolina B-K Licensure and other early childhood credentials necessary to teach infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarteners (with and without disabilities), and for work with young children and their families in multiple caregiving environments.
- Masters of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) - Child Development Early Education And Family Studies (Birth-Kindergarten) – This curriculum develops professional early childhood teachers, administrators, and researchers focused on child development from birth to kindergarten. The degree addresses the needs of teachers with provisional lateral entry or emergency licensure, teachers seeking pre-school licensure, and individuals changing careers to become teachers. (More)
Coursework includes lifespan human development, family studies, sociology, social work, elementary and special education, psychology, speech, and health and physical education. Undergraduate students will observe and participate in field work with young children and families in a variety of real-life settings, including the N.C. A&T Child Development Laboratory; public and private infant, toddler, preschool and kindergarten programs; community childcare centers; family centers; social service and early intervention programs; and at childcare service agencies.
Our graduates find rewarding careers as: child care providers and administrators; family life and parent educators; infant, toddler, preschool and kindergarten teachers; child life specialists; home schooling coordinators; youth and Head Start Directors; family services professionals; family dispute mediators; Cooperative Extension educators; early childhood advocates; child and family development specialists; adoption and child protection services professionals; and professional development coordinators.
Please contact the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences to arrange a tour of our facilities or to find out more about what degree in Child Development and Family Studies is the best fit for your career goals.
