Children and Families
This Bachelor of Arts degree empowers you to become a strong, skilled advocate for children and families, by developing both a deep understanding of child development and the challenges children and families face within today’s diverse socio-economic and cultural contexts.
After you complete your studies, you can put your passion and expertise to use in a variety of settings. Our graduates work as educators in Head Start and childcare centers, serve as teachers or administrators in programs designed for young children, and help power agencies that advocate for young people and families. This program does not lead to teacher certification. Individuals interested in a teaching certificate should select either the Birth-Kindergarten Education or Elementary Education program.
Dearborn Discovery Core
Please see the Dearborn Discovery Core (General Education) webpage or additional information.
Foundational Studies
Writing and Communication (GEWO) – 6 Credits
Upper-Level Writing Intensive (GEWI) – 3 Credits
Quantitative Thinking and Problem Solving (GEQT) – 3 Credits
Critical and Creative Thinking (GECC) – 3 Credits
Areas of Inquiry
Natural Science (GENS) – 7 Credits
- Lecture/Lab Science Course
- Additional Science Course
Social and Behavioral Analysis (GESB) – 9 Credits
Humanities and the Arts (GEHA) – 6 Credits
Intersections (GEIN) – 6 Credits
Capstone
Capstone (GECE) – 3 Credits
Children and Families Course Requirements
Code | Title | Credit Hours |
---|---|---|
EDC 240 | Psych of Child Development | 3 |
EDC 412 | Social Devl/Pos Guidnce Techn | 3 |
EDC 414 | Early Child Ed Special Needs | 3 |
EDC 439 | Child Maltreatment and Trauma | 3 |
EDC 442 | EC: Fam/Sch/Comm Collaboration | 3 |
EDB 422 | Lead,Advoc, Admin Early Ch Prg | 3 |
HHS 210 | Intro to Social Work | 3 |
HHS 305 | Introduction to Play | 3 |
HHS 310 | System of Care | 4 |
HHS 312 | Family Preservation & Recovery | 3 |
Total Credit Hours | 31 |
Students have the option of selecting one of two concentrations in the program. The Child Studies concentration is designed to prepare individuals who want to work in early childhood while the Social Agency concentration is for students who want to work with a range of community centered agencies that provide services to children and families.
Child Studies Concentration
Code | Title | Credit Hours |
---|---|---|
EDA 419 | Early Literacy/Language Devel | 3 |
EDD 406 | Teach Strategies Early Child | 3 |
EDD 410 | Practicum in Early Child Ed | 1 |
EDD 411 | Directed Tchg: Early Childhood | 4 |
EDD 412 | Seminar in Early Childhood Ed | 2 |
EDD 446 | Intervention Strat EC Spec Ed | 3 |
Total Credit Hours | 16 |
Social Agency Concentration
Code | Title | Credit Hours |
---|---|---|
HHS 350 | Comm Organizing for Health | 4 |
HHS 407 | Fundraising & Grantwriting | 3 |
HHS 425 | Work w/Child in Health Setting | 3 |
EDD 418 | Children and Families Intern | 4 |
SOC 200 | Understanding Society | 3 |
Total Credit Hours | 17 |
Learning Goals
- Knowledge and understanding of child development—physically, intellectually, emotionally, socially and aesthetically.
- Knowledge and understanding of children and families in socio-economic and cultural contexts.
- Knowledge and skills to understand the principles of an effective early childhood classroom.
- Opportunities to achieve competence in early childhood education as a profession.