Childhood Studies, Minor
Program Overview
The Childhood Studies Program is an educational opportunity for undergraduate students interested in a wide array of issues concerning children and the experience of childhood. This interdisciplinary minor focuses on the life stages of infancy through adolescence and enables students to pursue interests in parenting, child development, gender, the life course, and the place of children in society and culture.
For students interested in exploring historical and contemporary U.S. policy and how it impacts children, young people, and families, the program offers a unique curriculum through the Child Policy Pathway. This specialization begins with CHST 301, a foundational course that introduces students to central public policy issues, basic principles of policy research, policy analysis, research-informed policy development, and advocacy. The Pathway also offers an experiential learning course on policy-making that includes a trip to Washington, D.C., and an externship at a local organization—a hands-on opportunity to work directly with professionals who design and implement policies that impact the lives of children and their families.
Policy areas of focus include:
- Child poverty and family economic asset-building
- Educational disparities and student supports
- Physical, mental, and social determinants of health
- Child welfare and well-being
- Legal systems and juvenile justice
While the Childhood Studies Program and minor are situated in the College of Arts and Sciences, children and childhood are a focus of research and teaching in units throughout the university, including the School of Medicine; the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences; the School of Law; the School of Dental Medicine; and the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing.
The Childhood Studies Program is associated with the Schubert Center for Child Studies, which bridges research, practice, policy, and education for the well-being of children and adolescents. The Center sponsors research, lectures, and programs on children and childhood and provides opportunities for student involvement in research, education, and policy.
Undergraduate Policies
For undergraduate policies and procedures, please review the Undergraduate Academics section of the General Bulletin.
Program Requirements
The undergraduate minor in childhood studies is built on a foundation in the social sciences. It is also suited, however, to students interested in exploring childhood from the perspectives of the natural sciences, the humanities, or the arts. The minor requires a minimum of 15 credit hours of coursework; the courses must be taken in at least two different departments.
Students may count up to 6 credit hours they complete for the Childhood Studies minor toward a major in another field. If they are pursuing more than one major, they may count up to 6 credit hours toward each one.
The courses listed below are accepted toward the minor. Other courses may be accepted with approval from the program advisors.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ANTH 306 | The Anthropology of Childhood and the Family | 3 |
| ANTH 399 | Independent Study | 1 - 6 |
| CHST 301/ANTH 305/POSC 382A | Public Policy in Child Development | 3 |
| CHST 302/ANTH 307 | Experiential Learning in Child Policy | 3 |
| CHST 398/ANTH 308 | Child Policy Externship | 3 |
| CHST/ANTH/PSCL 398C | Child Policy Externship and Capstone | 3 |
| CHST 399 | Independent Study | 1 - 6 |
| COSI 313 | Language Development | 3 |
| EDUC 304 | Educational Psychology | 3 |
| ENGL 369 | Children's Literature | 3 |
| HSTY 387 | Growing Up in America: 1607 - 2000 | 3 |
| MUED 391 | Music in Early Childhood | 3 |
| NTRN 328 | Child Nutrition, Development and Health | 3 |
| NURS 315 | Parents and Neonates in Health and Illness | 3.75 |
| NURS 316 | Child Health Nursing | 3.75 |
| PSCL 230 | Child Psychology | 3 |
| PSCL 329 | Adolescence | 3 |
| PSCL 333 | Early Intervention I: Theories and Practice | 3 |
| PSCL 344 | Developmental Psychopathology | 3 |
| PSCL 379 | Neurodevelopmental Disabilities | 3 |
| PSCL 397 | Independent Study | 1 - 3 |
| SASS 315 | Adoption Practice and Policy | 3 |
| SASS 355 | The Days of D.A.R.E. Are Over: Drugs and Youth | 3 |
| SASS 368 | Whatever it Takes: Creating Paths Out of Poverty for Children | 3 |
| SASS 390 | Independent Study for Undergraduates | 1 - 3 |
| SOCI 320 | Delinquency and Juvenile Justice | 3 |
| SOCI 361 | The Life Course | 3 |
| SOCI 375 | Independent Study | 1 - 3 |