FAQ

What can I do with a bachelor’s degree in Child Development?

Getting a degree in Child Development is most useful for students who want to work with children or for children in any capacity and are dedicated to the well-being of children. An undergraduate degree in Child Development can lead to working as, or working in any of the following settings: parent educator, preschool teacher, court appointed special advocate for children, companies that manufacture products for children such as toys, books and software, after-school programs, K-12 teacher, youth counselor, program planner (in any program for children), child life specialist (working with hospitalized children), teen pregnancy counselor, and child development consultant.

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What if I really am committed to children’s welfare but I don’t think I have the personality to work with them?

You can always work for children “behind the scenes”. You can take part in child advocacy, become a child development researcher, a software designer or a child policy analyst. Of course, some of these positions may need additional training just as you would need to get a teaching credential to become a teacher.

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What are the courses that I would have to take to major in Child Development?

Just as in any other major, you would have to complete the General Education (GE) courses and the courses in the major. Consult the University Catalog for current GE course requirements. Please see the degree requirements for a complete list of required courses. 

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If I am a transfer student from a Community College, what should I start with?

If you are a transfer student, please see an academic advisor on your campus to find out which classes offered on your campus transfer to CSUDH. You can check this information on www.assist.org. If you have completed the equivalent of CDV 150 (Introduction to Child Development), you may take the foundational level courses. If you have completed all the lower division General Education(GE) courses, you can start enrolling in upper division (the 300 and 400-level) GE courses.

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If I am a freshman, what courses do I enroll in?

Begin taking your lower division General Elective (GE) courses. In Child Development, you may enroll in CDV 150 (Introduction to Child Development) and Statistics are major required introductory level courses. 

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How do I keep track of what I have completed and what I need to take?

To view your remaining academic requirements to complete your degree, watch the short Academic Requirements Report Tutorial

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What can I do if I think I have completed a similar course at a different campus but I do not find it articulated on assist.org? Can I request that the course be used to substitute a Child Development course offered at CSUDH?

Yes, you may certainly request that the course you have taken be reviewed for equivalency with a child development course offered at CSUDH. To put in such a request, please fill out the course substitution form [PDF] and attach

1. your transcript indicating when and where you took the course and the grade you received, 
2. the catalog description of the course, and 
3. the syllabus of the course.

Turn in this material at the Child Development Department office. We will review the request and get back to you promptly.

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Can I use work experience to substitute the fieldwork/practicum course (CDV 480 or CDV 496)?

No. Work experience will not be accepted as a substitute for the fieldwork/practicum course (CDV 480 or CDV 496). The fieldwork/practicum experiences that you complete in the program are supervised with the purpose of guiding your experience in a manner that meshes with the current scientific knowledge in the field of Child Development which you will gain in the seminar portion of the course. Your passing of the coursework indicates that specific learning objectives have been achieved.

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