Child Development and Family Studies
College of Rural and Community Development
Child Development and Family Studies
907-455-2038
Toll-free: 888-560-5860
www.uaf.edu/crcdearlychildhood/
NOTE: The information reflected here is the most current.
B.A. Degree
Minimum Requirements for Degree: 120 credits
This program provides the necessary preparation for early childhood educators who wish to advance their professional knowledge and career opportunities with specialized study in administration, curriculum and teaching, family support, or infants and toddlers.
The child development and family studies program meets professional preparation standards developed by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. These six core standards and field experience expectations guide the CDFS B.A. program content and outline a set of common expectations for professional knowledge, skills and dispositions within the field of early care and education in conjunction with family studies.
The program supports students who desire a strong foundation in the field of early childhood by integrating the early childhood education A.A.S. content requirements with that of the child development and family studies B.A. Students are required to complete the program major and one of the specialized concentration areas: administration within the early childhood field, curriculum and teaching, family support, or infant and toddler.
Flexible course delivery fosters successful completion for early childhood professionals living in both rural and urban areas of Alaska. All program and concentration area courses must be completed with a C grade or better, with the exclusion of all clinical practice course work which must completed with a B grade or better. Completion of the CDFS B.A. will meet requirements for both a major and minor.
- Complete the general university requirements.* (As part of the core curriculum requirements, the following courses are recommended: ENGL F213X*, MATH F103X*, MATH F107X*, or MATH F161X*; BIOL F104X*, GEOG F111X* or GEOS F120X*.)
- Complete the B.A. degree requirements. (As part of the B.A. social science degree requirements, complete PSY F101.)*
- Complete three of the following recommended humanities/social science courses as part of your B.A. degree requirements:*
ANS F242--Native Cultures of Alaska--3 credits
ANS F320W--Language and Culture: Applications to Alaska--3 credits
ANS F330--Yupik Parenting and Child Development--3 credits
ANS F461--Native Ways of Knowing--3 credits
ANTH F407--Kinship and Social Organizations--3 credits
LING F303W,O--Language Acquisition--3 credits - Complete one of the following recommended mathematics courses as part of your B.A. core requirements:*
CS F101--Computers and Society--3 credits
CS F102--Introduction to Computer Science--3 credits
MATH F103X--Concepts and Contemporary Applications of Mathematics--3 credits
MATH F107X--Functions for Calculus--4 credits
MATH F161X--Algebra for Business and Economics--3 credits
- Complete three of the following recommended humanities/social science courses as part of your B.A. degree requirements:*
- Complete the following program (major) requirements:*
ECE F101--Overview of the Profession--3 credits
ECE F104--Child Development I: Prenatal, Infants and Toddlers--3 credits
ECE F107--Child Development II: The Preschool and Primary Years--3 credits
ECE F110--Safe, Healthy, Learning Environments--3 credits
ECE F140--Positive Social and Emotional Development--3 credits
ECE F210--Child Guidance--3 credits
ECE F229--Foundations in Nutrition and Physical Wellness--3 credits
ECE F235--Screening, Assessment and Recording (2)
or ECE F130--Culture, Learning, and the Young Child (2)--2 credits
ECE F305--Social and Emotional Development: Reflection and Practice--3 credits
ECE F342O--Family Relationships--3 credits
ECE F350--Play: Foundation for Development--3 credits
ECE F445W--Adolescence through the Lifespan--3 credits
ECE F480--Child Development and Family Studies Portfolio--1 credit - Complete one of the following concentrations:*
Administration within the Early Childhood Field***
Complete the following:*
ECE F340--Financial Management--3 credits
ECE F341W--Personnel Management--3 credits
ECE F471--Clinical Practice: Organizational Action Research--3 credits
CIOS F150--Computer Business Applications--3 credits
ENGL F212--Business, Grant and Report Writing--3 credits
BA S301--Principles of Management (UAS)--3 credits
BA S343--Principles of Marketing (UAS)--3 credits
BA S490--Political and Social Environment of
Business (UAS) 3
Note: ECON F201 or ECON F202 is a prerequisite for BA S490.
Note: This specialization is offered in collaboration with the University of Alaska Southeast. For course descriptions of UAS courses see current University of Alaska Southeast catalog. These courses are available by distance delivery.
Curriculum and Teaching***
Complete the following:*
ECE F240--Inclusion of Children with Special Needs--3 credits
ECE F310--Constructivist Curriculum--3 credits
ECE F360--Assessment in Early Childhood--3 credits
ECE F420W--Developing Literacy in the Early Years--3 credits
ECE F430--Fine Arts in the Early Years--3 credits
ECE F440--Exploring Math and Science in the Early Years--3 credits
ECE F472--Clinical Practice: Classroom Research**--3 credits
ECE F473--Clinical Practice: Classroom Management** (3)
or ECE F270--Practicum II**(3)--3 credits
Family Support*** ****
Complete the following:*
ECE F242--Child and Family Ecology--3 credits
ECE F301--Parents as Partners in Education (3)
or ECE F302--Building Home Program Relationships: Prenatal to 3 Years (3)--3 credits
ECE F306W--Building Bridges to Support Family Mental Health--3 credits
ECE F405--Seminar in Culture and Child Rearing Practices--3 credits
ECE F410--Supporting Family Relationships through Mentoring--3 credits
ECE F442--Family Resource Management--3 credits
ECE F471--Clinical Practice: Organizational Action Research--3 credits
SWK F360--Child Abuse and Neglect--3 credits
Infant and Toddler***
Complete the following:*
ECE F214--Curriculum III: Infant and Toddlers--3 credits
ECE F302--Building Home Program Relationships--3 credits
ECE F304W--Attachment and Social Development--3 credits
ECE F320 --Environment and Curriculum for Infants and Toddlers--3 credits
ECE F405--Seminar in Culture and Child Rearing Practices--3 credits
ECE F421--From Babbling to Talking to Early Literacy--3 credits
ECE F472--Clinical Practice: Classroom Research**--3 credits
ECE F473--Clinical Practice: Classroom Management** (3)
or ECE F270--Practicum II**(3)--3 credits - Minimum credits required--120 credits
* Students must earn a C grade (2.0) or better in each course.
** Student must earn a B grade (3.0) or higher in each course.
*** Students completing any CFDS concentration will need an additional 6 upper-division (300 - 400) credits within the Humanities/Social Science B.A. general degree requirements.
**** Note: Students completing the family support concentration need to complete SWK F103 as a prerequisite to SWK F360.