Child Development and Family Studies

College of Rural and Community Development
Bristol Bay Campus 907-842-5109
Chukchi Campus 907-442-3400
Interior-Aleutians Campus 907-474-5439
Kuskokwim Campus 907-543-4500
Northwest Campus 907-443-2201
Community and Technical College 907-455-2038
www.uaf.edu/rural/

BA Degree

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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 BA 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 AAS content requirements with that of the child development and family studies BA 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. Students entering the child development and family studies BA program with an AA or AAS degree in early childhood education from a regionally accredited college or university will receive 23 transfer credits toward the program major. Any additional courses will need to be evaluated on an individual basis.

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 BA will meet requirements for both a major and minor.

Major -- BA Degree

  1. 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*.)
  2. Complete the BA degree requirements. (As part of the BA social science degree requirements, complete PSY F101.)*
    1. Complete three of the following recommended humanities/social science courses as part of your BA 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
    2. Complete one of the following recommended mathematics courses as part of your BA 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
  3. 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
  4. 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 credits
    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 as approved by CDFS program**(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 as approved by CDFS program** (3)--3 credits
  5. Minimum credits required--120 credits

* Students must earn a C grade or better in each course.

** Student must earn a B grade 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 BA general degree requirements.

**** Note: Students completing the family support concentration need to complete SWK F103 as a prerequisite to SWK F360.

For students entering the program with an AA or AAS degree in early childhood education from a regionally accredited college or university (23 credits accepted as a block of courses).

  1. 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*.)
  2. Complete the BA degree requirements. (As part of the BA social science degree requirements, complete PSY F101.)*
    1. Complete three of the following humanities/social science courses as part of the BA 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
    2. Complete one of the following mathematics courses as part of the BA 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
  3. Complete the following program (major) requirements:*
    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
  4. 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 credits
    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 the 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 as approved by CDFS program**(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 as approved by CDFS program** (3)--3 credits
  5. Minimum credits required--120 credits

* Students must earn a C grade or better in each course.

** Student must earn a B grade 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 BA general degree requirements.

**** Note: Students completing the family support concentration need to complete SWK F103 as a prerequisite to SWK F360.