Mar 28, 2024  
Undergraduate Catalog | 2017-2018 
    
Undergraduate Catalog | 2017-2018 Previous Edition

Child and Family Development, B.A.


The B.A. degree in Child and Family Development prepares graduates to work in educational and related settings that serve infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergartners with and without disabilities, and their families.  The program qualifies graduates for the Standard Professional 1 (SP1) Professional Educator’s License in birth-kindergarten (B-K) education. 

Graduates of the program are prepared to meet the North Carolina Professional Teaching Standards and the ten Interstate New Teachers Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC) Standards for new teachers in Content Pedagogy, Student Development, Diverse Learners, Multiple Instructional Strategies, Motivation and Management, Communication and Technology, Planning, Assessment, Reflective Practice, and School and Community Involvement.  Candidates have specific coursework and clinical experiences in a variety of settings in order to learn and apply evidence-based knowledge and practices in the field of early childhood development and education.

Admission Requirements


See the Admission to Teacher Education Programs heading  under the College of Education.

Degree Requirements


The Major in Child and Family Development leading to the B.A. degree requires a minimum of 120 credit hours. 

General Education (31-35 credit hours)


For details on required courses, refer to the General Education program .  Students in this major should plan on taking the following courses that meet general education requirements and also satisfy prerequisites for courses in the major:

Note:


*SPED 2100  and either EDUC 1100  or EDUC 2100  should be taken no later than a student’s Sophomore year.  Both courses must be completed with a grade of C or above to qualify for admission to the Teacher Education Program in Child and Family Development.

Note:


**Enrollment in CHFD 4410 requires admission to student teaching through the College’s Office of Field Experiences

Restricted Elective Courses (12 hours)


Unrestricted Elective Courses (0-5 credit hours)


As needed.

Degree Total = 120 Credit Hours


Academic Advising


Students who intend to major in Child and Family Development and to earn B-K licensure are classified as Pre-Education students in Child and Family Development.  These students are assigned an advisor in the Office of Teacher Education Advising and Licensure (TEAL), who help students select appropriate General Education and elective courses, and who will help them meet the requirements for admission to teacher education.  To be admitted to the Teacher Education Program in Child and Family Development, students must have completed an admission application through the TEAL office, attained a grade of C or above in SPED 2100  and either EDUC 1100  or EDUC 2100 , attained passing scores on all three parts of the Praxis Core or acceptable alternatives (SAT or ACT scores), and attained an overall GPA of at least 2.7 in at least 45 credit hours of coursework. 

Applications for admission to the Teacher Education Program in Child and Family Development are available from and are to be returned to the TEAL office after a student has earned at least 45 credit hours of coursework.  Students are then assigned a major/minor advisor in child and family development who assists planning the remainder of the program of study.  Course selections for each subsequent semester must be approved by the student’s advisor in child and family development.  Assignment of the student’s major/minor advisor is the responsibility of the Child and Family Development Undergraduate Program Director in the Department of Special Education and Child Development (SPCD).

Additional Requirements


The successful completion of this degree program includes meeting the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction’s licensure requirements for B-K certification.  Consequently, additional requirements must be completed during the student’s program and are listed below.  Since state licensure requirements often change, additional work may be required to complete the program with a teaching license.

Planning Sheet

All education students are tracked through their program with a Program Planning Sheet.  The original planning sheet is uploaded to the advising system and lists all courses taken, transfer hours, General Education and minor requirements met, and courses remaining in the program.  Note that the University requires that the minimum number of credits in a degree program is 120 credit hours.

Clinicals

Some courses in the professional program include a clinical requirement where students complete specific activities or designated hours in an appropriate setting.  Clinicals are designed to expose students to diverse school demographics, locations, and programs.

Grade Requirements


All students with an education major must maintain a 2.5 GPA overall and a 2.75 GPA in their professional courses.  All professional courses must be passed with a grade of C or above, and students may repeat a professional course once.  Students may be dropped from a course if they register out of sequence.

Honors Program


For details about the Honors Program in Education, visit the program page .

Internship


Teacher education candidates participate in the yearlong internship during their final year of the program.  During the first semester, students spend a minimum of one day per week in an assigned classroom while completing coursework on campus.  During the second semester of the internship, students complete full-time student teaching in the same classroom.  Applications for this yearlong internship are due two semesters prior to student teaching; part two of the application is due one semester prior to student teaching.

Suggested Curriculum


For the suggested course sequence toward completing the major, please see the Academic Plan of Study available online at academics.uncc.edu.  Consultation with an advisor is required each semester.