B.S.,
Child Development and Family Relations
College of Health and Human Services
What You'll Do
Directing–or teaching in–an early care and education center, providing early intervention for infants and toddlers with developmental delays, working with at-risk teens or working with families to provide parenting support or linkage to community services can be very rewarding. As a Child Development and Family Relations major at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, you'll learn techniques for working with children (infancy through adolescence) and their families to improve the quality of their lives.
At IUP, you'll learn strategies to support families that are developmentally appropriate and based on the most current research and practices in the field. Some of the classes you'll take include Child Development, Marriage and Family, Preschool Education, Play and Developmentally Appropriate Practice, Intro to Early Intervention, Infant and Toddler Development, Family Dynamics, Techniques of Parent Education, Adolescent Development, Family and Community, and Administration of Child Care Centers.
This major encourages students to use their free electives for two of the following: a minor, an internship in agencies/programs at the local, state or national level, and/or to earn the Family Life Education Credential Certificate.
What You'll Become
The Bachelor of Science in Child Devlopment and Family Relations will prepare you for professional positions working with children, youth, and families in educational programs and community services at the local, state, and national levels. You may find jobs directing preschools, youth programs, child care facilities, or Head Start programs. You may also find employment working with families, teen-age parents, senior citizens, or at-risk teens. Some students continue their educations with graduate study.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for preschool and child care center administrators is expected to be excellent due to increasing enrollments in child care programs. Also, growth in this field is expected as more states implement or expand public preschool programs, according to the report. The job rate for youth counselors, especially those who are trained as substance abuse counselors, is expected to grow much faster than the average for all jobs through 2016, according to the report.
