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HDFS Undergraduate Programs

Program Options

Early Childhood Development and Education Option

This program option focuses on the nature and process of development from conception through early childhood and is generally designed to prepare undergraduates for careers working with young children and their families. Course work in this program option provides students with knowledge of child development, principles of guidance and discipline, curriculum and best practices in the education of young children, approaches to multicultural programming, and educational practices for working with exceptional learners.

There are three different areas of specialization within the Early Childhood Development and Education option. Area One (Early Education and Care) provides a specialization in the professional field of early childhood care and development for students interested in working specifically with infants, toddlers, and preschoolers as teachers or administrators. Area Two (Early Intervention of Developmentally Delayed Children) provides a focus on the early education of young children (birth to age 3) with developmental disabilities. Finally, Area Three (Early Childhood Education Age 3 to Grade 3) serves as excellent baccalaureate preparation for students interested in applying for admission to a Master of Education (M.Ed.) or post-baccalaureate licensure program to earn Ohio teacher licensure in early childhood education (pre-kindergarten through grade 3).

What Can I do With This Degree?

Early Childhood Development & Education Program Sheet (pdf) - Applies for both students admitted to the College of Education and Human Ecology from Autumn 2008 to Summer 2009 and students who were admitted to Ohio State from Spring 2007 and earlier.

Middle Childhood Development and Education Option

This program option focuses on the nature and process of development from middle childhood through adolescence and provides excellent baccalaureate preparation for students interested in applying for admission to a Master of Education (M.Ed.) or post-baccalaureate licensure program to earn Ohio teacher licensure in middle childhood education (grade 4 through grade 9). Students in this program option choose two of the following subject areas that they wish to teach and complete specific content course work in those areas:

In addition to course work in the aforementioned subject areas, other course work in this program option provides students with knowledge of adolescent development, educational psychology, principles of guidance and discipline, approaches to multicultural programming, issues in reading instruction and literacy development, educational practices for working with exceptional learners, and the profession of teaching.

What Can I do With This Degree?

Middle Childhood Development & Education Program Sheet (pdf) - Applies for both students admitted to the College of Education and Human Ecology from Autumn 2008 to Summer 2009 and students who were admitted to Ohio State from Spring 2007 and earlier.

Family Studies Option

This program of study is multidisciplinary and is designed to provide an in-depth understanding of family relationships across the lifespan, including parent-child and parent-adolescent relationships, couple and marital relationships, and interpersonal and family relationships during the middle and later years of adulthood. This program also provides interested students with an opportunity to prepare for positions and/or careers working with agencies and other organizations serving children and families via course work and supervised practice in agencies in the community (field work).

Through the Family Studies option students can create a program of study unique to their career interests or goals for graduate education. The core curriculum includes courses focusing on human development, family development, parenting, family stress, human service organizations, helping skills, courtship and marriage, and human sexuality. In addition to the core courses, students have the unique opportunity to design their own professional specialization area with courses related to their career interests. Specialization areas have focused on family services, health and wellness issues, sexuality studies, law and public policy, at-risk youth, aging, preparing for a master’s degree in occupational or physical therapy, and many others.

The family studies option enables students to prepare for professional and managerial roles in human service professions, in nonprofit and public agencies, as well as for graduate school and professional training. Through the course work and field work opportunities, students develop skills relevant to their career objectives, such as communication and active listening skills, program planning and evaluation, working in family service agencies, and preparing for admittance to graduate school in a related field.

What Can I do With This Degree?

The undergraduate program has received accreditation from the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR) and offers course work required to become certified in family life education (Certified Family Life Educator). Please see the National Council on Family Relations website for more information about becoming a Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE).

Family Studies Program Sheet (pdf) - Applies for both students admitted to the College of Education and Human Ecology from Autumn 2008 to Summer 2009 and students who were admitted to Ohio State from Spring 2007 and earlier.

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