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Overview

First steps, first words, the first day of school. A major in Child Development exposes you to all the details of a child’s growth, from birth until adolescence. You’ll learn about children’s physical development, including their sensory and motor skills. You’ll see how children progress socially. You’ll study the theories of how children learn, and how their intellectual understanding changes from year to year.

Since understanding the family is integral to learning about how children develop, your studies will expose you to family relationships so that you can observe how family members and other adults can help or hinder the developmental process. You’ll look at peer groups and school environments to see how they influence children, and you’ll study the complex issues of diversity and multiculturalism in educational settings.

Your coursework for a Child Development major will include classes in psychology, sociology, education, and the humanities. Most programs include a research component, and you’ll get practice in different research methodologies. Many students choose Child Development because they are interested in becoming educators, and with this major you’ll be getting a lot of hands-on experience working with children.