Program Overview

Child and Adolescent Development/Early Childhood Development Option

The Child and Adolescent Development/Early Childhood Development Option is a 4-year degree program offered by the College of Health and Human Development.

Program Overview

This program applies to the 2025 catalog year and is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of child and adolescent development, with a focus on early childhood development.

Year 1: 1st Semester

The first semester of the first year includes the following courses:

• CADV 150 (meets GE Area 4 Social and Behavioral Sciences and IC) - 3 units
• CADV 180 or MATH 140 (meets GE Basic Skills: Area 2 Lower Division Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning) - 3-4 units
• CADV 250 - 3 units
• GE Basic Skills: Area 1A English Composition (Written Communication) - 3 units
• GE Area 3A Arts - 3 units Total - 15-16 units

Year 1: 2nd Semester

The second semester of the first year includes the following courses:

• GE Basic Skills: Area 1C Oral Communication - 3 units
• GE Basic Skills: Area 1B Critical Thinking - 3 units
• GE Area 5A Physical Science - 3 units
• GE Area 5C Science Laboratory Activity - 1 unit
• CARQ American History Campus Requirement - 3 units
• Elective - 2 units Total - 15 units

Year 2: 1st Semester

The first semester of the second year includes the following courses:

• CADV 311 - 3 units
• FCS 234 - 3 units
• HSCI 131 (meets CARQ Lifelong Learning Campus Requirement) - 3 units
• GE CSUN Section F Comparative Cultural Studies - 3 units
• Professional Development Course* - 3 units Total - 15 units

Year 2: 2nd Semester

The second semester of the second year includes the following courses:

• CADV 350 (meets GE Area 5B Biological Science) - 3 units
• GE Area 4A and Area 4B Constitution of the United States and California State and Local Government - 3 units
• GE Area 4 Social and Behavioral Sciences - 3 units
• Electives - 5-6 units Total - 14-15 units

Year 3: 1st Semester

The first semester of the third year includes the following courses:

• CADV 352 - 3 units
• CADV 380/L (meets GE Upper Division Area 2 Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning) - 4 units
• Professional Development Course* - 3 units
• Electives - 5 units Total - 15 units

Year 3: 2nd Semester

The second semester of the third year includes the following courses:

• CADV 381/L or FCS 431/L - 4 units
• CADV 460 - 3 units
• Professional Development Course* - 3 units
• Electives - 5 units Total - 15 units

Year 4: 1st Semester

The first semester of the fourth year includes the following courses:

• CADV 470 - 3 units
• Professional Development Course* - 3 units
• Early Childhood Education Pedagogy and Curriculum Course selected from: ART 383/L, ART 385/L, CADV 406/L or RTM 406/L, EPC 430, MUS 361/L, MUS 362/L - 3 units
• GE Upper Division Area 3B Humanities - 3 units
• Elective - 3 units Total - 15 units

Year 4: 2nd Semester

The second semester of the fourth year includes the following courses:

• Professional Development Course* - 3 units
• GE Upper Division CSUN Section F Comparative Cultural Studies - 3 units
• Electives - 9 units Total - 15 units Minimum Overall Total Units - 120-121 units

Additional Requirements

One course for the degree must have an Ethnic Studies/ES designation. *Refer to catalog for course list