Program Overview

BA in Child Study and Human Development

The undergraduate major in Child Study and Human Development provides students with a strong foundation for developing a deep understanding of children and youth, for working with diverse groups of children, adolescents, and their families, and for carrying out research on applied issues. Students who wish to focus on one area within child, youth, and/or family development may choose a concentration of study within their major. Alternatively, a student may wish to develop an individualized plan of study (IPS), which must be constructed together with the academic advisor.

Concentrations of Study

The following four concentrations of study are offered to undergraduate majors:

• Child and Family Health/Well-Being
• Children, Arts, and Media
• Identity Development in Global Context
• Individual Plan of Study

Program Requirements and Policies

• For the Bachelor of Arts degree in Child Study and Human Development, a total of ten (10) courses are required.
• If a student wishes to count a course not listed toward a concentration, they may petition the Undergraduate Programs Committee (UPC).
• Not more than two directed study courses (CSHD 141) can count toward the major.

Course Requirements

• Two foundational courses:
  • CSHD 1: Introduction to Child Study and Human Development
  • Note: CSHD 1 may only be waived through demonstration of having taken an equivalent course, through petition to the UPC. PSY 1 is not accepted as a substitution for CSHD 1.
• One of the following foundational courses:
  • CSHD 151: Intellectual Development
  • CSHD 61: Personal-Social Development
  • CSHD 62: Childhood across Cultures
  • CSHD 155: The Young Child's Development of Language
  • Note: With instructor's permission, undergraduates may take CSHD 161 as juniors or seniors.
• CSHD 42: Inquiry and Analysis in Child Study and Human Development
  • Note: There is no equivalent substitution course for CSHD 42
• Three courses from within the same concentration
  • Concentration 1: Child and Family Health / Well-Being
  • Concentration 2: Children, Arts, and Media
  • Concentration 3: Identity Development in Global Context
  • Concentration 4: Individual Plan of Study (see IPS guidelines)
• One Applied Experience or Research
  • Majors must complete a minimum of 3.0 credits or a maximum of 4.0 credits in either an Applied Experience or Research Experience course.
  • One Applied Experience (can be fulfilled by two half-courses totaling 4 Credits, when applicable.)
  • Students may double-count courses for both the Applied or Research Experience requirement AND as electives towards their concentration.
• Courses that count toward the applied/research experience offered in the Fall semester include:
  • CSHD 0099 - Community Field Placement
  • CSHD 153 - Children's Television Project
  • Note: This course is offered for variable credit
  • CSHD 141 - Independent Study (by instructor consent and with approval of the Director of Undergraduate Program)
  • Courses outside of CSHD may be petitioned to count as applied/research experience by sending a petition to the Director of Undergraduate Programs
• Courses that count toward the applied/research experience offered in the Spring semester include:
  • CSHD 0099 - Community Field Placement
  • CSHD 153 - Children's Television Project
  • CSHD 169 - Creating Children's Media
  • CSHD 141 - Independent Study (by instructor consent and with approval of the Director of Undergraduate Program)
  • Courses outside the CSHD may be petitioned to count as applied/research experience by sending a petition to the Director of Undergraduate Program.
  • A course that counts toward the applied/research experience and is offered any semester (including summer) is Fieldwork Abroad
  • It is also possible to fulfill the research/applied requirement by working in one of the Eliot-Pearson labs and receiving academic credit through an independent study.
• Three Electives

Additional Programs

• BA in Child Study and Human Development
• Minor in Child Study and Human Development
• Fifth-Year Master’s Degree Program: BA/MA in Child Study and Human Development
• MA in Child Study and Human Development
• PhD in Child Study and Human Development

Student Resources

• Choosing a CSHD Major Advisor
• Declaration of Major Form
• Major Checklist
• Individualized Plan of Study Form
• Guidelines for Honors Thesis
• E-P Research Fund Application
• All Resources