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Abraham S. Fischler
College of Education & School of Criminal Justice

B.S. In Child Development Curriculum

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Infants and young children experience life differently than older children. Learn how to assess their progress, meet special needs, and apply developmental research to enhance their lives. With a major in child development, you'll investigate parenting, literacy, and psychosocial development. An advanced senior year seminar will inspire you to research, examine, and analyze current and relevant issues that affect young children and their families.

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General Education Requirements (30 Credits)
Students are required to complete 30 credit hours as part of the General Education Program.

 

Child Development Major (39 credits)

Course Number

Credits

(ECDP 3321
Infant and Toddler Development
/Credits: 3)
(ECDP 3334
Preschool, Primary, and Middle Childhood Development
/Credits: 3)
(EECP 3351
Adolescent Development
/Credits: 3)
(ECDP 3341
Child and Adolescent Mental Health
/Credits: 3)
(ECDP 3338
Cultural and Social Issues in Child Development
/Credits: 3)
(EECP 4330
Promoting Child Health and Safety
/Credits: 3)
(ECDP 4423
Child Abuse and Neglect
/Credits: 3)
(EDEC 2405
Supporting Children & Adolescents with Special Needs
/Credits: 3)
(ECA 0218
Child Observation & Assessment for Decision Making 
/Credits: 3)
(EDEC 4320
Cultural Perspectives in Working with Children and Families
/Credits: 3)
(ECDP 3345
Parenting Theory and Practice
/Credits: 3)
(ECDP 4518
Family Systems
/Credits: 3)
(ECDP 4990 
Advanced Senior Seminar
/Credits: 3)

 

Concentrations (15 Credits)

Students may choose to select one of the following concentrations or any combination of courses across the concentrations to meet the 15-credit concentration requirement:

 

Leadership and Administration (15 Credits)

Course Number

Credits

(ECA 0270
Administration of Child Care and Education Programs
/Credits: 3)
(ECA 2273
Child Care Administration: Organizational Leadership and Management
/Credits: 3)
(ECA 0275
Child Care Administration: Financial and Legal Issues
/Credits: 3)
(ECA 0278
Curricular Programming in Early Childhood Centers
/Credits: 3)
(EDEC 3420
Families of Children with Special Needs: Challenges and Opportunities
/Credits: 3)
*Students completing courses in the Leadership and Administration concentration are prepared to lead in a child care setting and will have satisfied the requirements for the Florida Director Credential.

 

 

Early Childhood Development (15 Credits)

Course Number

Credits

(ECA 0203
Foundations of Early Care and Education
/Credits: 3)
(ECA 0101
Introduction to Early Childhood: Professionalism, Safety, Health, and Learning Environment
/Credits: 3)
(ECA 0112
Introduction to Early Childhood: Physical, Cognitive, Communication, and Creative Development
/Credits: 3)
(ECA 0114
Introduction to Early Childhood Education: Families, Schools and Communities
/Credits: 3)
(ECA 0267
Literacy Development in Multilingual Communities
/Credits: 3)
*Students completing courses in the Early Child Development concentration will have met the required coursework to satisfy the training component necessary to apply for the Child Development Associate Credential.

 

Child Life (15 Credits)

Course Number

Credits

(ECDP 3510
Foundations in Child Life and Family Centered Care
/Credits: 3)
(ECDP 4367
Play and Children Curricular Applications
/Credits: 3)
(ECDP 4510 
Research Methods and Program Evaluation
/Credits: 3)
(HS 3300
Ethical and Professional Issues in Human Services
/Credits: 3)
(HUMN 4100 
Death and Dying
/Credits: 3)
(ECDP 4525
Child Life Internship (Elective)
/Credits: 3)
(ECDP 4520
Child Life Practicum (Elective)
/Credits: 3)
*Students completing the Child Life concentration may satisfy the course requirements set forth by the Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP). The Child Life concentration does not directly lead to the Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) certification upon graduation.
*Students seeking CLS certification must complete a minimum of five courses (15 credit hours) to a maximum of seven courses (21 credit hours) in the Child Life
concentration.
*The Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP) has pre-approved the following courses toward the coursework requirements for eligibility to take the Child Life Professional Certification Examination: ECDP 3510, ECDP 3321, ECDP 3334, ECDP 3351, ECDP 4518, ECDP 4367, HUMN 4100, ECDP 4510, HS 3300, EDEC 4320, and ECDP 3341.  Applicants will need to meet additional requirements before they can be deemed eligible to take the examination.For those interested in learning and understanding the ACLP certification requirements, please visit the Association of Child Life Professional’s website: https://www.childlife.org/certification

 

Curriculum and Instruction (15 Credits)

Course Number

Credits

(EDUC 2010
Foundations of Education
/Credits: 3)
(ESOL 3340
Survey of TESOL for Teachers
/Credits: 3)
(EDUC 3360
Educational Psychology
/Credits: 3)
(EDUC 3525
Practices of Instruction
/Credits: 3)
(EDUC 3535
Educational Assessment
/Credits: 3)
 *Students completing courses in the Curriculum and Instruction concentration can pursue an alternative pathway to teacher certification. All Fischler Academy students are required to complete the Curriculum and Instruction concentration.
* Although completion of this concentration provides a pathway to alternative certification, this degree is not designed to lead to certification or licensure. Candidates seeking teacher certification must pass all required Florida Teacher Certification Examinations (FTCE).

 

Electives (33 Credits)
Select an additional 33 credits of open electives from any courses, including those listed under the concentrations.

See the entire program at a glance. The four-year plan of study will assist you in planning your future at NSU. It presents an overall idea of the order in which courses might be taken in a four-year plan during a student's college career. 

2021-2022 4-Year Plan of Study

2022-2023 4-Year Plan of Study

2023-2024 4-Year Plan of Study

2024-2025 4-Year Plan of Study

The field experiences provide students with an opportunity to perform the duties of a child development professional within an early childhood setting. The purpose of these experiences is to allow students to demonstrate their understanding of the competencies and national guidelines for early childhood professionals. Field experiences are infused into the coursework throughout the degree program.