Major	Minor	B.A./M.A.	Undergraduate Courses	Early Childhood Education
CS Undergraduate Program - Two-year Course Schedule (2011 - 2013)

Congratulations to STEPHANIE SEAY, winner of the inaugural Outstanding Graduating Senior Award in Childhood Studies!

	Class Schedule for Spring 2011
Additional 2010 Fall Course Information for Childhood Studies majors and minors

Major in Childhood Studies

The bachelor degree in Childhood Studies prepares practitioners and beginning scholars to understand childhood in interdisciplinary contexts. Graduates have the analytical skills necessary to work effectively with children, an appreciation of the diversity of paths through childhood and adolescence, and a commitment to the welfare of children throughout the world. Students interested in working in Early Childhood programs as certified teachers or administrators may choose to concentrate in Early Childhood Education.  A combined BA/MA option is also available for qualified students.

Admissions
Students seeking to obtain the Bachelor of Arts of Childhood Studies must be admitted to the Camden College of Arts and Sciences or to University College, Camden. The process for admission into these colleges is described here.

Declaring a Childhood Studies Major
Once enrolled, undergraduate students may choose to declare themselves as majoring in Childhood Studies by going to the Registrar’s office (1st floor, Armitage Building) and indicating their choice.  At that point, students should contact the Childhood Studies secretary, Sandra Hill, at sandhill@camden.rutgers.edu or 856-225-6741, to set up an appointment with a department adviser.

Please read the following information carefully:

Fall 2010 entering students and all future students:

All students entering Rutgers University (including transfer students) from the Fall 2010 semester forward who are interested in majoring in Childhood Studies or who will declare their Childhood Studies major at any point after Spring 2010, will follow the curriculum listed below (this is for the general BA degree; the requirements for the ECE concentration remain the same).

All other CS majors:

If you are already a Childhood Studies major you will continue to follow the curriculum in place when you first declared your major (scroll down to find those requirements).

CS Minors: 

There are no changes to the Childhood Studies minor requirements.

New Childhood Studies Curriculum 2010

The new Childhood Studies curriculum requires that in addition to the Introduction to Childhood Studies and the Senior Seminar, students will complete coursework in three content and/or skills areas:  Childhood in Global and Intercultural Contexts (6 credits), Childhood and Social Institutions (3 credits) and Methods in Childhood Studies (6 credits).  In addition, Childhood Studies majors will take 15 credit hours of electives from a wide variety of courses that span many different departments, including (but not limited to) Psychology, Sociology, English, History and Criminal Justice.

Core Program Requirements for the 2010 curriculum (36 credits)

a) Required Courses (21 credits)

Introduction to Childhood Studies (3 credits)

(i) Introduction to Childhood Studies (163:101)

Children in Global and Intercultural Contexts (6 credits)

(ii) Children and Migration (163:370) OR Youth Identities and Urban Ecology (163:383)

AND History of Youth (163:320) OR Youth in a New Nation (163:325) OR Children’s Books and Illustrations (163:360) OR Literature of Childhood (350:360) OR Young Adult Literature (163:361)

Childhood and Social Institutions (3 credits)

(iii) Urban Education (163:382) OR Service Learning in Childhood Studies (163:481/491)

Methods in Childhood Studies (6 credits)

(iv) Statistics (830:250 OR 960:183 OR 960:283) AND Understanding Childhood Through Statistics (163:460)

Senior Seminar (3 credits)

(v) Senior Seminar (163:480)

b) Electives (15 credits)

Elective coursework must be on topics related to children and childhood.  Your elective coursework should range across disciplines and not be confined to one department.  Courses of interest that may be applied to a minor in Childhood Studies include any Childhood Studies course (all 163 numbers) and the following courses:

(i) Any Childhood Studies course not counted above

(ii) A variety of upper-level courses (300 +) on topics related to children or childhood, including, but not limited to

• Juvenile Justice (202:322)
• Family Ethics (840:340)
• Sociology of the Family (920:306)
• Psychology of Childhood (830:226)
• Psychology of Adolescence (830:326)
• Childhood and Culture (070:308)
• Sociology of Childhood and Adolescence (920:323)
• Educational Psychology (830:301)
• Family and Gender in Historical Perspectives (512:371)
• American Child in Literature (352:347)
• Literary Constructions of Childhood (350:361)
• Children’s Literature in Print and Film (350:362)

For questions pertaining to the Childhood Studies major or minor please contact the Department of Childhood Studies (856-225-6741) for an adviser.

Core Program Requirements for current Childhood Studies majors (36 credits)

a) Required Courses (9 credits)

i) Introduction to Childhood Studies
ii) Statistics I
iii) Senior Seminar in Childhood Studies

i) Psychology –Or- Sociology/Anthropology (This means that students must either complete the three psychology classes identified below OR the three sociology/anthropology classes identified below).

(1) Psychology

(a) Introduction to Psychology
(b) Method and Theory
(c) Psychology of Childhood –Or- Psychology of Adolescence

(2) Sociology/Anthropology

(a) Introduction to Sociology
(b) Method and Techniques of Social Research
(c) Childhood and Culture –OR– Childhood and Adolescence

i) English –Or– History (This means that students must either complete the three English classes identified below OR the three History classes identified below).

(1) English

(a) Critical Methods in English
(b) Literature of Childhood
(c) Literature of Adolescence –Or- American Child in Literature and Culture
(d) -OR- Literary Constructions of Childhood

(2) History

(a) Perspectives on History
(b) Family and Gender in Historical Perspective
(c) History of Childhood in America

(1) Three upper division courses on topics related to childhood or children.

Contact: Angela Connor (856) 225-6739
ibconnor@camden.rutgers.edu
or
Ingrid Campbell (856) 225-6739
ingridc@camden.rutgers.edu

The bachelor’s degree in Childhood Studies with an emphasis in early childhood provides students with a strong foundation in early childhood education theory and practice with the opportunity to focus on two academic specializations: practitioner (applied) or administration (leadership). The early childhood concentration program provides specialized preparation for students interested in working with children ages birth to eight. Field experience provides extensive opportunities to put theory into practice and occurs in multiple and diverse settings including: early childhood education centers, Early Head Start and Head Start classrooms and Preschool to Grade 3 public classrooms. Students that enroll within the practitioner track are eligible to apply for advanced standing in the Teacher Preparation Program P-3 teaching endorsement.

The practitioner track prepares students with the coursework necessary to teach young children effectively. Students following this track may also enroll in courses required in order to quality for the New Jersey State Infant/Toddler Credential. Students in this track may also pursue P-3 certification through collaboration with the Rutgers-Camden Teacher Preparation Program, conditional on: 1) successful completion of the academic requirements, and 2) recommendations from faculty teaching practitioner-track courses.

The administrative track provides the coursework and experiential experiences required to obtain the New Jersey Early Childhood Administrators Credential, which is required in New Jersey for those who seek to direct early childhood education centers.

Entrance Requirements
Both programs require the maintenance of a minimum GPA of 2.9. Students seeking certifications must schedule interviews with the coordinator of the Early Childhood Education Tracks.
Students seeking certifications must enroll in appropriate Practica, or fieldwork courses. Only students in satisfactory standing in the program may take these courses, and enrollment requires State-mandated health screenings and a criminal background check.

ECE Courses

ECE Rotation Schedule for 2010 - 2011

Core Courses-Early Childhood Concentration Required (9)

Psychology of Childhood 830:325
Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Environments 163:391
Children and Culture 070:308

Practitioner Track Courses Required (9)

Designing an Early Childhood Environment 163:392
Curriculum Development I (CCC) HSR 133
Behavior Management in ECE (CCC) HSR 139

Administrator Track Courses Required (13)

Director’s Academy 163:395
Leadership Through Mentoring Practice in ECE* 163:396
Management and Budgetary Practice in ECE* 163:397
Principles of Effective Supervision in ECE * 163:398
(*These three courses make up the NJ ECE Administrators Credential)

Additional ECE Courses

RUTGERS-CAMDEN:
Infant Toddler Mental Health
Sociology of the Family
History of Childhood in America Literature of Childhood
Family Ethics Educational Psychology
Sociology of Education

CAMDEN COUNTY COLLEGE:
Children’s Health
Quantitative Concepts: Preschool
Creative Art:ECE
Social Studies & Science: Preschool
Language Arts and Emergent Literacy

Minor in Childhood Studies

The minor draws on many disciplines including Anthropology, Psychology, Sociology, Criminal Justice, English, History, Religion, Economics and Biology. Childhood Studies provides instruction and information to those directly responsible for ministering to children's needs and formulating policies affecting their lives and futures and equips individuals to make informed decisions concerning children and youth.

Declaring a Childhood Studies Minor
You may declare a minor at any time.

Core Program Requirements (18 credits)

Required Course (3 credits)
50:163:101 Introduction to Childhood Studies (3) This course examines provides students with an understanding of childhood as an historical and social phenomenon and addresses various, contemporary issues such as children’s rights, morality, child labor, consumerism and children and the internet.

Elective Courses (15 credits)

Elective coursework must be on topics related to children and childhood.  Your elective coursework should range across disciplines and not be confined to one department.  Courses of interest that may be applied to a minor in Childhood Studies include any Childhood Studies course (all 163 numbers) and the following courses:

• Juvenile Justice (202:322)
• Family Ethics (840:340)
• Sociology of the Family (920:306)
• Psychology of Childhood (830:226)
• Psychology of Adolescence (830:326)
• Childhood and Culture (070:308)
• Sociology of Childhood and Adolescence (920:323)
• Educational Psychology (830:301)
• Family and Gender in Historical Perspectives (512:371)
• American Child in Literature (352:347)
• Literary Constructions of Childhood (350:361)
• Children’s Literature in Print and Film (350:362)

For questions pertaining to the Childhood Studies major or minor please contact the Department of Childhood Studies (856-225-6741) for an adviser.

Dual Degree (B.A./M.A) Program in Childhood Studies

Who is eligible for this program? Students with a high school GPA of 3.5 and a combined verbal and math SAT score of 1200. Those entering the program must be fulltime and maintain a 3.0 GPA. Interested students may also meet with the Graduate Director to determine eligibility.

The Graduate Program Director sends the student a letter of acceptance into the dual degree program before the April pre-registration period. A copy of this letter is sent to Admissions, to the Records Division of the Registrar's Office and to the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies.

During pre-registration advising on the student's senior year schedule, using a special permission number, the student is registered for ONE graduate course in fall of the senior year. This course is taken along with his/her regular undergraduate courses. The undergraduate tuition rate is charged for it, and the credits are double counted (i.e. they are part of the 120 credits required for the BA or BS and are also counted toward the MA or MS).

Five-year B.A./M.A. Program in Childhood Studies Program Timeline

Fall/Senior Year: Following the registration procedure described above, the student is registered for ONE graduate course to be taken in the spring semester of the senior year.

Spring/Senior Year:

1. The student formally applies to the Graduate School, following all normal procedures.
2. The student is awarded the Baccalaureate degree.

Having been formally admitted to the graduate school, the student may begin taking courses in either the summer or the fall after graduation. Upon entering graduate school, the student will already have completed two of the courses required for the Master's degree. He/she will also have saved approximately $3200 in graduate tuition.

NOTE:

1. No student may take more than TWO graduate courses while an undergraduate student. (Exception: BA/MPA Program)
2. No student will be classified as a graduate student and coded school 56 until the Baccalaureate degree has been awarded.

Questions about this option should be directed to Dr. Daniel Cook, Director of Graduate Studies in Childhood Studies (dtcook@camden.rutgers.edu).

Undergraduate Courses

The courses listed below represent the full slate of Childhood Studies courses.  Not all of these courses will be scheduled every semester, of course.  Typically, the semester’s course schedule will be posted prominently on the website in the semester prior to their offering.  Please familiarize yourself with the course descriptions as you make your choices and before you talk to an adviser.  Please see the curriculum above for more information on what is required for a CS major or how to complete a concentration in Early Childhood Education.

163:101            Introduction to Childhood Studies                      (3 credits)
This course examines various ways that childhood has been discussed, researched and understood as a social phenomenon and social institution. Course materials are selected to illustrate how various notions of childhood and “the child” impact cultural understandings regarding the “nature” of children. Historical as well as contemporary research and perspectives are used to address such issues as changing definitions of childhood, changing age norms, the idea of children as social actors, race, gender and social class aspects of children’s experiences, children’s rights and child labor and work in a global context.

163:320            History of Youth                                        (3 credits)
This course explores Americans’ changing ideas about who young people were and what constituted a good childhood. The turn of the twentieth century witnessed an unparalleled enthusiasm for the future of young people. From concerns for newly emancipated young slaves and Civil War orphans, to the heady dreams (and anxieties) unleashed by young people in The Age of Aquarius, the course will track the history of youth in the twentieth century, asking how changing definitions of children—from “youth” to “adolescents” to “teenagers”—were influenced by social, political and cultural change in twentieth century America.

163:325            Youth in a New Nation                                   (3 credits)
This course examines the lives of American young people from colonial times to the Civil War.  Course readings will include information about the participation of children and youth in such important historical events as the Salem Witch Trials, slavery, and civil war.   The course will grapple with important questions such as what does “childhood” mean when young people are engaged in or affected by “adult” pursuits and occurrences?

163:350            Kids’ Media Cultures                                            (3 credits)
This course examines relationships between children, childhood and media from historical, cultural, social, political and psychological perspectives. Radio, film and television along with digital media and new technologies will be examined, as will certain types of print media. Coursework focuses on the ways in which media have and continue to be understood both as threatening to childhood and as liberating/empowering for children.  The course will also explore extensions of kids’ media culture into everyday life (e.g., clothing, food, education) and the use of media by children.   Students will be expected to conduct research on a topic relevant to course materials.

163:352            Developing Minds and Bodies                                       (3 credits)
This course examines the history of adults’ effort to sculpt and standardize children’s development. Children are, by definition, in a constant state of becoming. Year after year, they get bigger, smarter and more mature, while adults seem obsessed with observing, measuring, and even controlling their growth. Should little boys be given hormones just because they might grow up to be short? Can three-year-olds legitimately be diagnosed with severe psychiatric disorders? We will ask questions about young sporting bodies (can children truly choose to devote themselves to highly competitive physical training in kindergarten?) and developing sexual bodies (should sexuality be part of elementary school curricula?). Students should be prepared to engage in thoughtful analysis of these questions, without the expectation of clear answers.

163:360            Children’s Books and Illustration                (3 credits)
This course surveys poetry, prose, drama, and illustrated books for children, primarily from the Anglo-American tradition, over the three-hundred year history of its development.  The study of children’s literature constitutes a valuable field of critical inquiry important to understanding literary history, the cultural construction of childhood, the history of childhood, and the development of children’s culture and visual literacy. The course will consider techniques and style in writing and illustrating books for young audiences.

163:361            Young Adult Literature                             (3 credits)
This course surveys classic and contemporary examples of adolescent literature from prose, graphic novels, film and television.  The goal will be to read widely in the literature and popular culture that represents the adolescent experience particularly, but not exclusively, from the American perspective.  One focus of the course will be to reflect the diversity of experiences in the adolescent population according to race, gender, ethnicity, etc.

163:362            Children’s Literacies                                          (3 credits)
This course considers the ways in which “literacy” has expanded beyond learning to read and write. The literate child must negotiate not only traditional textual and visual formats such as picture books, animated television programs and novels, but also websites, hand held devices, and film.   Students will learn both the historical contextualization of children’s literacy and be introduced to multi-modal and transmedia texts available to--and at times created by--children and young adults, including websites, iPhone Apps, fan fiction, graphic novels and vooks in order to gain a deep understanding of the multiple literacies of childhood.

163:370            Childhood and Migration                             (3 credits)
This course considers the unprecedented movement of children around the world in the 21st century. The movement of children around the globe may result in losses of family, friends, culture and language and give rise to considerable challenges of adaptation and integration. Students will have the opportunity to examine the migration of children by drawing on international case studies from Europe, North and South America, Southern Africa and the Middle East. The course will include critical examination of theories of migration and their applicability to children and issues of integration into host societies.

163:371            Global Childhoods                                      (3 credits)
This course considers the 20th and 21st centuries as eras of globalization in which traditional social and familial structures are breaking down. Within this context children’s experiences are infused by influences from across the globe. In this course we will examine the extent to which children are impacted on by global factors including cultural and religious diversity and hybridity, transnational families and interethnic relationships. Salient issues will include children’s identity in a globalized world, the maintenance or erosion of tradition, the impact of travel and the impact of globalization on children’s cultural worlds. The course will draw on international examples of globalization and the interrelationships between local and global factors in children’s worlds.

163:380            Special Topics in Childhood Studies                      (3 credits)
This course provides an in-depth examination of a topic or theme related to the study of children and childhood.  Topics will rotate.

163:381            Special Topics in Childhood Studies                      (3 credits)
This course provides an in-depth examination of a topic or theme related to the study of children and childhood.  Topics will rotate.

163:382            Urban Education                                        (3 credits)
This course explores the ways in which urban schools are created as social, cultural, economic and political institutions.  The relationship between schools and their urban environments will be explored, as well as how schools contest or perpetuate inequalities along racial, social class, ethnic and gender lines.  The course will also consider contemporary school reform movements and their contexts.

163:383            Youth Identities and Urban Ecology                     (3 credits)
This course considers how urban ecologies shape the identities of youth coming of age in cities within the US and across the world and investigates the multiple roles of youth, paying particular attention to how identities are informed by structure of race, ethnicity, class, gender and sexuality.  The contexts in which youth identities are examined include neighborhood, school, work, family and peer groups.

163:384            Gender and Education                            (3 credits)
This course explores the relationship between gender and education, focusing primarily on the context of K-12 schooling.  Through multi-disciplinary social science studies, films, and biographical narratives, students consider the ways in which gender is socially constructed within schools.  We explore the construction and contestation of gendered identities through multiple mechanisms including within-school social interactions, practices, policies, and structures, as well as through broader socio-cultural norms.  How do the media, family life, and government shape patterns of gender within schools?  Also, the course will explore briefly trends in gender and higher education as well as international trends in girls’ education. 

163:391            Observation and Assessment in ECE                        (3 credits)
This course develops the students’ ability to choose and utilize appropriate early childhood assessment tools relevant to children from birth to age 8. The course will convey the connection between child and environmental assessments that promote best practice and strengthen family-program partnerships to meet the individual needs of children in a high-quality program.

163:392             Design of Child Environment                                  (3 credits)
The course provides a comprehensive overview of environments that encompass birth to age 8 settings to ensure early childhood professionals are able to plan and support developmentally appropriate environments and promote best practice that meet the diverse needs of children, staff and families.

163:394             Social and Emotional Development                    (3 credits)
This course introduces infant/toddler mental health and the interaction processes essential to promote quality infant-toddler programs in center, family based and other relevant settings. The course will cover topics such as attachment, separation and loss, and separation and individual construct, as well as using observation to further enhance the child and primary caregiver relationship.

163:395             Directors’ Academy                                         (4 credits)
This course develops students’ ability to support early childhood education staff in a center-based environment. The course will assist the student in developing appropriate skill sets in the areas of promoting best practices, staff support and development, introduction to management issues, strategic planning, facilities improvement and family/community engagement. *This course fulfills the NJ Department of Family Development (DFD) 60-hour course required for NJ Childcare Center and Afterschool Directors and Administrators.

163:396             Leadership Practicum*                           (3 credits)
This course develops students’ ability to build effective partnering relationships between mentors and protégé. The course will focus on the skills required to practice reflective and supportive supervision, the development of effective staff development experiences, and evaluation. Includes study of supervisory models and staff evaluation. *This course fulfills one of the three major components of the National Association of the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Director’s Credential.

163:397             Management in ECE*                                       (3 credits)
This course develops students’ ability to create and support fiscal oversight for an early childhood program, regardless of its size or funding auspices. The course will convey how sound management policies include long-range fiscal planning and operating budget preparation, reconciliation and review to promote a program’s mission and vision. * This course fulfills one of the three major components of the National Association of the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Director’s Credential.

163:398             Staff Supervision *                                                (3 credits)
This course  develops students’ ability to create and support personnel policies in a high-quality early childhood program, regardless of its size or funding auspices. The course will incorporate reflective supervision to enhance staff attraction and retention practices that meet current employment regulatory requirements and anti-discrimination mandates. * This course fulfills one of the three major components of the National Association of the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Director’s Credential.

163:400             Directed Readings                                          (3 credits)
This independent study course focuses on readings connected to a research project. Topics are selected to reflect research projects currently underway on the campus. **This course is by permission only and should only be undertaken by advanced students who have an established relationship with a faculty member who is willing to supervise the course.

163:460            Understanding Childhood Through Statistics            (3 credits)
This course provides students with the skills necessary to understand, critique, and produce quantitative information concerning children. Childhood is frequently characterized in terms of numbers, charts, correlations, and other means that rely upon the manipulation of quantitative information.  Students will learn the strengths and limitations of different methods used to acquire quantitative information about children and childhood, and will also use statistical programs to analyze data and to present results of analyses in readily interpretable displays.  An introductory statistics class is a recommended prerequisite. 

163:480            Senior Seminar in Childhood Studies                      (3 credits)
This course serves as the capstone course for the Childhood Studies major and is open to graduating seniors (in their last semester of coursework) only.  Students apply the skills acquired through the interdisciplinary study of children and childhoods to the analysis of a topic selected by the instructor. A major paper is required.

163:481            Service Learning in Childhood Studies 1            (3 credits)
This advanced course enables students to work directly with organizations and institutions that assist Camden’s children and youth.  The course consists of both classroom time and a service component in which students, under the supervision of their instructor, will volunteer within the Camden community. Although the focus of each service learning course will be children and childhood, the specific topic and service assignment of the course will rotate.

163:491            Service Learning in Childhood Studies 2            (3 credits)
This advanced course enables students to work directly with organizations and institutions that assist Camden’s children and youth.  The course consists of both classroom time and a service component in which students, under the supervision of their instructor, will volunteer within the Camden community. Although the focus of each service learning course will be children and childhood, the specific topic and service assignment of the course will rotate.

Archived Files

CS Undergraduate Program - Expected Two-year Course Schedule (2010-2011)