Major in Childhood Studies

The bachelor degree 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.

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.

Once enrolled as undergraduates, students may declare themselves to be majoring in Childhood Studies. At that point, students should contact the chair of the Department of Childhood Studies, to set up an appointment for advising.

Core Program Requirements (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

(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) Introduction to Literary Study
(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.

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. Forms are available from Academic Advising or the Center for Children and Childhood Studies. You must obtain a requirements checklist and follow the guidelines.

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, contempaorary issues such as children’s rights, morality, child labor, consumerism and children and the internet.

Elective Courses (15 credits)
At least 6 elective credits must be at the 300-level or above. Only 6 credits from a student's major will be applied to the minor.

Children and Consumer Culture
This course examines how an identifiable children’s consumer culture has emerged historically and has become a visible social, economic and political feature of contemporary society. Emphasis is placed on understanding how marketing, brands and goods directed toward and intended for children contribute to changing notions of childhood and who “who” children are as social beings in contemporary society.

Biology
50:120:106 Human Reproduction and Development (3) Topics include the hormonal control of reproduction, infertility, artificial insemination, "test tube" babies, sex manipulation, abortion and miscarriage, genetic counseling, and birth defects.

Economics
50:220:316 Economics of Health and Health Care (3)* Topics include health and healthcare related issues, healthcare services, health behaviors, smoking, alcohol and drug abuse, health disparity, and government policy.

50:220:366 Special Topics in Economics (3)* A course in a specially selected topic.

History
50:512:371 History of Childhood in America (3)

50:512:480 Special topics in History (3)* A course in a specially selected topic.

Psychology
50:830:206 Psychology of Marriage and the Family (3) The psychological study of interpersonal behavior within family units, both nuclear and extended; addresses conjoint personal development, communication networks, and intrafamily conflict.

50:830:325 Psychology of Childhood (3) The study of child behavior and development up to and including late childhood. Development of motor abilities, language, intelligence, social and emotional behavior and attitudes, with emphasis on the prevention of maladjustment.

50:830:326 Psychology of Adolescence (3) The study of adolescence. Each stage treated with reference to the particular problems and deviations characteristic of it. Emphasis on continuity between stages of adolescence.
50:830:458, 459, 460, 463, 464 Special Topics in Psychology (2-3) * A course in a specially selected topic. 50:830:383 Educational Psychology (3) Examines how individuals develop and learn, with particular emphasis upon the classroom. Includes motivation, student interests, creating a healthy learning climate, language development, testing, and individual differences.

Religion 50:840:340
Religious and Ethical Issues in the Family (3) Examines the complex moral and social issues faced by families today including: dealing with marriages in a culture of divorce, the rights of gay and lesbian partners, domestic violence, the meaning of family love, and how to raise children in our complex world.

Sociology, Anthropology, Criminal Justice
50:070:308 Childhood and Culture (3) The study of childhood in various societies with attention to the socialization process in a variety of cultural contexts (e.g., family, peer groups, and social or religious institutions).

50:070:485 Special Topic in Anthropology: Childhood Health and Illness (3)

50:202:322 Juvenile Justice (3) Juvenile offenders and the changing perception of juvenile crime; the legal status of juvenile offenders and the role of the family court in preventing delinquency.

50:202:363 Topics in Juvenile Justice (3) Perspectives of leading practitioners in the juvenile system. Emphasis on juvenile justice as a career.

50:920:306 Sociology of the Family (3) A comparative study of the institutions of marriage and the family in various societies with special emphasis on the contemporary American family.

50:920:323 Sociology of Childhood and Adolescence; emphasis on interaction in various types of families and peer groups.

50:920:345 Sociology of Education (3) Examines the interaction between schools and society and explores basic social concepts, such as stratification, social role, and bureaucratic organization in relation to the educational system. Analyzes the educational system itself with an emphasis on both stated objectives and actual social functions.

50:920:445, 446, 447, 448, 463 Special Topics in Sociology (1-3)* A course in a specially selected topic

English

50:350:246 Literature of Childhood (3) A study of the meaning and importance of literature read and enjoyed by children, focusing on folklore, fantasy, and adolescent fiction.

50:350:393,394 Special Topics in Literature (1-3)* A course in a specially selected topic.

50:350:391,392 Special Topics in American Lit. (3)* A course in a specially selected topic.

50:350:391,392 Special topics in Film (3)* A course in a specially selected topic.

Please note: *Special Topics courses are approved for Childhood Studies credit on a course by course basis. Lists of approved courses are available on the childhood studies website at http://childhood.camden.rutgers.edu Other courses may be approved for Childhood Studies credit by the Program Director. Some of the above courses have departmental prerequisites.

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 the appropriate graduate program director.

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

These tracks, offered in collaboration with Camden Community College, are designed for undergraduate and graduate students interested in careers as early childhood practitioners or administrators. There are two academic tracks: Practitioner, and Administrative.

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 a 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 in them requires State-mandated health screenings and criminal background check

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

Courses

Class Schedule for Fall 2007

Class Schedule for Spring 2008

The following undergraduate courses will be offered by the department in addition to the courses listed under the core program requirements.

Practicum (3 credits)

Provider students with theory of, training in, and practical experience with the delivery of direct services to children. Intended for students seeking experience within the institutions that influence children’s lives, such as schools, courts, counseling centers, and state and local agencies.

Fieldwork (3 credits)

Provides advanced childhood studies majors with an opportunity to integrate and expand their knowledge of childhood through applied experiences in the community. Students are encouraged to develop their own placements, but may consult with the instructor for help in establishing a placement. Students are expected to meet with the instructor regularly throughout the term keep a journal of their experiences, and complete a class project/paper.

Advanced Research (3 credits)

Students conduct original research under the direction of a faculty member. This course can be repeated for credit.

Special Topics: Childhood Studies I and II (3 credits, 3 credits)

            A theme in childhood studies is considered. A major paper is required

Directed Readings (3 credits)

Readings connected to a research are analyzed and discussed. Topics are selected to reflect research projects currently underway on the campus.

Senior Seminar (3 credits)

Students apply the skills acquired through the interdisciplinary study of the child to the analysis of a topic selected in consultation with the instructor. A major paper is required.

History of Youth (3 credits)

            This course will provide an historical look at adolescent development

Capstone in Childhood (3 credits)

Students will write a major interdisciplinary paper in their senior year.