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.
Declaring a Childhood Studies Major
Students may declare themselves as a major in Childhood Studies by going to the Office of the Registrar (bottom floor basement, Armitage Hall Building) and indicating their choice. Once declared, new majors should review the department’s Advising page and contact their faculty advisor to set up an appointment.
Update on major curriculum:
As of January 1, 2025, the Childhood Studies major will no longer require Understanding Childhood Through Statistics (163:460) and a Statistics prerequisite (830:250, 960:183 or 960:283). These courses will be replaced by two additional Childhood Studies electives. The curriculum below reflects this change.
Although these two courses are no longer required for the major, students who have declared their major prior to January 1, 2025 may continue to count Understanding Childhood Through Statistics and the statistics prerequisite as electives, if they choose to do so.
Childhood Studies Curriculum (36 credits)
The 36 credit total is comprised of 15 required credits and 21 elective credits.
Required credits include: Introduction to Childhood Studies (3) and the Senior Seminar (3), as well as coursework in three content areas: Childhood in Global Contexts (3), Childhood in Intercultural Contexts (3), and Childhood and Social Institutions (3). The Senior Seminar requirement may be fulfilled in either the fall or spring of your senior year.
In addition to these required credits, Childhood Studies majors will take an additional 21 credit hours of electives, 12 of which must come from Childhood Studies (163) courses. Any coursework done in Childhood Studies beyond the required credits may count toward elective credits. Additional approved courses from a wide variety of departments, including (but not limited to) Psychology, Sociology, English, History and Criminal Justice, are listed below.
The department has also created a worksheet to help you keep track of your progress through the Childhood Studies major. If you fill in your sheet as best as you are able, and write down any remaining questions that you have, we’ll be much better able to help.
Required Credits (15 credits)
Introduction to Childhood Studies 163:101 (3 credits) — must be successfully completed before enrolling in the Senior Seminar.
Senior Seminar in Childhood Studies 163:480 (3 credits)
Childhood in Global Contexts (3 credits)
One of the following:
- Childhood in Global Cinema (163:240)
- Children and War (163:275)
- Childhood and Violence (163:285)
- Children and Migration (163:370)
- Global Childhoods (163:371)
- Ethnographies of Childhood (163:372)
- Youth Identities and Urban Ecology (163:383)
Childhood in Intercultural Contexts (3 credits)
One of the following:
- History of Youth (163:320)
- Youth in a New Nation (163:325)
- Kids’ Media Cultures (163:350)
- Children’s Books and Illustrations (163:360)
- Young Adult Literature (163:361)
- Children’s Literacies (163:362)
Childhood and Social Institutions (3 credits)
One of the following:
- Child Health and Disparities (163:250)
- Pediatric Medicine (163:255)
- Childhood and Disabilities (163:270)
- Urban Education (163:382)
- Gender and Education (163:384)
- Children’s Geographies (163:388)
Elective Credits (21 credits)
Any Childhood Studies (163) course that is not being counted toward course requirements above may count as an elective. You may also choose to take courses related to children and childhood offered in other programs and departments. Note: At least 12 of your elective credits must come from Childhood Studies (courses with a 163 number). Below is a comprehensive, but not exhaustive, list of approved elective course offerings. If you find a course that you believe fits the criteria for the major, please discuss it with your advisor and seek approval before you take the class. Courses are 3 credits unless otherwise noted.
- Childhood in Global Cinema (163:240)
- Childhoods and Capitalism (163:245)
- Child Health and Disparities (163:250)
- Pediatric Medicine (163:255)
- Children’s Rights (163:260)
- Girlhood Studies (163:265)
- Childhood and Disabilities (163:270)
- Children and War (163:275)
- Childhood and Play: Theories and Practices (163:280)
- Childhood and Violence (163:285)
- Trans Childhoods (163:290)
- History of Youth (163:320)
- Youth in a New Nation (163:325)
- Youth Activism and Art (163:340)
- Kids’ Media Cultures (163:350)
- Toy Design (163:351)
- Developing Minds and Bodies (163:352)
- Children’s Books and Illustration (163:360)
- Young Adult Literature (163:361)
- Children’s Literacies (163:362)
- Childhood and Migration (163:370)
- Global Childhoods (163:371)
- Ethnographies of Childhood (163:372)
- Special Topics in Childhood Studies (163:380)
- Special Topics in Childhood Studies (163:381)
- Urban Education (163:382)
- Youth Identities and Urban Ecology (163:383)
- Gender and Education (163:384)
- Special Topics in Childhood Studies: Health Disparities in Children(163:386)
- Special Topics in Childhood Studies (163:387)
- Children’s Geographies (163:388)
- Understanding Childhood Through Statistics (163:460)
- Child Wellbeing (163:481) (4 credits)
- Service Learning in Childhood Studies 2 (163:491)
- Juvenile Justice (202:322)
- Family Ethics (840:242)
- 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)
- Education in America (512:230)
- Digital Youth Cultures (209:240)