There is an increasing demand for trained professionals who understand the complex challenges faced by today’s children and their families, many of whom lack adequate access to education, healthcare, and other basic services. The Child Advocacy and Policy major provides students with an interdisciplinary foundation that incorporates the fields of psychology, social work, and the law, to prepare our graduates to serve vulnerable children and their families.
Our curriculum includes the following content areas:
-
Child abuse and neglect, child protection, and the child welfare system
-
Disparities, disproportionalities, and biases in human service work
-
Trauma-informed care
-
Aging out of foster care
-
Child and human trafficking
-
Undocumented, unaccompanied, and immigrant children
-
LBGTQ youth needs and human service systems
-
Juveniles in the criminal justice system
-
Forensic interviewing of children
-
Best approaches and practices to working with vulnerable children and families
In addition, all students complete an internship, which provides students with critical experience in the field and helps make them more competitive in the job market. We also expose students to current professionals in the field and provide them with job readiness preparation and job coaching.
The Child Advocacy and Policy curriculum equips graduates with advanced knowledge and skills to promote the well-being of children and their families in a variety of settings, including child welfare, healthcare, education, law enforcement, human trafficking, immigration, family violence, legislative staff, youth mentoring and other community-based organizations. Graduates generally pursue careers in the nonprofit sector, state agencies, county or local agencies, or school systems.
In addition to our major in Child Advocacy and Policy, the department offers minors in Child Advocacy and Policy and also, Social Work.
Degree Requirements Overview
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| New Student Seminar | 1 | |
| SEEDS General Education | 31-33 | |
| Major Requirements | 42 | |
| Free Electives | 46-44 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| CHAD 100 | Introduction to Child Advocacy and Policy | 3 |
| CHAD 200 | Ecological Systems of the Developing Child | 3 |
| CHAD 201 | Literacy in Child Advocacy and Policy | 3 |
| CHAD 202 | Cultural Competencies in Child Welfare | 3 |
| CHAD 210 | Child Abuse and Neglect | 3 |
| CHAD 212 | Children and Justice | 3 |
| CHAD 300 | Forensic Interviewing of Children | 3 |
| CHAD 302 | Public Child Welfare | 3 |
| CHAD 310 | Child Welfare Research and Evaluation | 3 |
| CHAD 330 | Problems of Childhood: Advocacy and Intervention | 3 |
| CHAD 420 | Practicum in Child Advocacy | 3 |
| CHAD 470 | Senior Seminar in Child Advocacy | 3 |
| SOWK 325 | Helping and Engagement Skills | 3 |
| Elective | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Fatherhood | ||
| Children and the Law | ||
| Current Social Issues in Child Advocacy | ||
| Perspectives on Law | ||
| Legal Research | ||
| Introduction to Public Administration | ||
| State and Local Government | ||
| Public Personnel Administration | ||
| Total Credits | 42 | |
New Student Seminar
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Students in the Adult Learner program must take GNED 100. | ||
| Complete one course from the following. Some courses may be restricted by major. Consult with an academic advisor. | 1 | |
| Pathways to Success | ||
| Freshman Seminar in Chemistry | ||
| First Year Seminar | ||
| Adult Academic Success Seminar | ||
| New Student Seminar | ||
| Freshman Seminar in Health and Physical Education | ||
| Pathways to Adult Learning | ||
| New Student Seminar | ||
| New Student Experience for Mathematical Sciences | ||
| Freshman Seminar for Music Majors | ||
| Introduction to Nursing | ||
| Freshman Seminar in Political Science and Law | ||
SEEDS General Education Requirements
Click here for a listing of courses that fulfill the SEEDS requirements.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Foundations | ||
| Effective Writing I | ||
| Complete one Effective Writing I course. | 3 | |
| Effective Writing II | ||
| Complete one Effective Writing II course. | 3 | |
| Interactive Communication | ||
| Complete one Interactive Communication course. | 3 | |
| Quantitative Reasoning | ||
| Complete one Quantitative Reasoning course. | 3 | |
| Political and Civic Life | ||
| Complete one Political and Civic Life course. | 3 | |
| World Languages | ||
| Complete two sequential classes in one World Language when starting at the Beginner I or Beginner II level. Complete one class when starting at the Intermediate/Advanced Level. | 3-6 | |
| Exploration | ||
| Complete one course from four different Exploration categories. | 12 | |
| Analyzing Cultures and Societies | ||
| Creative Expression | ||
| Ethical Inquiry | ||
| Historical Thinking | ||
| Literary and Artistic Analysis | ||
| Scientific Reasoning | ||
| Total Credits | 30-33 | |
Recommended Roadmap to Degree Completion
This recommended degree plan is provided as an outline for students to follow in order to complete their degree requirements within four years and 120 credits. This plan is a recommendation and MUST be used in consultation with their academic advisor. Important note: Students should be aware this plan assumes no pre-requisite coursework is required. If pre-requisite coursework is needed, students may have additional requirements to fulfill which do not appear on the plan.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| New Student Seminar | 1 | SEEDS: Effective Writing II | 3 |
| SEEDS: Effective Writing I | 3 | SEEDS: Quantitative Reasoning | 3 |
| SEEDS: Interactive Communication | 3 | SEEDS: Exploration 2 | 3 |
| SEEDS: Exploration 1 | 3 | SEEDS: Exploration 3 | 3 |
| SEEDS: Political and Civic Life | 3 | CHAD 201 | 3 |
| CHAD 100 | 3 | ||
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| SEEDS: Exploration 4 | 3 | SEEDS: World Language 2 or Free Elective | 3 |
| SEEDS: World Language 1 | 3 | CHAD 202 | 3 |
| CHAD 200 | 3 | CHAD 212 | 3 |
| CHAD 210 | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
| Free Elective | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| CHAD 300 | 3 | CHAD 302 | 3 |
| Major Elective | 3 | CHAD 330 | 3 |
| Free Elective | 3 | SOWK 325 | 3 |
| Free Elective | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
| Free Elective | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| CHAD 310 | 3 | CHAD 470 | 3 |
| CHAD 420 | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
| Free Elective | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
| Free Elective | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
| Free Elective | 3 | Free Elective | 2 |
| 15 | 14 | ||
| Total Credits 120 | |||