Child Advocacy and Policy (B.A.)

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.

Program Requirements Overview

Unless otherwise noted, 120 credits of coursework is required for a baccalaureate degree with a minimum 2.0 overall GPA, and a minimum 2.0 major GPA.

General Education Requirements42
World Languages and Cultures Requirements3-9
Major Requirements39
Free Electives36-30
Total Credits120

Major Requirements

Required Courses
CHAD 100Introduction to Child Advocacy3
CHAD 200Ecological Systems of the Developing Child3
CHAD 201Literacy in Child Advocacy and Policy3
CHAD 202Cultural Competencies in Child Welfare3
CHAD 210Child Abuse and Neglect3
CHAD 212Children and Justice3
CHAD 300Forensic Interviewing of Children3
CHAD 302Public Child Welfare3
CHAD 310Child Welfare Research and Evaluation3
CHAD 330Problems of Childhood: Advocacy and Intervention3
CHAD 420Practicum in Child Advocacy3
CHAD 470Senior Seminar in Child Advocacy3
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 Credits39

General Education Requirements

Click here for a list of courses that fulfill General Education categories.

A. New Student Seminar
Complete a 1 credit New Student Seminar1
C. Communication
1. Writing 3
2. Literature3
3. Communication3
D. Fine and Performing Arts
Complete a 3 credit Fine and Performing Arts course.3
F. Humanities
1. Great Works and Their Influences3
2. Philosophical and Religious Perspectives 3
G. Computer Science
Complete a 3 credit Computer Science course.3
H. Mathematics
Complete a 3 credit Mathematics course.3
I. Natural Science Laboratory
Complete a 4 credit Natural Science Laboratory course.4
J. Physical Education
Complete a 1 credit Physical Education course.1
K. Social Science
1. American and European History 3
2. Global Cultural Perspectives3
3. Social Science Perspectives 3
Students in P12 Subject Area Teaching programs complete EDFD 200 as part of the Teacher Education sequence.
L. Interdisciplinary Studies
Complete a 3 credit Interdisciplinary Studies course.3
Students in P12 Subject Area Teaching programs complete SASE 210 as part of the Teacher Education sequence.
Total Credits42

World Languages and Cultures Requirements

Click here for a list of courses that fulfill World Languages and Cultures categories.

World Languages
Based on language placement exam, complete one or two sequential courses in the same language. Requirement is automatically fulfilled by language major courses.3-6
World Cultures
Requirement may be fulfilled by course selected in General Education - Social Science: Global Cultural Perspectives. Requirement may also be fulfilled by major coursework. See list of courses.0-3
Total Credits3-9

Recommended Roadmap to Degree Completion

This four-year plan is provided as an outline for students to follow in order to complete their degree requirements within four years.  This plan is a recommendation and students should only use it in consultation with their academic advisor.

First Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
GENERAL EDUCATION: (A) New Student SeminarGENERAL EDUCATION: (C2) Literature
GNED 1991WRIT 1063
GENERAL EDUCATION: (C1) WritingGENERAL EDUCATION: (K1) Social Science – American and European History3
WRIT 1053GENERAL EDUCATION: (F1) Humanities – Great Works and Their Influences3
GENERAL EDUCATION: (C3) CommunicationGENERAL EDUCATION: (H) Mathematics3
CMST 1013CHAD 2013
GENERAL EDUCATION: (D) Fine and Performing Arts3 
GENERAL EDUCATION: (K2) Social Science – Global Cultural Perspectives3 
CHAD 1003 
 16 15
Second Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
GENERAL EDUCATION: (F2) Humanities – Philosophical and Religious Perspectives3GENERAL EDUCATION: (I) Natural Science Laboratory4
GENERAL EDUCATION: (G) Computer Science3World Language II3
World Language I3World Cultures3
CHAD 2003CHAD 2023
CHAD 2103Free Elective3
 15 16
Third Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
GENERAL EDUCATION: (L) Interdisciplinary Studies3CHAD 3023
CHAD 2123CHAD 3303
CHAD 3003CHAD Elective3
Free Elective3Free Elective3
Free Elective3Free Elective3
 15 15
Fourth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
CHAD 3103GENERAL EDUCATION: (J) Physical Education1
CHAD 4203CHAD 4703
Free Elective3Free Elective3
Free Elective3Free Elective3
Free Elective3Free Elective3
 15 13
Total Credits 120