Family Science and Human Development - Families, Children, and School Settings Concentration with Teacher Certification in Elementary School Teacher in Grades K-6 (B.A.)

The Bachelor of Arts degree in Family Science and Human Development prepares students for careers working with individuals, children, youth, and families as practitioners and educators in a multitude of community, school, and workplace settings. Our unique, interdisciplinary approach provides students with both theoretical foundations and their applications for working with people. Students examine the various cultural, community, and socioeconomic contexts in which families function and study interventions used to support individuals and families across the life span, from infancy to old age. They learn approaches grounded in social justice, diversity, and equity, and have opportunities to practice new skills with community engagement experiences.

The Families, Children and School Settings-K6 concentration is designed to provide a pathway for students to pursue teacher certification in Elementary Education (K-6). Minimum GPA requirement of 3.0 both overall and in the major.  Students who wish to pursue K-6 teacher certification in Elementary Education must apply and be admitted to the Teacher Education Program.  Once admitted, students will be matriculated into the B.A. in Elementary Education program as a second major.

Admission to the Teacher Education program is a separate process that students complete sophomore to junior year. Please visit the Teacher Education Program website for the required professional sequence of courses and other important program requirements, guidelines, and procedures. Students also are strongly advised to review the Teacher Education Program Handbook.

Program Requirements Overview

General Education Requirements24
World Languages and Cultures Requirements3
Major Requirements36
Teacher Education Program Requirements51
Free Electives6
Total Credits120

Major Requirements

Family and Child Studies Core
FSHD 101Introduction to the Content Areas in Family Science and Human Development3
FSHD 248Family Life3
FSHD 304Research Methods for Studying Families and Human Development3
FSHD 315Community Engagement3
or FSHD 316 Service-Learning Experiences with Families and Children
FSHD 418Working with Diverse Families and Children3
FSHD 445Poverty and Families3
Developmental Core
FSHD 214Child Development I3
FSHD 314Child Development II: Adolescence3
PSYC 101Introduction to Psychology3
Major Electives
Complete 9 credits of any available FSHD courses.9
Total Credits36

Second Major in Elementary Education

Elementary Education (B.A.)

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 Seminar course.1
C. Communication
1. Writing 3
2. Literature3
3. Communication
Fundamentals of Speech: Communication Requirement (Fulfilled in the Teacher Education sequence.)
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
Philosophical Orientation to Education (Fulfilled in the Teacher Education sequence.)
G. Computer Science
Complete a 3 credit Computer Science course.3
H. Mathematics
Mathematics in Elementary Schools I (Fulfilled in the Teacher Education sequence.)
I. Natural Science Laboratory
Complete one 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
Historical Foundations of American Education (Fulfilled in the Teacher Education sequence.)
2. Global Cultural Perspectives3
3. Social Science Perspectives
Introduction to Psychology (Fulfilled in the Teacher Education sequence.)
L. Interdisciplinary Studies
Perspectives on Early Childhood and Elementary Education in a Democracy (Fulfilled in the Teacher Education sequence.)
Total Credits24

World Languages and Cultures Requirements

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

World Languages
Based on placement exam complete one or two sequential courses in one language.3-6
World Cultures
Poverty and Families (Fulfilled in major.)
Total Credits3-6

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 Seminar1GENERAL EDUCATION: (C2) Literature3
GENERAL EDUCATION: (C1) Writing3GENERAL EDUCATION: (C3) Communication3
 4 6
Second Year
 SpringCredits
 Apply to the Teacher Education Program
 EDFD 2203
 MTHM 2013
  6
Third Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
FSHD 3143ECSE 3393
MTHM 3023ECEL 4083
READ 3993 
ECEL 2793 
 12 6
Fourth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
ECEL 4121ECEL 4149
ECEL 4102-3ECEL 4213
ECEL 4273 
READ 4083 
 9-10 12
Total Credits 55-56