COURSE CURRICULUM

The Child Development option at Southeast Missouri State University is designed to prepare students for professional work with children, youth, and families across a variety of educational, social service, and community settings. It combines foundational coursework in human development and family studies with specialized training focused on children’s learning, behavior, health, and welfare.The program begins with core courses that explore relationships, family systems, and developmental stages from early childhood through emerging adulthood. Students study how children grow and develop in different cultural and social contexts, including courses on family theories, parent-child interactions, and cultural influences on child development. Ethical practice and professional responsibility are also emphasized to prepare students for real-world work in human services.The Child Development option then builds deeper applied knowledge in areas such as children’s health, safety, and nutrition, as well as guidance and discipline strategies. Students also learn how to observe and assess child behavior, support creative expression, and understand learning processes across different age groups including infants, preschoolers, school-age children, and adolescents.Additional coursework focuses on program management and leadership in child and youth services. This includes family child care administration, school-age care programs, legal and administrative decision-making, and professional program development. Students also gain critical awareness of child welfare issues, including maltreatment, advocacy, trauma-informed care, and systems responses to abuse and neglect.The curriculum is strengthened by supporting courses in education, psychology, and children’s literature, helping students understand both the developmental and educational needs of children. A major feature of the program is the Child Development Career Internship, where students complete supervised professional experience working directly with children, families, or related organizations. This internship serves as a capstone experience that integrates academic learning with practical application.Overall, this degree prepares graduates for careers in childcare administration, early childhood education support roles, family services, youth programs, advocacy organizations, and other human service fields. It also provides a strong foundation for graduate study in education, social work, counseling, or child development-related disciplines.