Skip to main content
Child psychologist working with child with text "Fatma Salem Pease '19"

Online Child Psychology Degree BA in Psychology Concentration

Clock Icon
Register By: October 23 Classes Start: October 25
Apply Now

Earn Your Child Psychology Degree Online

  • $320/credit
  • Accredited by NECHE
  • Prepare to work with children and families
  • Transfer up to 90 credits
  • Earn a data literacy certificate
  • Learn from faculty with real-world experience
Request Info Apply Now

Child & Adolescent Development Program Overview

Make a difference in the lives of young people with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology with a concentration in Child and Adolescent Development at Southern New Hampshire University.

This program will take you through key developmental stages, from birth through adolescence, to give you a deeper understanding of the human experience. You'll develop the knowledge, skills and techniques you'll need to work with young people of various ages in a variety of settings.

"This program has taught me how to think outside of the box and to look at everything around me through multiple perspectives. I also gained a deeper understanding of people in terms of what makes them behave the way they do," said Jovella Browne '21.

Learn how to:

  • Apply research methods
  • Gain sociocultural and international awareness
  • Improve communication skills
  • Understand the developmental process of children and adolescents
  • Think critically

Earning your BA in child psychology at SNHU will help to equip you with the tools you'll need to set out on a fulfilling career path. With a BA in child psychology, you could work in a number of fields, including social services, education and healthcare. You'll also have the opportunity to earn a Certificate of Data Literacy in Psychology.


8 Types of Psychology with Real-World Perspective

The study of psychology can be personally and professionally rewarding. Among the many concentrations in the field you can find diverse opportunities to learn about how people interact with one another in relationships, in the workplace and more.

Career Outlook

By earning your BA in child and adolescent development, you could turn your passion for helping others into a successful career bettering the lives of young people. Whether you're looking to become more proficient in your current field or thinking about starting a new career, this program is designed to help you take advantage of more opportunities.

Heather Gianatassio with the text Heather Gianatassio“This (child and adolescent development) concentration allows students to create, innovate, teach and become leaders in the child development field," said Dr. Heather Gianatassio, an adjunct instructor at SNHU. "They learn to use research and real-world experience to provide the best possible care to children and families in a variety of settings.”

While the bachelor's program does not lead to licensure, it prepares you to work in fields such as education, social services and health care. Potential responsibilities include:

  • Working with child welfare cases
  • Helping children learn in preschools
  • Supporting education in K-12 schools
  • Assisting parents with development of good parenting skills
  • Playing a support role in the healthcare system

Earning your bachelor's degree at SNHU can also prepare you for careers beyond the field of psychology:

  • Market research analyst: Study market conditions to help companies better understand what products customers want. The BLS projects a 22% job growth through 2030, much faster than the national average. The median annual wage was $65,810 in 2020.1
  • Social and community service manager: Support the community's well-being by coordinating beneficial programs and organizations. The BLS projects a 15% job growth through 2030, faster than the national average. The median annual wage was $69,600 in 2020.1
  • Human resources manager: Plan, coordinate and direct an organization's administrative functions and inform strategic planning for the company. The BLS projects a 9% job growth through 2030. The median annual wage was $121,220 in 2020.1

SNHU's psychology degree programs also set you up for the skills today's employers want. According to the American Psychological Association, organizations seek applicants that can2:

  • Analyze and solve complex problems
  • Be part of a team
  • Communicate – possess both oral and written communication skills
  • Demonstrate technology skills
  • Display analytical reasoning skills
  • Show ethical judgment and strong decision-making skills

Latisha Aguilar with the text Latisha Aguilar For Latisha Aguilar '21, an instructional aid in her local school district, her BA in child and adolescent psychology helped her develop something else - something she could take beyond the classroom for years to come. "After obtaining my degree at Southern New Hampshire University, I really feel [my degree has] given me the confidence that I've always lacked."

Should you decide to pursue a graduate degree in the same field for your career, SNHU offers both an online master's in clinical mental health counseling, as well as an online master's in Psychology, which has 3 concentrations – including one in child and developmental psychology.

Start Your Journey Toward an Online Child & Adolescent Degree Concentration

Courses & Curriculum

By completing your child psychology courses online, you can gain an in-depth understanding of the unique physical, social, psychological and cognitive needs of young people. You'll explore how to support healthy development from birth through adolescence. Each course takes a closer look at a variety of topics, from normal development to disorders that can affect a child’s life and education.

Dr. Jill Tschikof with the text Dr. Jill Tschikof“By encouraging our learners to develop their critical-thinking skills, understand the importance of empirical data and apply key principles, we prepare them to be ready to work with children and adolescents in a variety of settings,” said Dr. Jill Tschikof, an adjunct instructor at SNHU.

In addition, the embedded certificate in Data Literacy in Psychology, provided to all eligible students in the program, helps you develop the knowledge and skills needed to synthesize data and communicate your findings.

Upon graduation, you'll come away with a broad set of skills you can apply in a variety of careers, particularly positions requiring an in-depth understanding of interpersonal relationships and human development. These skills include:

  • Understanding the major concepts of child and adolescent development and the ability to apply them to the real world
  • Becoming familiar with disorders in childhood and adolescence and their impact on society
  • Refining observational skills
  • Using research methods to design studies and analyze, interpret and present data
  • Thinking critically and creatively
  • Using written and oral communication to interact with others and communicate your ideas clearly
  • Gaining awareness of sociocultural differences and how they influence behavior
  • Learning to set aside personal preconceptions and biases that prevent objective observation
  • Understanding ethics and how to apply them in real work situations

In this program, you'll take 12 credits in the child and adolescent concentration. While your child and adolescent courses are required, you'll have the opportunity to choose from a number of other psychology classes that you're interested in to complete the remaining 2 courses in the concentration – including an optional internship or an experiential learning project that you can use to build your resume and gain networking experience.

With 39 free elective credits available, this is a very transfer-friendly degree, so you can apply as much of your previous coursework as possible.

Another benefit of the program is working with instructors who have real-world experience, are passionate about psychology and want to help you succeed in the field.

“As instructors, we are committed to equipping our students with a broad set of educational skills that they can use to tackle evolving challenges faced by today’s youth,” Tschikof said.

Jovella Brown with the text Jovella BrownFor Jovella Browne '21, the support of her instructors was a factor that set SNHU apart from other universities. "Throughout my journey, I’ve had the privilege of learning from some great people. They all had different teaching styles and they all knew how to engage the class with rich discussions."

There's also a great deal of flexibility built into SNHU's online degree programs. With 24/7 online access, you can complete your coursework on your schedule.

"I just feel like I have to celebrate not only obtaining my degree, but Southern New Hampshire University for being there and being the type of school and institution that it is to allow people like myself that are mothers, wives and career people to complete school," says Latisha Aguilar '21.

If you decide that the child and adolescent concentration is not the right fit, don't worry. SNHU's online psychology degree program offers 5 other concentrations: addictions, applied psychology, forensic psychology, mental health and social psychology. You also have the option to earn a general psychology degree and select 12 elective credits from the wide range of psychology courses we offer.

Curriculum Requirements & Resources

  • General education courses: All bachelor's students are required to take general education classes, if not obtained in prior coursework. Through these foundation, exploration and integration courses, you'll learn to think critically, creatively and collaboratively, giving you the edge employers are looking for.
  • Technology resources: We provide cloud-based virtual environments in some courses to give you access to the technology you need for your degree – and your career. Learn more about our virtual environments.
  • Earn math credits for what you already know: Save time and tuition with our Pathways to Math Success assessments. Depending on your scores, you could earn up to 12 math credits – the equivalent of 4 courses – toward your degree for less than $50 per assessment.

Tuition & Fees

As a private, nonprofit university, we’re committed to making college more accessible by making it more affordable. That’s why we offer some of the lowest online tuition rates in the nation—and haven't raised our costs in a decade.

We also offer financial aid packages to those who qualify, plus a 30% tuition discount for U.S. service members, both full and part time, and the spouses of those on active duty.

Online Undergraduate Programs Per Course Per Credit Hour Annual Cost for 30 credits 
Degree/Certificates $960 $320 $9,600
Degree/Certificates (U.S. service members, both full and part time, and the spouses of those on active duty)* $675 $225 $6,750

Tuition Rates are subject to change and are reviewed annually. *Note: students receiving this rate are not eligible for additional discounts.

Additional Costs No Application Fee, $150 Graduation Fee, Course Materials ($ varies by course)

Frequently Asked Questions

University Accreditation

Southern New Hampshire University is a private, nonprofit institution accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) as well as several other accrediting bodies.

References