Child Development Program Overview
Set out on a fulfilling career path that equips you to make a positive difference with young people by earning a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology with a concentration in Child and Adolescent Development at Southern New Hampshire University.
In your child development classes online, you’ll learn how humans develop from birth through adolescence and gain the necessary knowledge to work with young people in a variety of settings.
SNHU’s child psychology degree – delivered across 8-week terms – can prepare you to enter a graduate program in psychology, counseling or another area within the social sciences. With the opportunity to earn an embedded Certificate of Data Literacy in Psychology, as well as 39 free electives, you'll get a lot out of this transfer-friendly program.
It can also prepare you for a wide range of careers within fields such as social services, education and health care.
Learn how to:
- Apply research methods
- Gain sociocultural and international awareness
- Improve communication skills
- Understand the developmental process of children and adolescents
- Think critically
Career Outlook
If you choose to earn a child development degree, it's likely because you have a passion for helping others and want to better the lives of young people. Whether you want to use the knowledge for your current workplace, a new career or to continue your education, you'll be able to pursue a broad range of options.
“This (child and adolescent development) concentration allows students to create, innovate, teach and become leaders in the child development field," said 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. Possibilities include:
- Working in child welfare positions
- 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
With your bachelor's degree, you'll also have opportunities that, on first glance, may appear to be outside of the psychology scope. And according to the BLS, each of these roles makes more than the annual median wage of all workers, and the job outlook for each of them is faster than the average.1
- Market research analyst: 20% growth projected through 2028 and 2019 median annual pay of $63,790
- Social and community service manager: 13% growth projected through 2028 and 2019 median annual pay of $67,150
- Human resources manager: 7% growth projected through 2028 and 2019 median annual pay of $116,720
SNHU's psychology programs also set you up for the skills today's employers want. According to the American Psychological Association2, organizations seek applicants that can:
- 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
Should you decide to pursue a graduate degree in the same field for your career, SNHU offers online both a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, as well as a Master of Science in Psychology, which has 3 concentrations – including one in child and developmental psychology.
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 understand how they develop, and learn about ways to support healthy development. Courses cover a broad range of topics, from normal development to disorders that can affect a child’s life and education.
“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.
Upon graduation, you can 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 Development and Adolescent Development 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.
Another benefit of the program is working with instructors who have real-world experience, are passionate about psychology – and about helping 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.
SNHU's faculty encourage active participation in class discussions, and many instructors invite students to participate in optional special research projects to engage in experiential learning and gain even more professional experience.
The online format allows you to participate and learn when it works best for you without sacrificing interactivity and support. SNHU can also help you succeed with a variety of aids, including dedicated advisors, online tutoring and a Writing Center.
Should you decide that the child and adolescent concentration is not the right fit, 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
Tuition rates for SNHU's online degree programs are among the lowest in the nation. We 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
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$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.
Additional Costs
No Application Fee, $150 Graduation Fee, Course Materials ($ varies by course)
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.
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