Child and Family Studies-Child Development BA
Exploring the Major— In addition to taking key General Education requirements, students considering any Child and Family Studies concentration should enroll in CFS 130, CFS 145, CFS 207 (also WGS), and CFS 221 during their first and second years, if possible. If CFS 317 is selected from the list of optional courses, it can be taken during the second year.
Admission to the Major— Admission into the major requires the following: an overall GPA of 2.00; an average GPA of 2.3 in CFS classes completed at the time of declaration of major; a successful formal interview and positive recommendation by an assigned CFS faculty member assigned by the Department Chair; completion of a handwritten, well-constructed essay explaining why the student wants to become a CFS major; and a majority vote of acceptance by the CFS faculty. A student who already has been formally accepted into another major at Berea and wants to transfer to a CFS major must make this request in writing to the Department Chair of CFS. A student who is eligible for the declaration of major process, is currently enrolled in said student’s first CFS class, and is interested in pursuing a CFS major should contact the Department Chair of the CFS Department.
Course Sequencing Considerations (in order to complete degree requirements within eight terms)— CFS 130 and CFS 207 (also WGS) are prerequisites for upper-level courses and are offered every regular term. Upper-level courses sometimes are offered only once a year or alternate years, so early curricular planning is very important. If a student elects to take CFS 395/495 to fulfill a major requirement, the Internship may be completed after the first year is completed. However, the Department recommends that CFS Internships be completed after the sophomore or junior year. Most CFS Internship placements are during the Summer terms. Students, including those with a dual concentration, may use only one department-approved CFS 186/286/386/486 and/or 395/495 to meet a concentration requirement.
Proficiency Requirements for Retention in and Completion of the Major— The Department recommends that each Child Development student acquire a minimum of 100 hours of approved direct contact with children. This may be met through any combination of labor assignments, teaching practicum, community service, or course-related activities. In addition to completing the core course requirements and specified courses within the area of concentration, each student must satisfy departmental standards for effectiveness in written and oral communication.
Other Considerations and Recommendations— Two recommended electives for this concentration are, HHP 221, and PSY 213. Also, for students who are planning to pursue a Master of Social Work or Occupational Therapy degree, MAT 104 and BIO 101 are highly recommended. Students who are planning to pursue teacher certification at the graduate level should consider taking additional courses in the child development concentration. These would be above and beyond what is required for graduation but would help prepare them for an early childhood education graduate program.
For students pursuing double concentrations, if the student chooses to complete two Internships or two Special Topics courses, counting one toward each area of concentration, the two courses must be judged qualitatively different by the Department.