Child and Family Studies-Family Studies 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 237, 238 or 317 is selected from the list of optional courses, the course 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 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 the CFS Department. 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 in 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 395/495 or 186/286/386/486 course to meet a concentration requirement.
Proficiency Requirements for Retention in and Completion of the Major—In addition to completing the core course requirements and specified courses within the area of concentration, each student must satisfy department standards for effectiveness in written and oral communication.
Other Considerations and Recommendations—Recommended electives for this concentration are CFS/PSY 231, HLT 111 and HLT 224. Also, for students who are planning to pursue a Master of Social Work degree, MAT 104 and BIO 101 are recommended. For students pursuing double concentrations, if the student chooses to complete two Internships or two Special Topics courses, the two courses must be judged qualitatively different by the Department.