UT Dallas 2024 Undergraduate Catalog

School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences

Child Learning and Development (BS)

Providing better ways to foster the intellectual and emotional development of children is a national priority. Well-educated university graduates are needed to become expert child development practitioners and researchers. The academic disciplines of developmental psychology and child development have accumulated a vast body of research-based knowledge about the factors that promote optimal child learning, development, and well-being. The Child Learning and Development major provides undergraduate students with a rigorous science-based curriculum that immerses them in the theories, findings, research methods, and best practices that the scientific study of child development has to offer.

The Child Learning and Development major focuses on the fundamental processes of child and adolescent development within the contexts of families, schools, peer groups, and larger cultural milieu. It provides students with a strong foundation in 1) cognitive, language, and socio-emotional development, 2) research skills for conducting and evaluating scientific studies, and 3) translating scientific findings into practical applications for understanding and improving children's lives. In addition to coursework, students may also take advantage of opportunities for supervised and independent research, as well as field placements that involve working with children, families, schools, and social services.

The Child Learning and Development major prepares students for a wide range of careers in education, psychology, social work, family medicine, public health, family law, and public policy. The major is especially well suited for students seeking elementary teacher certification (early childhood - 6th grade) through UT Dallas' Teacher Development Center. By combining a major in Child Learning and Development with elementary teacher certification, students develop a strong foundation in child development and teaching. Elementary Teacher Certification requires a minimum of 45 additional semester credit hours of coursework that can be completed within the free elective semester credit hours of the Child Learning and Development major. If you are interested in this combined child development/education program (called CLD/EC6), see an advisor to develop a degree plan.

Bachelor of Science in Child Learning and Development

Degree Requirements (120 semester credit hours)

View an Example of Degree Requirements by Semester

Faculty

Professors: Candice M. Mills, Margaret Tresch Owen, Pamela R. Rollins, Melanie J. Spence

Associate Professors: Shayla C. Holub, Mandy J. Maguire, Jackie Nelson, Andrea Warner-Czyz

Professors Emeriti: Susan W. Jerger, John W. Santrock

Professors of Instruction: Karen Huxtable-Jester, Nancy Juhn, Emily Touchstone

Associate Professor of Instruction: Meridith Grant

I. Core Curriculum Requirements: 42 semester credit hours1

Communication: 6 semester credit hours

Select any 6 semester credit hours from Communication Core courses (see advisor)

Mathematics: 3 semester credit hours

Select any 3 semester credit hours from Mathematics Core courses (see advisor)

Life and Physical Sciences: 6 semester credit hours

Select 6 semester credit hours from Life and Physical Sciences Core courses

Language, Philosophy and Culture: 3 semester credit hours

Select 3 semester credit hours from Language, Philosophy and Culture Core courses

Creative Arts: 3 semester credit hours

Select 3 semester credit hours from Creative Arts Core courses

American History: 6 semester credit hours

Select 6 semester credit hours from American History Core courses

Government/Political Science: 6 semester credit hours

Select 6 semester credit hours from Government/Political Science Core courses

Social and Behavioral Sciences: 3 semester credit hours

PSY 2301 Introduction to Psychology2

Or select any 3 semester credit hours from Social and Behavioral Sciences Core courses (see advisor)

Component Area Option: 6 semester credit hours

PSY 2317 Statistics for Psychology2

or STAT 1342 Statistical Decision Making2

or STAT 2332 Introductory Statistics for Life Sciences2

AND one of the following:

PSY 2314 Lifespan Development

PSY 2364 Animal Communication

CGS 2301 Cognitive Science

Or select any 6 semester credit hours from Component Area Option Core courses (see advisor)

II. Major Requirements: 36 semester credit hours

Major Preparatory Courses: 6 semester credit hours (0 semester credit hours beyond Core Curriculum)

PSY 2301 Introduction to Psychology2

PSY 2317 Statistics for Psychology2

or STAT 1342 Statistical Decision Making2

or STAT 2332 Introductory Statistics for Life Sciences2

Major Core Courses: 21 semester credit hours

CLDP 3303 Normal Language Development

or CLDP 3305 Language and Literacy Development

CLDP 3310 Child Development

or CLDP 3339 Educational Psychology

CLDP 3332 Social and Personality Development

CLDP 3342 Exceptional Children

or CLDP 4344 Child Psychopathology

CLDP 3362 Cognitive Development

or CLDP 3365 Child Learning

PSY 3392 Research Design and Analysis

CLDP 3394 Research and Evaluation Methods2

Major Related Courses (15 upper-division semester credit hours)

Guided Electives: 3 semester credit hours of one of the following:

CLDP 4394 Internship

or BBSU 3310 Community-Based Service Learning

or CLDP 4390 Directed Research and Writing

or CLDP 4391 Individual Study and Writing

or CLDP 4395 Co-op Fieldwork

or CLDP 4397 Thesis Research

or CLDP 4V96 Teaching Internship

or CLDP 4V98 Directed Research

or CLDP 4V99 Individual Study

Plus 12 semester credit hours of courses with CLDP prefix or any of the following courses: CGS 3342, CGS 4314, CGS 4315, CGS 4352, CGS 4353, ED 4352, ED 4363, ED 4357, NSC 4352, NSC 4353, NSC 4354, NSC 4367, PSY 3331, PSY 3333, PSY 3361, PSY 4331, PSY 4343, PSY 4359, PSY 4362, PSY 4373, SPAU 3301, SPAU 3304, SPAU 3340, SPAU 3343, SPAU 3344, SPAU 3345 or SPAU 4308.

Free Electives: 42 semester credit hours

Students are encouraged to explore areas of concentration in Child Learning and Development as well as explore interests outside the field.

The plan must include sufficient upper-division courses to total 45 upper-division semester credit hours.

Incoming freshmen must enroll and complete requirements of BBSU 1100.

Fast Track Baccalaureate/Master's Degrees

UT Dallas undergraduate students with strong academic records who intend to pursue a master's degree in Human Development and Early Childhood Disorders (HDCD) at UT Dallas may consider an accelerated undergraduate-graduate plan of study. If accepted into the HDCD fast track program, as undergraduates, students may take up to 15 semester credit hours of graduate courses that may be used to complete the baccalaureate degree and also to satisfy requirements for the master's degree. Students must maintain a 3.000 grade point average and earn grades of B or better in graduate courses taken.

Students should apply for Fast Track admission in the semester they reach 90 semester credit hours. To qualify for application, undergraduate students must have completed at least 18 semester credit hours in major core courses at UT Dallas. To be eligible for Fast Track admission in Human Development and Early Childhood Development (HDCD) master's degree program, students must have completed at least 90 semester credit hours toward a baccalaureate degree, completed a minimum of 36 hours of general education core curriculum classes, and meet program admission requirements. Apply to the Fast Track program through the HDCD Program Office. Students should consult with a graduate advisor regarding admissions criteria and plans of study.

Minors

Students must complete 18 semester credit hours including 9 required semester credit hours of foundation coursework and 9 semester credit hours of guided electives. At least 12 semester credit hours must be upper-division courses, of which at least 9 semester credit hours must have been completed at UT Dallas.

Minor in Child Development

18 semester credit hours

This minor is well suited for students pursuing Elementary Teacher certification and for those generally interested in the psychological development of children. Students majoring in Psychology or Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences may minor in Child Learning and Development provided that no course is used to satisfy both major and minor requirements.

Foundation Courses: 9 semester credit hours

Choose three courses from the following:

PSY 3310 Child Development

or PSY 3339 Educational Psychology

PSY 3332 Social and Personality Development

PSY 3362 Cognitive Development

Guided Elective Courses: 9 semester credit hours

Choose three courses from the following:

PSY 3342 Exceptional Children3

PSY 4344 Child Psychopathology

PSY 4373 Psychological Assessment

PSY 4394 Internship in Psychology

or ED 4693 Student Teaching - Elementary (approval of the Teacher Development Center required)

SPAU 3303 Normal Language Development3

SPAU 3305 Language and Literacy Development

SPAU 4308 Language Disorders in Children

Other courses as approved by the Associate Dean

1. Curriculum Requirements can be fulfilled by other approved courses from institutions of higher education. The courses listed are recommended as the most efficient way to satisfy both Core Curriculum and Major Requirements at UT Dallas.

2. A required Preparatory course that also fulfills a Core Curriculum requirement. Six (6) semester credit hours are counted in Core Curriculum.

3. Required for EC-6 Teacher Certification.

Updated: 2024-04-26 09:56:24 v8.505ba0