Child and Family Science, B.S.

Degree Requirements

Major Requirements (58 units)

Tier 1 (13 units)

CFS 31 - Introduction to Family Science Units: 3 (Area 4B)
CFS 38 - Life Span Development Units: 3 (AUGR L/S)
OR
CFS 39 - Introduction to Child Development Units: 3 (AUGR L/S)
CFS 100 - Child and Family Science Units: 3
CFS 153 - Science and Common Sense: Research Methods in HDFS Units: 4

Tier 2 (22 units)

CFS 131 - Family Theories Units: 4
OR
CFS 140 - Theories of Human Development Units: 4
CFS 127W - Write to Change the World Units: 4
OR
CFS 130W - Academic and Scholarly Writing Units: 4
CFS 134 - Cultural Perspectives of Children and Families Units: 4

Tier 2 Electives (10 units)

Select from the following courses:

CFS 3 - Everything You Know About Children and Families is Wrong: Critical Thinking in HDFS Units: 4
CFS 32 - Intimate Relationships Units: 4
CFS 120 - Family Lifehacks aka Family Resource Management Units: 4
CFS 125 - Happiness Across the Lifespan Units: 3
CFS 126 - Media and Youth Development Units: 4
CFS 128 - Cognitive and Language Development in Early Childhood Units: 4
CFS 135 - Parent Education Units: 3
CFS 136 - Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood in a Diverse Society Units: 3
CFS 137 - Care of Infants and Young Children Units: 3
CFS 138 - Infancy and Early Childhood Development Units: 4
CFS 143S - Risk and Resilience Units: 3
CFS 145 - Ethnography in Schools Units: 4
CFS 148 - Therapeutic Play Units: 3
CFS 149 - Children’s Loss and Grief Units: 3
CFS 150 - Family Law and Policy Units: 4
CFS 152 - The Dark Side of Close Relationships Units: 4
CFS 161 - Conflict and Connection in Family Relationships Units: 4
CFS 190 - Independent Study Units: 1-3
CFS 192 - Research Lab Units: 1-3

Tier 3 (8 units)

CFS 139 - Child Development Practicum Units: 4
OR
CFS 179 - Family Life Education Units: 4
CFS 193I - Field Placement in Child and Family Science Units: 3-5 (for 4 units)

Major Electives (15 units)

Select from:

any additional courses from Tier 2 or Tier 3
CFS 5 - Observation and Assessment in Early Child Care Units: 3
CRIM 126 - Women and Violence: Public Policy and the Law Units: 3
CRIM 140 - Family Violence Units: 3
GERON 10S - Journey of Adulthood: Planning a Meaningful Life Units: 3
PH 91 - Human Sexuality Units: 3
PSYCH 42 - Introduction to Statistics and Data Analysis Units: 4
OR
ERE 153 - Educational Statistics Units: 3
SOC 165 - The Family Units: 3
SOC 167 - Sociology of Childhood Units: 3
ECE / CHDEV Courses from Community Colleges (see advising note 2)

Other Degree Requirements

In addition to the major program requirements, every student must also complete the University’s baccalaureate degree requirements such as:

American Government and Institutions (PLSI 2 )
General Education Requirements (43 units)
Additional University Graduation Requirements (9 units)
Upper-Division Writing Requirement
Sufficient Elective Units to Meet Required Total Units (varies); it is recommended that units in this area be utilized to complete a second major or minor.

A full description of the University’s graduation requirements can be found in the Baccalaureate Degree Requirements .

Total Units: 120*

*General Education, Additional University Graduation Requirements, and Upper-division Writing courses can be double counted with major/additional requirements. These courses include CFS 31 (GE Area 4B), CFS 134 (AUGR M/I), and CFS 127W or CFS 130W , . See advisor for details.

Advising Notes

Students with a major or minor in Child and Family Science are required to earn a grade of C or better in all major/minor courses. A grade of CR/NC counts in the major only if it is the sole method of grading specified for a particular course.
Approved transfer courses include the following early childhood education/child development classes that are often used to meet requirements for the State of California Child Development Permit: ECE/CHDEV 1 (Principles and Practices), ECE/CHDEV 3 (Curriculum), ECE4/CHDEV 30 (Child, Family, & Community), ECE 5/CHDEV 20 (Observation & Assessment), ECE 10/CHDEV 37A (Practicum), ECE 40A (Administration I), ECE 40B (Administration II), ECE 45 (Adult Supervision), or their equivalents.
Students who wish to pursue the Family Life Education Certification must complete: CFS 31 , CFS 32 , CFS 38 , CFS 100 , CFS 120 , CFS 131 , CFS 135 , CFS 150 , CFS 179 , CFS 193I (with 3 units of lab for 120 hours of internship hours). More information can be found at https://www.ncfr.org/cflecertification.