Degrees in Child Development
Earning a degree in child development will allow you to pursue a rewarding and fulfilling career helping young children build crucial life skills. Working with children, whether as a social worker, child advocate, or school counselor will offer daily challenges, but a lifetime of rewards.
With a degree in the field of child development, you will be prepared to advocate for public policy reform, address the special needs of children with physical, mental, or developmental challenges, develop early childhood education programs, and advise educators and parents on child cognitive development.
Training for a career in child development will involve specialized courses that are geared toward children of all ages. Your coursework will include social work, child behavior and development, values and ethics, adolescent psychology, and the like.
The following are some examples of the classes you may take:
- Social Policy Issues in American Childhood
- Social and Emotional Development
- Cognitive and Language Development
- Classroom Management
- Multicultural Issues in Child Development
- Child Health and Nutrition
A graduate program will usually offer students the opportunity to specialize in a specific area of interest and/or a particular age; specializations include: preschool, elementary, and adolescent education; gifted; school social work; early intervention assessment; and special needs.
A bachelor’s degree is usually the minimum education requirement for an entry-level position in health education and social work, while a master’s would be necessary to become a family therapist or counselor; a master’s degree would also be required for administrative and supervisory positions. Research and teaching careers will necessitate earning a PhD.
Fortunately, opportunities for child development specialists continue to grow; career opportunities include the following:
- School psychologist
- School social worker
- Public policy advisor
- Elementary school teacher
- Curriculum developer
- Child policy researcher
- Family counselor
- Educational program evaluator
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that, in 2007, the hourly mean wage for school social workers was $20.15, while social and community service managers earned an average of $28.40 an hour.
Tue, Jul 13, 2010
Bachelor's Degree, Degrees, Doctorate Degree, Master's Degree