Bachelor of Arts in Family Studies – Concentration in Early Childhood
Overview
We offer a major that is flexible in content and has an emphasis on practical application. Students have an opportunity to explore functional and dysfunctional family systems dynamics and to take courses focused on childhood and adolescence, trauma, familial relationships, and family counseling. Individuals who want to work with families, couples, or children will be set up for success with a Bachelor of Arts in Family Studies from Arizona Christian University.Arizona Christian University.
Mission Statement: Arizona Christian University’s Family Studies program prepares students to assist families through service and research by framing relevant knowledge and skills with a biblical worldview.
Vision Statement: The vision of ACU’s Family Study Major program is to graduate superior evaluators of family study research and theory, Christ-like practitioners, and agents of change in the lives of families.
Graduates are prepared to:
- Demonstrate methods to connect with their young learners’ families.
- Create family education programs for preschools and schools.
- Discuss benefits of early childhood intervention.
- Prepare and present resources for families who are seeking help.
- Integrate special education theory with lesson preparation for young children.
- Analyze and optimize the strategies currently in place in schools, classrooms, and other social service agencies.
Why Early Childhood at ACU?
In addition to a faculty to student ratio of 17:1 and a rigorous and biblically-integrated curriculum, ACU’s Family Studies program offers several unique advantages:
- Our unique department is staffed with clinically-active faculty, who are able to provide insightful information based on their vast professional experiences.
- Students will graduate as provisionally Certified Family Life Educators by the National Counsil on Family Relations.
- What is Family Life Education? (https://www.ncfr.org/index.php/cfle-certification/what-family-life-education)
- This is a terminal degree, therefore students are prepared to enter the workforce or their graduate studies with significant confidence in their educational experiences.
- For over 20 years, many of our graduates have continued their studies to pursue careers as licensed marriage & family therapists, counselors, and social workers.
- Early Childhood Fieldwork, Poverty and its Effects, Human Development of the Young Child, Early Learning Environments
What will I study?
Following completion of a Bachelor of Arts in Family Studies – Early Childhood from ACU, students will:
- Be able to identify and evaluate psychological, spiritual, physical, and social contributors to optimal human development
- Be able to evaluate families and their functioning using research and systemic theories
- Be able to design, implement, and evaluate family life education programs
- Explore and evaluate societal issues that impact families
- Explore career options
Undergraduate students are introduced to fascinating topics through mandatory and elective courses that are often preserved for graduate studies, including:
- Trauma and families
- Play therapy
- Family structure and dynamics
- Parent/child relations
- Gender studies
- Family resource management
- Grief and loss in families
- Public policy
- Transformational marriage
- Early learning environments
- Poverty
Career Paths
Graduates are well-equipped to continue their education to become licensed marriage and family therapists, children’s counselors, to pursue family law careers, or to advance their careers in social work, child life, or ministry. Students graduate prepared to pursue careers as a preschool teacher, childcare center director, family support specialist, early childhood case manager, parent aid, case manager, early childhood public policy advocates, children’s ministry leaders & pastors.
- Marriage and Family Therapists
- Children’s Therapists
- Trauma Therapists
- Social Workers
- Child Behavioral Specialists
- Case Managers
- Ministries (Family, Children’s, Women’s)
- Motivational Speakers
- Victim Witness Advocates
- Child Protective Services
- Public Policy and Lobbying (i.e., sex-trafficking, child protection)
- Coaching
Graduate education preparation for programs such as Human Development, Educational Leadership, Health Care Administration, Ministry, Public Policy, Counseling, Family Studies
Department of Human Development and Family Studies
Arizona Christian University
Building 2000
1 W. Firestorm Way
Glendale, AZ 85306
Phone:
(602) 489-5300
Email:
[email protected]
Academic Major Courses
Core requirements accumulate to 30 credits, 15 credits of General Biblical and Theological Studies courses and 8 credits of foreign language courses. 3 credits of Upper Division Biblical and Theological Studies electives are required.
Course | Course Name | Credits |
---|---|---|
FAM 200 | Family Resource Management | 3 |
FAM 316 | Family Structure and Function | 3 |
PSY 320 | Cross-Cultural Counseling | 3 |
FAM 332 | Public Policy and the Family | 3 |
FAM 425 | Parent/Child Relations | 3 |
FAM 435 | Family Life Education | 3 |
FAM 490 | Family Studies Capstone | 3 |
PSY 210 | Statistics for Behavioral Studies | 3 |
PSY 212 | Research Methods | 3 |
FAM 261 | Human Development for Young Child | 1 |
FAM 314 | Adolescent Psychology | 3 |
FAM 409 | Child Life | 3 |
FAM 411 | Child Life Internship I | 3 |
FAM 412 | Child Life Internship II | 3 |
FAM 414 | Loss, Bereavement, & Dying | 1 |
FAM 415 | Introduction to Play Therapy | 1 |
FAM 416 | Trauma and Families | 1 |
FAM 440 | Gender Studies | 3 |