Child Development

If you are passionate about supporting children and families, the Child Development area provides a strong foundation for careers focused on early learning, child well-being, and youth development. Human Development students explore how children grow and learn within the contexts of family, school, community, and culture while developing an understanding of the factors that influence healthy development across childhood. 

Students interested in Child Development often pursue careers in: early childhood education, child advocacy, family services, school-based programs, nonprofit organizations, and youth-serving agencies. The courses and experiences highlighted below can help you build the knowledge and skills needed to work effectively with children and families or prepare for advanced study and professional credentials in related fields. 

Courses Tailored to Child Development

Prerequisites: Completion of at least 60 units.

This course explores the diversity, contributions of, and challenges facing (im)migrant youth from a variety of backgrounds. Students experience firsthand how immigrant youth shape the local landscape of Long Beach through class site visits in immigrant communities (15 hours) and through engagement with interdisciplinary scholarship in class (30 hours).

Prerequisites: GE Foundation requirements, ANTH 120 or HDEV 180 or PSY 100 or SOC 100 with a “C” or better.

Biological, psychological, and sociocultural aspects in the growth of the individual from conception through early adolescence will be considered. Relevant topics and theoretical issues will be treated in an interdisciplinary manner.

Prerequisites: ANTH 120 or HDEV 180 or PSY 100 or SOC 100 with a “C” or better.

This course studies interdisciplinary research on childhood and youth in contemporary Latin America. We examine childhood and youth as social and cultural categories shaped by intersecting concepts of race, class, gender, sexuality, indigeneity, and nation.

This course is designed to examine child and adolescent psychopathology from an interdisciplinary perspective, using anthropological, sociological, psychological, and biological theories to look at some of the contemporary controversies in the study of children’s mental health.

Prerequisite(s): GE Foundation requirements, upper division standing and/or consent of instructor.

Effective Spring 2026 prerequisites will be: Completion of at least 60 units.
This interdisciplinary course uses intersectional and cross-cultural lenses to examine how young people learn about and develop their sociopolitical identities by addressing issues in their local communities and across the world (e.g. racial and gender injustice, educational inequity, policing, climate catastrophe, militarism and war).

In addition, there are programs you can look into that would complement your degree.

Related Minors/Careers

  • Education
    • PK-3 ECE Specialist
    • Academic / School Counselor
    • Early Childhood Development
    • Higher Education Administrator
    • Health Educator
    • Teacher
  • Social Work
    • Social Services Case Worker
    • Family Services Specialist
    • Child Welfare Officer
    • Community Support Clinician
    • Family Advocate
  • Community & Nonprofit
    • Community Nonprofit Director*
    • Childcare Program Coordinator
    • Crisis Center Specialist
    • Nonprofit Worker
    • Peace Corps