Early Childhood Development Minor

The Early Childhood Development minor is designed to provide undergraduates with a focused exposure to early childhood development, with an emphasis throughout on the promotion and advocacy of social justice through cultural awareness, sensitivity, and responsiveness across the ecological contexts of young children.The minor will provide undergraduates with the theoretical and applied knowledge necessary to understand children’s development and learning. This knowledge will enable them to develop and implement supportive practices in homes, classrooms, and the community that are evidence-based, meaningful, and appropriately challenging.

    This minor is recommended for students who want to work in the following:

      Program Learning Outcomes

      1. Promote and advocate for social justice and be culturally aware, sensitive, and responsive across the ecological contexts of young children, including homes, schools and communities.
      2. Understand and promote early childhood development and learning across ecological contexts, including homes, schools, and communities.
      3. Identify, generate, and apply inclusive and culturally sustaining strategies to support young children’s development across domains.

      Note: CAD (Early Care & Education), CAD (Early Childhood), and Child Development Pre-K to 3rd Grade majors cannot add this minor due to duplication of course requirements

      Courses

      Minor in Early Childhood Development - 24 units

      Students must have maintained at least a 2.0 grade point average (GPA) in minor courses. Consistent with current University policy, courses for meeting the requirements of this minor may, as appropriate, be used simultaneously for meeting general education including the requirement for complementary studies.

      Core (18 units)

      Table of Early Childhood Development Minor core course requirements
      Course Course Title Units
      CAD 210 Introduction to Applied Child and Adolescent Development 3

      Select one:

      CAD 215

      CAD 230

       

      Foundations in Early Childhood

      Principles and Practices in Early Childhood Programs

      3
      CAD 260 Children, Families, and Community: An Ecological Perspective 3
      CAD 330 Curriculum and Development in Early Childhood 3
      CAD 410GW* Applied Developmental Science: Prenatal Through Early Childhood - GWAR 3
      CAD 420 Assessment and Observation with Children 3

      Complete CAD 210, CAD 215 or CAD 230, and CAD 260 (or equivalents) as soon as possible, as they are prerequisites for some upper division minor courses. 

      *If you are not a CAD major, you can request to course substitute CAD 410GW by emailing cad@sfsu.edu
       

      Electives (6 units)

      Select 6 units from the following:

      Table of Early Childhood Development Minor electives course requirements
      Course Course Title Units
      CAD 223 Infants, Toddlers, and Families 3
      CAD 280 Early Childhood Internship (formerly CAD 610 + CAD 611) 3
      CAD 423 Administration of Programs for Young Children 3
      CAD 510 Adult Supervision and Leadership in Early Childhood Programs 3
      E ED 603 Understanding and Supporting Children's Socio-Emotional Development 3
      E ED 616 Multilingualism and Multiliteracies in the Early Years 3

      Advising recommendations for choosing Minor Elective courses:

      • CAD 280:
        If you 1) haven’t completed 3 semester units of supervised field experience in an early childhood setting before, 2) if you want to work with young children and/or 3) if you want to obtain a CA Child Development Permit  

      • CAD 423 + CAD 510:
        If you want to possibly become a site supervisor or director in the future  

      • E ED 603:
        If you still need to meet your UD-D, AERM and SJ requirements 

      • E ED 616:
        If you still need to meet your UD-C, AERM, SJ and GP requirements 

      • CAD 326 Developing Language and Literacy Skills in Young Children:
        You can request to course substitute this course for your Minor Electives by emailing cad@sfsu.edu