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:
- Preschools or other child development programs - courses in the minor help meet requirements for various levels of the Child Development Permit issued by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. See below for advising recommendations on which Minor Electives courses to enroll in.
- Transitional Kindergarten classrooms - courses in the minor meet the additional early childhood education/child development unit requirement to become a Transitional Kindergarten (TK) teacher. Please note, there are additional requirements to become an elementary school teacher (e.g., the multiple subject credential). The Child & Adolescent Development – Elementary Education Teaching Pre-Credential major prepares students to pursue a multiple subject credential.
Program Learning Outcomes
- 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.
- Understand and promote early childhood development and learning across ecological contexts, including homes, schools, and communities.
- 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 (15 units)
| 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 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 minor courses.
Electives (9 units)
Select 9 units from the following:
| Course | Course Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CAD 223 | Infants, Toddlers, and Families | 3 |
| CAD 280 | Early Childhood Internship (formerly CAD 610 + CAD 611) | 3 |
| CAD 326 | Developing Language and Literacy Skills in Young Children | 3 |
| CAD 410GW | Applied Developmental Science: Prenatal Through Early Childhood - GWAR | 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 |
| SPED 370 | Early Development and Neurodiversity | 3 |
| SPED 671 | Inclusive Social-Emotional Development & Equitable Practices for Children & Families in Early Educ | 3 |
| SPED 671 | Inclusive Learning Environments for Young Children | 3 |
| SPED 675 | Working with Families of Young Children with Disabilities | 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