The Department of Child and Adolescent Development is committed to students achieving their personal and professional goals and graduating in a timely manner. Electronic versions of forms, worksheets and advisement materials can be found at the Department’s website. Students are strongly encouraged to use the Department’s advising resources, such as My Academic Planner, to plan coursework for the major. The Department encourages students to meet with faculty members outside of class (i.e., during posted office hours and by appointment) to discuss their academic progress and post-graduation career plans. Three courses in the Department (i.e., CADV 250, 495A and 495B) provide students opportunities to develop personalized post-graduation pathways.

Students are encouraged to use the list of degree requirements in the Catalog in planning and selecting coursework for the degree. One advantage of the interdisciplinary nature of the major is that students often have multiple options for courses that meet the same degree requirement. To select the best course, students should carefully read the Catalog descriptions of each available option to ensure the best match between their interests and the coursework description.

Advisement workshops are offered on a regular basis and are open to current and prospective students. One-on-one advising appointments are available for current majors via the AdvisorTrac system.

The major will be of interest to a wide range of students, including those who are interested in direct-service careers with children and families (e.g., preschool/early childhood education, counseling, school psychology, occupational therapy, clinical social work, nursing, child life, early intervention, behavior therapist, family law, etc.), as well as indirect-service professions (e.g., educational researchers, college professors, policy analysts, lobbyists, consultants, school administrators, politicians).

Given the broad interdisciplinary focus of coursework leading to the degree, students can tailor their coursework to prepare for a host of professional programs.

Most professional careers in the field of child and adolescent development require advanced degrees and/or credentials and/or licenses as well as relevant work experience. After completing the Bachelor of Arts degree, many students are well-situated to pursue advanced degrees and credentials leading to careers, including but not limited to early childhood education teachers, elementary and secondary school teachers, special education teachers, school counselors, school psychologists, school administrators, school board members, educational researchers, child and family attorneys, child psychologists and therapists, licensed clinical social workers, pediatricians and obstetricians, registered nurses, child life specialists, genetic counselors, occupational therapists, college/university professors, career counselors, community/youth agency administrators, educational consultants, policy and legislative analysts, and politicians.

The purpose of the Department Honors Program is to recognize and support the development of exceptional Child and Adolescent Development undergraduate students. The Department Honors program allows students the opportunity to engage in advanced level coursework to better prepare for graduate coursework and/or careers in the field of Child and Adolescent Development. Interested students should consult the Department of Child and Adolescent Development website for details and an application. Admission to the Department Honors Program is granted by approval of the Department Honors Committee.

To be eligible to apply for the Department Honors program, a student must:

1. Be a declared Child and Adolescent Development major.
2. Have completed or be currently enrolled in CADV 380/L.
3. Have a minimum 3.00 cumulative GPA.
4. Have a minimum 3.50 GPA in all upper division Child and Adolescent Development courses taken at CSUN (first-semester transfer students should report grades from their prior university/college).
5. Have earned a score of 10 or higher on the Upper Division Writing Proficiency Exam.

Program Requirements:

If admitted, students in the Honors in Child and Adolescent Development program must:

1. Complete honors sections of the following courses with a B+ or better:
   • CADV 381H/L Methods of Child and Adolescent Study II and Lab (3/1)
   • CADV 470H Advanced Theories in Child and Adolescent Development (3)
2. Successfully complete CADV 495A (3) and CADV 495B (3).
3. Successfully complete a Department Sponsored Internship (i.e., CADV 394 and CADV 494).
4. Maintain a portfolio of their honors assignments from the required courses above.
5. Present a project at the Department of Child and Adolescent Development Honors Forum. The project must be conducted under the supervision of a faculty member in Child and Adolescent Development and may be an empirical research project, a literature review project, or a community project.
6. Maintain a minimum 3.50 GPA in all of their upper division coursework for the major.

If an Honors student fails to meet or maintain any of the requirements of the program, he or she will be immediately dropped from the program.
Upon successful completion of the program, students will receive an Honors designation on their diploma and transcript.

The Child and Adolescent Development Association (CADA) is a student organization affiliated with the Department of Child and Adolescent Development. CADA strives to enrich the lives of its members by providing career, academic and professional development activities. The Association also provides opportunities for students to develop social and professional networks within the field of child and adolescent development, education and child psychology. All students on campus regardless of major are welcome to join. For more information, visit www.csun.edu/cada or send email to cada@my.csun.edu.

Relevant Professional and Scholarly Organizations

Students are encouraged to explore regional, national and international organizations in and related to the field of child and adolescent development. Many professional and scholarly organizations allow undergraduate students to join as student members. Becoming a member of a professional organization can increase networks necessary for future employment and future graduate schooling. In addition many organizations provide specialized training opportunities and/or scholarships for undergraduate students. Department faculty members are actively involved in many of the following professional organizations, including but not limited to the Society for Research in Child Development, the Society for Research on Adolescence, the American Educational Research Association, the National Association for the Education of Young Children, the National Council on Family Relations, the American Psychological Association, the Western Psychological Association and the Association for Psychological Science.

Department-Sponsored Internship

Students may choose to complete a year-long academic internship at an approved local community agency contracted with the Department. The community agencies represent a broad spectrum of settings and career opportunities in the field of child and adolescent development. Students who choose to complete the internship must successfully complete two courses taken over two consecutive semesters. The assignments and activities in internship courses support students’ experiential learning through self-reflection and the application of theory/concepts. In these courses, students earn a grade of Credit/No Credit.

In addition to the on-campus seminars, students complete approximately 180 hours of service over two semesters in a community-based setting serving children and adolescents (approximately 6-7 hours per week). The Department holds a Pre-Internship Information Session and Internship Fair each Spring semester which provides students opportunities to learn more about the Department-Sponsored Internship program. Information about the Department-Sponsored Internship Program can also be found at the Department Internship webpage.