Graduate Specialization

The Interdepartmental Graduate Specialization in Infancy and Early Childhood is available as an elective for students who are enrolled in master’s and doctoral degree programs in the departments of Anthropology,  Communicative Sciences and Disorders; Counseling, Educational Psychology and Special Education; Food Science and Human Nutrition; Human Development and Family Studies; Kinesiology; Psychology; and Sociology, in the Educational Specialist degree program in the Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology and Special Education; in the Master of Social Work degree programs in the School of Social Work; in the Master of Science in Nursing degree program in the College of Nursing; and in the graduate–professional degree programs in the College of Human Medicine and the College of Osteopathic Medicine. The College of Social Science administers the specialization in collaboration with the School of Social Work,  the cooperating units, an executive committee, and an advisory committee comprised of faculty members from each participating unit.

The quality of life during the first five years of human development provides the foundation upon which all subsequent development is built. As a result of advances in biomedical technology, social–cultural conditions, and legislation, increasing attention is being directed toward the optimal development of infants and their families.

The specialization is designed to prepare practitioners to meet the challenges of service delivery for very young children and their families and is based on the philosophy that a interdisciplinary educational program is the best educational experience for professionals who will work with infants, very young children, and their families. The specialization is also designed to provide a knowledge base that will facilitate the work of graduates who pursue careers in agencies, institutions, and government organizations that offer services to very young children, as well as those who pursue careers in teaching and research relevant to the needs of infants, very young children, and their families.

The Interdepartmental Graduate Specialization in Infancy and Early Childhood will: 

1. Provide an opportunity for graduate students to obtain a comprehensive and contemporary academic experience in the field of infancy and early childhood development. 
2. Help graduate students with an interest in working with very young children to become aware of their professional obligations and responsibilities. 
3. Develop an intellectual environment that will foster the growth of research and teaching in the area of human infancy and early childhood development, as well as sensitize students to clinical, educational, and social policy issues related to early human development. 
4. Increase public awareness of the critical importance of the early years of human development.

A student who is enrolled in a master’s, educational specialist, doctoral, or graduate–professional degree program in one of the 12 participating academic units and who wishes to complete the requirements for an Interdepartmental Graduate Specialization in Infancy and Early Childhood should send their application to the director of the specialization. Qualified applicants must have a minimum grade-point average of 3.0. Once accepted into the specialization, students must identify a faculty member from their own discipline who is able to oversee their study in infancy and early childhood development, and to chair their guidance committee. Students are encouraged to actively solicit input from at least one faculty member from a discipline other than their home department, who will serve as a representative on the student’s guidance committee.

Students should work closely with their advisors within their academic units to develop meaningful experiences that are directly related to infancy and early childhood development studies. Credits that are used to meet the requirements for the specialization may also be counted toward the requirements for the student’s degree program at the discretion of the academic unit in which the student is enrolled.

Students who are pursuing the Interdepartmental Graduate Specialization in Infancy and Early Childhood are required to attend monthly seminars with members of the specialization faculty, staff, and other students in the program.

Requirements for the Specialization in Infancy and Early Childhood

Students must complete a minimum of 12 credits for the Graduate Specialization in Infancy and Early Childhood. The student’s program of study must be approved by the student’s guidance committee. The student must:

1. Master competencies through a variety of experiences including completion of a portfolio that demonstrates mastery of infancy and early childhood foundations. and a final oral or written examination across the following areas: theory, practice, policy, and research.
2. Complete 12 credits of course work including:
   1. Master’s students. A minimum of 4 credits of the Graduate Specialization in Infancy and Early Childhood seminar. Students should enroll in an 890 Independent Study through their home department. If an 890 course is not available, students may enroll for SW 890 Independent Study.
   2. Doctoral students.  A minimum of 6 credits of the Graduate Specialization in Infancy and Early Childhood seminar. Students should enroll in an 890 Independent Study through their home department. If an 890 course is not available, students may enroll for SW 890 Independent Study.
   3. All students are required to complete an additional 6 to 8 credits of course work from two disciplines outside of their home unit. Students may choose courses from the following:

      	Anthropology
      	ANP	423	Psychological Anthropology				3
      	ANP	470	Food, Hunger, and Society				3
      	Audiology and Speech Sciences
      	ASC	823E	Assessment of Child Language Disorders				3
      	ASC	823F	Language Intervention: Early Stages				3
      	ASC	823G	Language Intervention: Later Stages				3
      	ASC	991	Special Topics in Communication Sciences and Disorders				3
      	ASC	992	Seminar in Communication Sciences and Disorders				3
      	Counseling, Educational Psychology and Special Education
      	CEP	801	Psychological Development: Learner Differences
      						And Commonalities	3
      	CEP	903	Cognitive Development Across the Lifespan				3
      	CEP	904	Social-Emotional Development across the Lifespan				3
      	Family and Child Ecology
      	FCE	411	Developmental Study of a Child				2
      	FCE	811	Child Development: Ecological Perspectives				3
      	FCE	814	Parenthood and Parent Education				3
      	FCE	821	Early Childhood Education: Curricular Approaches				3
      	FCE	822	Assessment of the Young Child				3
      	FCE	823	Infant Programs and Practices				3
      	FCE	825	Families with Special Needs Children:
      					An Ecological Perspective		3
      	FCE	838	Early Literacy Development				3
      	FCE	845	Foundations of Family Study				3
      	FCE	895	Families in Poverty				3
      	FCE	896	Child Development Across Cultures				3
      	FCE	898	Play in Human Development				3
      	Human Nutrition and Foods
      	HNF	453	Nutrition and Human Development				3
      	HNF	840	Human Nutrition and Chronic Diseases				3
      	Kinesiology
      	KIN	860	Growth and Motor Behavior				3
      	KIN	890	Independent Study in Kinesiology				3
      	KIN	893	Internship in Kinesiology				3
      	KIN	894	Field Experience in Kinesiology				3
      	KIN	990	Independent Study in Kinesiology				3
      	Pediatrics and Human Development
      	PHD	523	Genetics for Medical Practice				1
      	Psychology
      	PSY	424	Child and Family Psychopathology				3
      	PSY	829	Child and Family Assessment				4
      	PSY	950	Advanced Child and Family Interventions				3
      	PSY	992	Seminar in Psychology				3
      	Sociology
      	SOC	475	Sociology of Health Care Systems				3
      	SOC	476	Social Psychology of Health				3
      	Social Work
      	SW	811	Social Work Perspectives in Human Development				3
      	SW	822A	Social Welfare Policy and Services: Children, Youth, and Families				3
      	SW	873	Social Work in Educational Settings				3
      	SW	874	Assessment and Testing in School Social Work				3
      	SW	875	School Social Work Intervention: Children with Special Needs				3
      	SW	891	Special Topics in Graduate Social Work				3