Child and Family Development, Associate in Applied Science
Florissant Valley, Forest Park and Meramec
The Child and Family Development program offers students a variety of degree options and pathways of study. Students will investigate leading theories of child development and methodologies for curriculum planning and assessment. Through class lectures, observation studies, field work with mentor teachers, service learning, and opportunities for discussion with award winning faculty, students will engage in the best practices designed for the study of young children and their families.
The Child and Family Development program is aligned with education standards for Associate Degree programs set forth by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). St. Louis Community College prepares students to work with young children from infancy through age eight.
The Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degree is a two-year program with a concentration of coursework in child development and family studies. AAS degree candidates can find employment as teachers, parent educators, community service workers, youth development program workers, administrators, program planners, managers or directors in early childhood settings. Environments for teaching young children include preschool programs, laboratory schools, elementary schools, and community nursery schools. With further study, students have the possibility of a variety of career options such as those in the legal system, hospital and medical settings, government agencies and therapy systems.
Students must earn at least a “C” in certain courses to be eligible for the associate degree. See an academic advisor or the program coordinator for details about this requirement.
Cost of Attendance. For more information on cost of attendance visit MoSCORES.
Program Career and Salary Information. Pursuant to Missouri HB 1606 (2018), information regarding the number of credit hours, program length, employment rate, wage data, and graduates employed in careers related to their program of study at St. Louis Community College can be found at the following URL: https://scorecard.mo.gov/scorecard/. Search using School / Program “St. Louis Community College” and choose the degree or credential type of interest.
The following limitations to the data apply: Information provided is based on the most recent cohorts available. Typically, most recent cohorts for wage and completion data are six years prior to the current academic year. Time to complete a program of study varies depending on the number of credit hours students earn per semester.
Interested in this program? Start the enrollment process by visiting the Apply to STLCC page.
At the completion of the program, students are expected to:
- exhibit knowledge of child development, including young children's characteristics and needs, influences on development and learning.
- demonstrate an understanding of diverse family and community characteristics by developing positive relationships with family and community members.
- develop evidence of appropriate child assessments, including observation, documentation, anecdotal records and other assessment tools.
- reflect on effective strategies for teaching, learning and connecting with children and families..
- organize content knowledge to create meaningful, individualized and challenging curricula for each child.
- appraise his/her role as an ethical, collaborative, knowledgeable, reflective and informed early childhood professional and advocate.
Missouri Civics Examination. Students entering college for the very first time in fall 2019 and who intend to complete an associate’s degree must successfully complete a civics examination. Information on who is eligible for a waiver can be found on our website: https://stlcc.edu/programs-academics/missouri-civics-exam.aspx.
Program of Study
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Career General Education | ||
| ENG 101 | College Composition I (MOTR ENGL 100) | 3 |
| MTH 108 | Elementary Applied Mathematics (or higher) | 3 |
| COM 101 | Oral Communication I (MOTR COMM 100) | 3 |
| XXX xxx | Social & Behavioral Sciences: Civics Requirement | 3 |
| XXX xxx | Social Science Elective | 3 |
| PSI 101 | Physical Science (MOTR PHYS 110) | 3 |
| Program Requirements | ||
| CFD 101 | Foundations of Child and Family Development | 3 |
| CFD 102 | Child Growth and Development | 3 |
| CFD 103 | Physical Development: Health, Safety and Well-Being | 3 |
| CFD 104 | Creative Development: Art Experiences in Early Childhood | 3 |
| CFD 105 | Professional Development Seminar I | 1 |
| CFD 106 | Cognitive Development: Language and Literacy in Early Childhood | 3 |
| CFD 203 | Professional Development Seminar II | 1 |
| CFD 108 | Principles of Curriculum Design: Infants, Toddlers and Two-Year-Olds | 3 |
| CFD 109 | Supervised Student Teaching Practicum: Infants, Toddlers and Two Year Olds | 3 |
| CFD 107 | Family/Community Support and Engagement | 3 |
| CFD 201 | Social and Emotional Development: Guidance and Discipline | 3 |
| CFD 202 | Cognitive Development: Math, Science, and Engineering for Young Children | 3 |
| CFD 204 | Principles of Curriculum Design: Preschool | 3 |
| CFD 205 | Supervised Student Teaching Practicum: Preschool | 3 |
| CFD 206 | Children With Special Abilities and Needs | 3 |
| CFD 207 | Supporting Cultural Awareness and Diversity | 3 |
| CFD 208 | Professional Development Seminar III | 1 |
| Total Credit Hours | 63 | |
Missouri Civics Examination. Students entering college for the very first time in fall 2019 and who intend to complete an associate’s degree must successfully complete a civics examination. Information on who is eligible for a waiver can be found on our website: https://stlcc.edu/programs-academics/missouri-civics-exam.aspx.
PLEASE NOTE: If you originally enrolled at STLCC prior to Fall 2021, you may need to view an archived catalog for your correct program requirements. Please speak with an advisor or the program coordinator for more information.
| First Year | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credit Hours | Prerequisites | Milestones/Notes | |
| CFD 101 | Foundations of Child and Family Development | 3 | Reading Proficiency. | |
| CFD 102 | Child Growth and Development | 3 | Reading Proficiency. | |
| CFD 103 | Physical Development: Health, Safety and Well-Being | 3 | Reading proficiency and eligibility for placement in ENG 101. | |
| CFD 104 | Creative Experiences in Early Childhood | 3 | Reading Proficiency. | |
| ENG 101 | College Composition I (MOTR ENGL 100) | 3 | Placement score or ENG 030 or ENG 070 with a grade of "C" or better or recommendation of department and Reading Proficiency or concurrent enrollment in RDG 079. | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |||
| Spring | Credit Hours | Prerequisites | Milestones/Notes | |
| CFD 105 | Professional Development Seminar I | 1 | CFD 101, CFD 102, Reading proficiency and eligibility for placement in ENG 101. | |
| CFD 106 | Cognitive Development: Language and Literacy in Early Childhood | 3 | CFD 101, CFD 102, and Reading Proficiency. | |
| CFD 107 | Family/Community Support and Engagement | 3 | Reading Proficiency. | |
| CFD 108 | Principles of Curriculum Design: Infants, Toddlers, and Two-Year-Olds | 3 | CFD 101, CFD 102, and Reading Proficiency. | |
| CFD 109 | Supervised Student Teaching Practicum: Infants, Toddlers and Two Year Olds | 3 | ENG 101, CFD 101, CFD 102, CFD 104, CFD 106, and Reading Proficiency. | |
| PSI 101 | Physical Science (MOTR PHYS 110) | 3 | MTH 050 or higher with a minimum grade of "C" and Reading Proficiency. | |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |||
| Second Year | ||||
| Fall | Credit Hours | Prerequisites | Milestones/Notes | |
| CFD 201 | Social and Emotional Development: Guidance and Discipline | 3 | ENG 101, CFD 101, CFD 102, CFD 104, CFD 106, and Reading Proficiency. | |
| CFD 202 | Cognitive Development: Math, Science, and Engineering for Young Children | 3 | CFD 102 and Reading Proficiency. | |
| CFD 203 | Professional Development Seminar II | 1 | CFD 105 and Reading Proficiency. | |
| CFD 204 | Principles of Curriculum Design: Preschool | 3 | CFD 101, CFD 102, CFD 104, CFD 106, Reading proficiency and eligibility for placement in ENG 101. | |
| CFD 205 | Supervised Student Teaching Practicum: Preschool | 3 | CFD 105, CFD 203, Reading proficiency and eligibility for placement in ENG 101. | |
| COM 101 | Oral Communication I (MOTR COMM 100) | 3 | Reading Proficiency or concurrent enrollment in ENG 070. | |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |||
| Spring | Credit Hours | Prerequisites | Milestones/Notes | |
| CFD 206 | Children With Special Abilities and Needs | 3 | CFD 101, CFD 102, CFD 104, CFD 106, Reading proficiency and eligibility for placement in ENG 101. | Apply for Graduation |
| CFD 207 | Supporting Cultural Awareness and Diversity | 3 | Reading Proficiency. | |
| CFD 208 | Child and Family Development Capstone: Portfolio Design | 1 | CFD 205 and Reading Proficiency. | |
| Social & Behavioral Sciences: Civics Requirement | 3 | |||
| Social & Behavioral Science Elective | 3 | |||
| MTH 108 | Elementary Applied Mathematics | 3 | MTH 020 with a grade of "C" or better or satisfactory score on placement test and Reading Proficiency. All prerequisite courses must have been completed within the last 3 years. | |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |||
| Total Credit Hours | 63 | |||
*Click on the hyperlinked course number to view additional information about the course.
**Students completing a course that has been assigned a MOTR number may transfer that course to any public institution in Missouri. Those who complete CORE 42 requirements will have that verification on their transcript.
*** It is your responsibility to verify that the courses listed above will transfer to the four-year institution of your choice. Maximize your transfer credits/classes by meeting with an academic advisor.