Child Development and Family Science Program

Family and Consumer Science Department
College of Education and Professional Studies
Ellensburg
Michaelsen Hall, room 100
Mail Stop 7565
509-963-2766
Fax 509-963-2787
https://www.cwu.edu/academics/family-consumer/

Faculty and Staff
Chair
Sarah Feeney, PhD, CFLE

Program Coordinators
Sarah Feeney, PhD, child development and family science graduate program
Natalie Fish, MS, child development and family science undergraduate program

Professor
Amy Claridge, PhD, LMFT child development and family science

Associate Professors
Duane Dowd, PhD, child development and family science
Sarah Feeney, PhD, CFLE child development and family science

Senior Lecturer
Natalie Fish, MS, child development and family science

Lecturers
Helen Fann, PhD, child development and family science
Sonia Fernandez, MS, CCLS, child development and family science

Emeritus Faculty
Joan Amby, PhD

Staff
Alex Lange, secretary senior

Program Information

The Bachelor of Science family and child life major is an interdisciplinary study of interpersonal and family relationships and their impact on child development. Family and child life majors are actively engaged in community involvement and practical application of knowledge.

The child development specialization applies child development theory to the practice of working with children and families across a variety of contexts and professions. Graduates are well prepared with knowledge and skills for professional careers that involve work with children including in early childhood learning, child welfare, adoption, and family social service settings. Students will also be prepared to pursue graduate training in social work, marriage and family therapy, mental health counseling, family and child life, or other related fields.

The child life specialization applies child development theory to the practice of helping children and families through traumatic events, specifically related to hospitalization. The curriculum meets the recommendations of the Association of Child Life Professionals and includes several courses taught by certified child life specialists. Graduates are well prepared for career opportunities that involve work with children, or to pursue a child life internship and child life graduate study required to become a certified child life specialist.

Students in the family science specialization are well prepared for career opportunities in family service agencies, parent education programs, family counseling centers, other family life education settings, or advanced study in family relations. All family science specialization graduates are eligible to become Certified Family Life Educators by the National Council on Family Relations.

Family and child life majors in both specializations must complete a practicum experience that includes 360 total hours (12 academic credits) of field related service within the community. Students are encouraged to apply for the major early in their academic careers to allow for proper planning and placement in the family and child life practicum.

Admission Requirements
Students wishing to declare a major in family and child life with a specialization in child development must be incoming first-year or have a cumulative CWU GPA of 2.8. Students who meet the GPA requirement will be admitted upon recommendation of a family and child life advisor.

Graduation Requirements
Family and child life majors with a child development specialization must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.7 or higher to remain in the major and must earn a C or higher in all courses used to satisfy the family and child life major.

Graduate Program Information

The family and child life degree includes an advanced interdisciplinary study of interpersonal and family relationships. The graduate program has a strong emphasis on community involvement, practical application, and research. Graduates are prepared for advanced career opportunities in children’s hospitals, family service agencies, parent education programs, family counseling centers, other family life education settings or doctoral study in family relations.

Graduate students in family and child life who enter the program without prior coursework needed for preparing them for the graduate degree will need to take undergraduate courses as deficiencies or demonstrate sufficient knowledge in the area. Students wishing to pursue child life specialist certification who do not have a child life undergraduate degree will develop a program of study with their advisor to address all child life council competencies required for certification.

Admission Requirements
Students must meet the admission requirements of the School of Graduate Studies, including a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and a minimum of a 3.0 GPA in all coursework attempted in the last 90 quarter (60 semester) hours of academic work.

Program Requirements
All students will complete 45 credits in the graduate program before completing the final culminating experience. As a culminating experience, students will complete a thesis, research project or comprehensive examination. The number of required credits of FCL 700 varies depending on the students’ choice for final project: Thesis (6 credits), research project (4 credits), or examination (2 credits).

Course Offerings
Frequency of course offering information can be found at the department website: https://www.cwu.edu/academics/family-consumer/ or by contacting the department directly.

Programs

Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

Master of Science (M.S.)

Non-degree Undergraduate Minors or Certificates

Courses

Child Development and Family Science (CDFS)