Master of Arts in Child and Family Development
University of Akron Online
Key Information
Campus location
Akron, USA
Languages
English
Study format
Distance Learning
Duration
15 months
Pace
Full time, Part time
Tuition fees
USD 6,631 / per year *
Application deadline
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Earliest start date
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* annual tuition for this program is $6631.50 USD
Scholarships
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Introduction
Graduates will become leaders and innovators in the Child and Family Development field through an advanced interdisciplinary and experiential education that prepares professionals who will contribute to the well-being of individuals, families, and global communities through careers working with children and families.
Online classes allow you to work at your own pace to meet course deadlines, free from the constraints of a class schedule. Our program can be completed in as little as 15 months.
Why Akron?
Our program is interdisciplinary, allowing students the opportunity to train within the context of interprofessional education within the College of Health and Human Sciences. Further, the program is flexible as it requires core courses while also allowing each student to tailor their program to best align with their future career goals.
Admissions
Curriculum
3760:501 American Families in Poverty (3 Credits)
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Overview of the issues, trends, and social policies affecting American families living in poverty. The online section is available.
3760:504 Middle Childhood and Adolescence (3 Credits)
Prerequisite: permission of instructor. The influences of middle childhood and adolescent behavior on the family and the influences of the family environment on middle childhood and adolescent development.
3760:506 Family Financial Management (3 Credits)
Analysis of the family as a financial unit including financial problems and their resolution, decision-making patterns, and financial practices behavior. Cases, exercises, problems, and computer analysis.
3760:540 Family Crisis (3 Credits)
Study of family stress and crisis including internal and external variables and their influence on the degree of disorganization, coping, and recovery. Includes theory, research, and application dimensions.
3760:541 Family Relationships in Middle and Later Years (3 Credits)
Study of family patterns and problems during middle and later years of life with emphasis on psychological and biological changes and economic and social adequacy. Research and trends in gerontology.
3760:542 Human Sexuality (3 Credits)
Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Introduction to problems and values. Emphasis is on the role of values in intimate relationships, the diverse dimensions of sexual responsibility.
3760:546 Culture, Ethnicity & Family (3 Credits)
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Study of the role of culture and ethnicity in the adaptation of the family system to the environment. Program applications considered. The online section is available.
3760:548 Before & After School Child Care (2 Credits)
Study of the development, implementation, and evaluation of school-age child-care programs for before and after school and vacation periods.
3760:560 Organization & Supervision of Child Care Centers (3 Credits)
Theory, principles, and procedures involved in establishing and operating centers for infants, toddlers, preschool, and school-age children.
3760:561 Case Management for Children & Families I (3 Credits)
Provides an overview of Case Management basics in a multi-systems collaborative context. Includes roles, values, principles, state and service systems, and service coordination.
3760:562 Case Management for Children & Families II (3 Credits)
Prerequisite: 3760:561 or permission of instructor. Provides an in-depth exploration of Case Management principles and practice. Emphasis on process and functions, assessment, cross-system service planning and coordination, advocacy, and cultural diversity.
3760:563 Practicum in Cross-Systems Case Management for Children & Families (3 Credits)
Prerequisites: 3760:561 and six hours of electives, 3760:562 or permission of the instructor. Provides on-site opportunities to apply skills in cross-systems collaborative Case Management with children and families. Includes review of strategies, ethics and survival skills, and supervision.
3760:585 Seminar in Family & Consumer Sciences (1-3 Credits)
Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Exploration and evaluation of current developments in selected areas.
3760:590 Workshop in Family & Consumer Sciences (1-3 Credits)
Investigation of current issues or topics in selected areas of family and consumer sciences. Maybe an off-campus study tour or an on-campus full-time group meeting.
3760:594 Practicum in Parent & Family Education (3 Credits)
Prerequisites: 3760:596 and 3760:605. Provides on-site opportunities to apply parent and family education skills. Includes a review of strategies, ethical considerations, and supervision by the on-site director.
3760:596 Parent Education (3 Credits)
Prerequisite: permission of the instructor. A practical application that reviews and analyzes parent education methods with major emphasis on the evaluation of parent education programs. Online section is available.
3760:602 Family in Lifespan Perspective (3 Credits)
Study of individual and family development across the life span. Emphasis on adjustment patterns and interpersonal competence. Implications for education theory research and social policy.
3760:604 Orientation to Graduate Studies in Child and Family Development (1 Credit)
Introduction to the concepts and processes necessary for graduate study in the interdisciplinary field of child and family development.
3760:605 Developmental Parent-Child Interactions (3 Credits)
Prerequisite: permission of the instructor. Study of reciprocal interactions between parent and child from birth to adulthood. Consideration of cross-culture studies, historical and societal influences, and various family characteristics and structures. Online course.
3760:607 Family Dynamics (3 Credits)
Development of techniques in home economics programs utilizing role theory, exchange theory, and systems theory as understood through the study of the family across the life cycle.
3760:610 Child Development Theories (3 Credits)
Prerequisite: permission of the instructor. A comparative study of developmental theories of the child within the family context. Application of the theories to child-rearing in the family will be emphasized.
3760:665 Development in Infancy & Early Childhood (3 Credits)
Analysis of research and theoretical frameworks regarding infant and child development from conception through age five. Implications for guidance and education.
3760:685 Research Methods in Child and Family Development (3 Credits)
Research methods emphasize the scientific method, data collection techniques, ethical considerations, and statistics as they apply to research with children and families.
3760:688 Practicum in Child and Family Development (3 Credits)
Prerequisite: Permission of advisor or instructor. A minimum of 150 hours of supervised experience in an approved community setting to acquire skills related to the area of specialization.
3760:694 Master's Project (5 Credits)
Prerequisite: Permission of advisor. The development, implementation, and evaluation of a community-based, supervised project that makes a significant contribution to the field.
3760:697 Individual Investigation in Family Development (1-3 Credits)
Prerequisite: permission of graduate advisor only. Individual pursuit and analysis in the specific area of student's interest and design under the direction of a faculty advisor.
3760:698 Individual Investigation in Child Development (1-3 Credits)
Prerequisite: permission of graduate advisor only. Individual pursuit and analysis in the specific areas of student's interest and design under the direction of a faculty advisor.
3760:699 Masters Thesis in Child & Family Development (5 Credits)
Prerequisite: Placement of advisor. Supervised research in a specialized area of Child & Family Development that contributes to the field and may lead to publication.
English Language Requirements
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