Bachelor of Arts in Children's Studies

Children’s Studies
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About

The Online Bachelor of Arts in Children’s Studies program includes two options. Each option has been designed for specific groups of students with different goals for the future.

Option A: Child Life and Health

The Child Life and Health option is designed for students pursuing certification in Child Life with the Association of Child Life Professionals and for those pursuing graduate work for future employment in medical fields working with children.

Option B: Social Services & Community Programming for Children

The Social Services & Community Programming for Children option is designed for students interested in pursuing work with children and/or families at the agency level. OR for students who want to pursue community-based work in learning and development.

*In 2025-26 the Children’s Studies program will not offer the Child Life or Social Services and Community Programs tracks. Instead, our program will include a set of core Children’s Studies courses that students will take and then electives will be offered that align with those wanting to go into the child life field or into the social services and community programs field. If you have any questions contact us.

What You'll Learn

The following information comes from the official EWU catalog, which outlines all degree requirements and serves as the guide to earning a degree. Courses are designed to provide a well-rounded and versatile degree, covering a wide range of subject areas.

Children's Studies Major, Bachelor of Arts (BA)

The Children’s Studies Bachelor of Arts provides a comprehensive foundation for the study of children and childhood. Program options allow students to focus their studies in areas of child life and health, or social services and community programs for children.

Note:

  • enrollment in CDST 302 requires proof of a successfully completed background check;

  • two years of a single high school world language or one year of a single college-level world language is required.

Required Core Courses
CDST 300FOUNDATIONS OF CHILDREN'S STUDIES–PART I2
CDST 302FOUNDATIONS OF CHILDREN'S STUDIES–PART 2 (enrollment requires successful complete of a background check.)3
CDST 303INFANT AND TODDLER DEVELOPMENT4
CDST 304GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT THROUGH CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENCE4
CDST 310GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES OF CHILDREN5
CDST 330RESEARCH METHODS FOR STUDYING CHILDREN AND CHILDHOOD4
CDST/GWSS 386CHILDREN AND THE FAMILY5
CDST 402CHILDREN'S RIGHTS, LAWS AND ETHICS5
CDST 403DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION IN CHILDHOOD5
CDST 404TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE WITH CHILDREN AND FAMILIES5
CDST 415MINDFULNESS AND ALTERNATIVE PRACTICES FOR WORKING WITH CHILDREN5
CDST 490SENIOR CAPSTONE CHILDREN'S STUDIES5
Required Option29-32
Option A: Child Life and Health
CHILD LIFE THEORY
CHILDREN'S LOSS AND GRIEF
THERAPEUTIC PLAY
PEDIATRIC MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY
CHILD LIFE PRACTICE ASSESSMENT AND PREPARATION
CDST OPTION A FIELDWORK
Required Option A Elective–choose one course from the following
SCHOOL REINTEGRATION AND SUPPORT
PEDIATRIC PALLIATIVE CARE
NON-TRADITIONAL CHILD LIFE
INTERNATIONAL CHILD LIFE
Option B: Social Services and Community Programs for Children
ADVOCATING FOR CHILDREN WITH DIVERSE NEEDS
PLAY AND PLAYWORK
CDST OPTION B INTERNSHIP
DISABILITY, CULTURE AND SOCIETY
CHILD ABUSE: RECOGNITION AND INTERVENTION STRATEGIES
Required Option B Electives–choose two courses from the following
ADOLESCENT ADDICTION ASSESSMENT AND TREATMENT
FOUNDATIONS OF NATURE-BASED LEARNING
DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
INTRODUCTION TO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
INTRODUCTION TO THE HELPING PROFESSIONS
Total Credits81-84

Plan of Study – Child Life Option

The following plan of study is for a student with zero credits. Individual students may have different factors such as: credit through transfer work, Advanced Placement, Running Start, or any other type of college-level coursework that requires an individual plan.

Courses may be offered in different terms and not all courses are offered every term, checking the academic schedule is paramount in keeping an individual plan current. There may be some courses that have required prerequisites not listed in the plan, review the course descriptions for information. Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.

All Undergraduate students are required to meet the Undergraduate Degree Requirements.

This major requires the completion of the World Language requirement. Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree must complete two years of a single language in high school or one year of a single language in college.

First Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
ENGL 1015MATH 1075ENGL 2015
Humanities & Arts BACR 115Diversity - graduation requirement15Humanities & Arts BACR 215
Natural Science BACR 115Social Science BACR 115Social Science BACR 215
 15 15 15
Second Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
Natural Science BACR 215Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
 15 15 15
Third Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
CDST 3002CDST 3023CDST 3865
CDST 3034CDST 3044CDST 4035
CDST 310 (Global Studies - graduation requirement)5CDST 3304CDST 4115
CDST 4025CDST 4045 
 16 16 15
Fourth Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
CDST 4155CDST 4224CDST 4315
CDST 4234CDST 4305CDST 490 (Senior Capstone - graduation requirement)5
Children's Studies Child Life Elective24-5CDST 4814Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
 Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective2 
 13-14 15 15
Total Credits 180-181
1

University Graduation Requirements (UGR) and Breadth Area Course Requirements (BACR) courses may be less than 5 credits and additional credits may be required to reach the required 180 total credits needed to graduate.  Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.

2

Option A: Child Life and Health Elective–choose one course from the approved list.