Disclaimer: Due to substantial changes in credential legislation and degree programs in the State of California, please check with an official Child, Adolescent, and Family Studies (CAFS) advisor for current information.  

Program Description

The Bachelor of Arts degree in Child, Adolescent, and Family Studies (CAFS) at California State University, Bakersfield provides breadth and depth in the scientific study of child, adolescent, and adult developmental domains. The program focuses on the biological, cognitive, psychological, and sociological foundations of learning from early childhood development, through adolescent growth, and adult behavior. The program design is based on contemporary learning theories, application of ethics and values, research methods and diverse family systems/approaches, with practical applications in disciplines that require direct interaction with children and families.  

Mission Statement

The Child, Adolescent, and Family Studies (CAFS) program offers learners specialized knowledge that enhances their skills and abilities to work and advocate in partnerships that foster healthy children, supportive family networks, and interactive community relationships. A social constructivist approach to learning is reinforced in the academic activities that result in superior educational preparation for teachers, parents, and community professionals. The mission of the program is to develop well prepared, highly skilled individuals who can envision, interact, and respond to the needs of diverse populations within the local, regional, national, and global community.

The Bachelor of Arts Degree with a major in Child, Adolescent, and Family Studies (CAFS) requires a minimum of 120 units which consists of courses for the CAFS major as well as other university-wide general education graduation requirements. Students pursuing a CAFS major must complete the pre-requisite classes

Course List

Code	Title	Units
CAFS 1100	Introduction to Child, Adolescent & Family Studies	3
CAFS 2000	Fundamentals in Developmental Theory	3
MATH 1209	Statistics in the Modern World	3
or PSYC 2018	Introduction to Statistical Methods in Psychological Research
or SOC 2208	Introduction to Statistics in the Social Sciences

which is part of the General Education Requirements. The CAFS major course requirements consist of 51 units. Students will need to complete 16-19 additional units (courses may be Minor courses or graduate school prerequisites) to earn the required credit units needed for graduation. All CAFS majors must hold a current certificate in First Aid and Adult, Child, and Infant CPR upon graduation. Students are expected to maintain a grade of “C-” or higher in all CAFS courses to count towards graduation.

Course List

Code	Title	Units
General Education Requirements
First-Year Seminar (FYS)		2
Lower Division Area A: Foundational Skills		9
Lower Division Area B: Natural Sciences		9
Lower Division Area C: Arts and Humanities		6
Lower Division Area D: Social and Behavioral Sciences		3
Lower Division Area E: Student Enrichment and Lifelong Learning (SELF)		3
Lower Division Area F: Ethnic Studies		3
American Institutions: Government and History		6
Junior Year Diversity & Reflection (JYDR)		3
Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR)		3
Upper Division Thematic Area B and C		6
General Education Capstone		0
General Education Subtotal		53
Major Requirements
Prerequisites to the Major
CAFS 1100	Introduction to Child, Adolescent & Family Studies	3
CAFS 2000	Fundamentals in Developmental Theory	3
MATH 1209	Statistics in the Modern World	3
or PSYC 2018	Introduction to Statistical Methods in Psychological Research
or SOC 2208	Introduction to Statistics in the Social Sciences
Core Courses
CAFS 2080	Child, Family, and Community	3
CAFS 2500	Child Health, Safety, and Nutrition	3
CAFS 3110	Infant and Toddler Development	3
CAFS 3140	School Aged and Adolescent	3
CAFS 3500	Child Guidance, Supervision and Support	3
CAFS 4000	Introduction to Research Methods	3
CAFS 4100	Research, Assessment and Evaluation of Children and Families	3
CAFS 4908	Senior Seminar and Capstone	3
CAFS 3800	Multiple Perspectives on the Importance of Play	3
or CAFS 3550	Adulthood and Aging
CAFS 3650	Risk and Resilience in Children	3
or CAFS 3560	Aging and the Family
Major Electives
Select two of the following: 1		6
CAFS 1050	Practicum in Early Childhood Education
CAFS 1250	Teaching in a Diverse Society
CAFS 2100	Observation of Children
CAFS 2200	Curriculum, Procedures, and Laboratory Experience for the Child
CAFS 2300	Curriculum, Procedures, and Laboratory Experience in the Elementary School
CAFS 2400	Introduction to Administration of Child and Family Programs
CAFS 2620	Philosophy for Children
CAFS 2800	Multicultural Children's Literature
Select two of the following: 2		6
CAFS 3200	Individual and Family Development in Diverse Cultures
CAFS 3600	Parenting and Family Relations
CAFS 3620	P4C: Practicum
CAFS 4140	Advanced Practicum
CAFS 4200	Advanced Techniques for Working in Child and Family Programs
CAFS 4300	School, Community, and Family Collaborations
CAFS 4400	Advanced Practicum for Adult Education and Supervision
Major Subtotal		51
Additional Units Needed Towards Graduation 3		16
Total Units		120

¹

Select two lower division courses

²

 Select two upper division courses

³

Additional Units are needed to meet the 120 units graduation requirement.

Note: The following 3 courses are needed to meet the core requirements for CCTC Child Development Associate Teacher Permit.

Course List

Code	Title	Units
CAFS 2000	Fundamentals in Developmental Theory	3
CAFS 2080	Child, Family, and Community	3
CAFS 2200	Curriculum, Procedures, and Laboratory Experience for the Child	3
Total Units		9

Note: The following 3 courses are needed to meet the core requirements for CCTC Child Development Master Teacher Permit.

Course List

Code	Title	Units
CAFS 2500	Child Health, Safety, and Nutrition	3
CAFS 3110	Infant and Toddler Development	3
CAFS 3500	Child Guidance, Supervision and Support	3
Total Units		9