Purpose

Elective coursework is included in the curriculum to provide students with an opportunity to acquire knowledge and skills that they may require for the professional position they hope to work in, but may not receive through Core coursework.

For example, a student who is interested in working in the early childhood education would benefit from taking courses in early language and math learning.  Similarly, students interested in Occupational Therapy might consider completing requisite courses in Biology.

Criteria for Elective Courses

• Students must complete 12 units of electives.
• Course content must not duplicate content covered in Core coursework or General Education (GE) coursework.
• Electives selected must not duplicate the course content of other electives chosen (e.g., you may not take SOC 321 – Sociology of Education and SOC 322 – Social Environment of Education). Please refer to the list of Approved CSUDH Electives and Approved non-CSUDH Electives  for courses that overlap in content.
• If you are planning to minor in a different area, you may not double count that coursework to satisfy electives requirements. No course may count in both the major and minor (see University Catalog).
• A minimum of 3 units must be upper division courses.
• All courses MUST be listed on the list of Approved CSUDH Electives or Approved non-CSUDH Electives (for courses not taken at CSUDH).
• Courses not listed on the Approved Electives list will not be accepted.

If a student wishes to propose coursework taken at other colleges and universities that is NOT on the lists of Approved Electives they must obtain approval from a Faculty Advisor (see criteria below).

How to choose Elective Courses

Students should reflect upon the knowledge or skills they may require in their desired work and choose coursework that would enable them advance their professional goals.  You may choose courses from already established options or you may select your own aggregate of eligible courses. Courses that are eligible to meet the Elective requirement are listed below. If you have questions regarding course eligibility, please contact an advisor in Student Services or your faculty advisor.  Electives may be taken at any time after lower division GE requirements have been met.

Students are responsible for making sure that their elective choices meet the criteria stated above. Elective choices that do NOT meet the above criteria will NOT be approved. After completing 12 units of Elective requirements, students MUST meet with an advisor to have their Electives approved and submitted to the Records Department. The Records Department will apply the approved electives to your Degree Progress Report. If you are applying for graduation and have not completed your Elective requirements, please bring your Electives Form to your Graduation Check appointment. Please contact Student Services to make an advisement appointment at (310) 243-2120. 

Students have two options in selecting their electives:

Option 1: You may choose one of the already established options (see Areas of Interest in Child Development below. The established options were created to guide students’ selection of electives based on common professional goals.

Forms for Option 1 (select one only)

• Early Teaching and Learning
• Counseling and Family Services
• Juvenile Delinquency
• Management and Administration
• Pre-Occupational Therapy
• Children and the Arts
• Community Intervention

Carefully review the requirements for each option because they are all different. After you have complete 12 units of coursework in your chosen option, please make an advisement appointment to have your Electives approved and submitted to the Records Department. The Records Department will apply the approved electives to your Degree Progress Report. Please bring the respective Electives Form for your option to your scheduled appointment. If you are applying for graduation and have not completed your Elective requirements, please bring your Electives Form to your Graduation Check appointment with the elective choices you proposed to complete. Please contact Student Services to make an advisement appointment at (310) 243-2120. 

Option 2:  Students may propose their own selection of electives from the list of Approved CSUDH Electives or Approved non-CSUDH Electives following the criteria listed above. Option 2 is suitable for students who have a professional goal that is not listed in the established options above and wish to propose a unique set of courses to advance their professional goals. Option 2 would be chosen by students who would like to substitute courses taken at another college or university to meet their Elective coursework requirement.

Electives not listed on the Approved Electives list will not be accepted. Students are responsible for making sure that their elective choices meet the criteria stated above. Elective choices that do NOT meet the above criteria will NOT be approved.

After completing all Elective requirements, please make an advisement appointment with the Student Services Center to have your Electives approved and submitted to the Records Department. The Records Department will apply the approved electives to your Degree Progress Report. Please print and complete the Electives Form and bring it to your appointment. If you are applying for graduation and have not completed your Elective requirements, please bring your Electives Form to your Graduation Check appointment with the elective choices you proposed to complete. Please contact Student Services to make an advisement appointment at (310) 243-2120. 

Applying Prior Coursework towards the Elective Requirement
If you have taken coursework elsewhere that you think could meet the Elective coursework requirement (see criteria above), please review the list of Approved non-CSUDH Electives to verify if your coursework is already approved. If your coursework is not listed on the Approved Elective Substitutions, please complete a course substitution form and submit it to your faculty advisor for approval. Not all courses are eligible for substitution. To have potential course substitutions evaluated, submit the following materials to the Child Development Program Office: (1) a completed Course Substitution Form, (2) a complete set of transcripts to provide evidence of course completion, and (3) a copy of the original course syllabus so the substance of the course can be evaluated. If you wish to apply for a course substitution, you must choose Electives Option 2 above

Areas of Interest in Child Development

• Early Teaching and Learning
• Counseling and Clinical Psychology
• Juvenile Justice
• Management and Administration
• Pre-Occupational Therapy
• Children and the Arts
• Community Intervention

Early Teaching and Learning:

The courses recommended for Early Teaching and Learning Concentration are designed to prepare students to enhance children’s language and math learning in early childhood. Students who intend to work as preschool teachers, childcare providers, or develop curriculum for childcare centers would benefit from selecting the courses in this option. Students will gain an understanding of the concepts and theories associated with language and math development and learning from birth through age 5. Students will learn how to plan and implement age-appropriate learning experiences as well as assess children’s abilities in these two domains.

Required Courses (12 units):

• LBS 310 – Early Language and Learning (3)
• LBS 320 – Emergent Literacy and Learning (3)
• LBS 330 – Bridging Cultures through Literacy and Learning (3)
• LBS 340 – Learning Early Mathematical Concepts and Reasoning (3)

Counseling and Clinical Psychology:

The courses recommended for Counseling & Family Services Concentration are designed for students who may work in a variety of career settings serving families and children and/or counseling. Students will gain knowledge and skills pertaining to working with families, cultural diversity in child and family services, and common problems in families and communities. Students will further gain knowledge and skills to prepare them for entry into graduate programs such as marriage and family therapy, social work, counseling, and clinical psychology. Students interested in careers in/as family and child services, social work, counseling, child life specialist, or parent education would benefit from taking courses in this area. Students should (1) examine the admission requirements for the graduate programs they plan to apply for and (2) select elective courses accordingly.

Select four courses from the following (12 units):

• PSY 367 – Effective Communication Skills or SOC 341 – Seminar in Small Groups (3)
• SOC 320 – The Family (3)
• SOC 363 – Sociology of Alcohol and Other Drug Use (3)
• SOC 386 – Sociology of the Helping Professions
• PSY 314 – Behavior Modification (3)
• PSY 360 – Theories of Personality (3)
• PSY 353 – The Experience of Death and Dying: Psychological Perspectives (3)
• PSY 363 – The Abnormal Personality (3)
• PSY 464 – Introduction to Clinical Psychology (3)

Juvenile Justice:

The courses recommended for Juvenile Justice Concentration are designed for students who intend to work with at-risk youth in community organizations, juvenile courts, group homes, and/or youth programs for high risk youth. Potential careers include guidance counselors, probation officers, or youth program coordinators. Students will gain an understanding of (1) the theories, policies, and procedures of the juvenile justice system and (2) the causes of delinquent behavior among adolescents as well as the adjustment problems and treatment of delinquent youth. Students will have an opportunity to gain knowledge about (1) the development and perpetuation of gangs and adolescent subcultures, (2) social interactions and facilitation of small groups (especially for students who plan to facilitate youth group interventions), (3) drug and alcohol use and abuse (a common problem behavior among adolescents), (4) the forms and processes of deviant behavior, or (5) the political, social, and cultural factors associated with criminal justice administration and police-community relations. Students who choose this concentration must take the required courses and then select two courses from the listed options.

Required Courses (6 units):

• CJA 444 – Juvenile Justice Process (3)
• SOC 369 – Juvenile Delinquency (3)

Select two courses from the following (6 units):

• CJA 340 – Criminal Justice and the Community (3)
• CJA 443 – Criminal Law and Justice Administration (3)
• SOC 306 – Program Evaluation (3)
• SOC 341 – Seminar in Small Groups (3) or PSY 367 – Effective Communication Skills (3)
• SOC 362 – Gangs and Adolescent Subcultures (3)
• SOC 363 – Sociology of Drug and Alcohol Use (3)
• SOC 365 – Deviant Behavior (3)

Management and Administration:

The courses recommended for the Management and Administration Concentration are designed to prepare students for careers as managers, supervisors, owners, or founders of businesses and organizations that focus on the enrichment and development of children and adolescents. Students will gain an overall understanding of management theory and organizational dynamics. In addition, they will acquire knowledge and skills in specialized areas of business that coincide with their professional interests and goals. Students will have an opportunity to gain knowledge and skills in (1) finance, (2) human resource management, (3) marketing, and (4) business and interpersonal communication. Students may also choose an array of courses that allow them to acquire knowledge and skills geared towards (1) evaluating the effectiveness of a program, (2) understanding the philosophical, economic, political, and social basis of non-profit organizations, (3) managing non-profit organizations, and (4) acquiring the capital to fund a non-profit.

Required Courses (6 units):

• MGT 310 – Management Theory (3) or PUB 300 Foundations of Public Administration
• MGT 312 – Organizational Behavior (3) (Prerequisite: MGT 310) or PUB 301 – Administrative Leadership and Behavior (3)

Select two additional courses from the following (6 units):

• MGT 416 – Leadership (3) (Prerequisite: MGT 312)
• MKT 350 – Principles of Marketing (3)
• FIN 360 – Business Finance (3)
• HRM 313 – Human Resource Management (3) (Prerequisite: MGT 310)
• BUS 300 – Business Communications (3)
• PUB 426 – Intergovernmental Relations and Grant Writing (3)
• PUB 450 – Nonprofit and Voluntary Sectors (3)
• PUB 451 – Managing the Nonprofit Organization (3) (Prerequisite: PUB 450)
• PSY 367 – Effective Communication Skills (3)
• SOC 306 – Program Evaluation (3)

Pre-Occupational Therapy:

Students who are interested in pursuing an advanced degree in Occupational Therapy (OT) should consider taking some of the common prerequisite requirements for Occupational Therapy master’s program. Students will gain general knowledge and skills in human anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology. In addition, students will gain an understanding of the causes and manifestations of psychological disorders. While the suggested courses are common prerequisite requirements for Occupational Therapy programs, students should check the current admission requirements for the specific universities they plan to apply to as admission requirements vary by university and are subject to change.

Recommended Courses:

• Human Anatomy w/lab
• Human Physiology w/lab
• PSY 363 – The Abnormal Personality (3)
• PSY 352 – Psychology of Adult Development and Aging (3)
• KIN301 – Kinesiology (3)

Children and the Arts:

The courses recommended for the Children and the Arts option are designed to allow students to develop an understanding of arts in relation to children’s development as well as to learn the skills necessary for engaging children in the arts. These courses focus on the important contribution of the expressive arts to the development of children and youth.

Select four courses from the following (12 units):

• SOC 321 – Sociology of Education or SOC 322 – Social Environment of Education (3)
• ART  301 – Arts and Crafts for the Non-Major (3)
• DAN 440 – Dance for Children or KIN 447 – Dance Education in the Elementary School (3)
• MUS 340 – Music for Children (3)
• THE 337 – Creative Dramatics (3)
• ENG 308 – Critical Approaches to Children’s Literature (3)

Community Intervention:

The courses recommended for Community Intervention option are designed for students who intend to work in community or government agencies with the goal to enhance the positive and healthy functioning of youth and their families. Many recent community interventions have been heavily influenced by public health approaches. Comprehensive prevention strategies typically involve multiple contexts (e.g., family, community, schools, youth organizations, health professionals, public agencies) and are maintained for several years to positively affect a population. Communitywide programs may aim to reduce risk and enhance protective factors to alleviate various social problems including substance abuse, health and mental health issues, school failure, and teen pregnancy.  Community interventions may include: citizen mobilization, situational prevention, comprehensive community interventions, mentoring, afterschool recreation programs, policing strategies, policy change, and media interventions. Classes address theories and issues in community studies, and ethics and will prepare students for careers in areas such as research, program evaluation, social work, non-profit management, urban planning, and public policy.

Select four courses from the following (12 units):

• SOC306 – Program Evaluation (3)
• SOC 367 – Sociology of Law (3) or CJA 340 Criminal Justice & the Community (3)
• SOC 384 – Resistance, Inequalities, and Communities (3)
• PUB371 – Health Services Administration and Public Policy Development (3)
• PUB 373 – Health Policy (3; Prerequisite PUB 371)
• PSY 470 – Community Psychology: Issues & Practices (3; Prerequisite PSY 363)
• POL370 – Public Opinion and Propaganda (3)
• POL 312 – State and Local Government: Organization and Problems (3)
• POL 318 – Public Policy Choices: Distribution of Wealth (3)