Career Possibilities

Students graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Child Development have many diverse career options working with children, parents, or families, such as:

• parent/family educators (professionals who conduct parenting workshops) 
• child/youth counselors
• social worker
• occupational therapist
• child-life specialist
• court-appointed advocates for children 
• planners and coordinators of youth recreation programs 
• PK-12 teachers
• special education teachers
• researchers/ Professors
• business owner (e.g., daycare center, toy store, book writer)
• consultant

Child Development majors work in all kinds of settings, such as schools, non-profit organizations, government agencies, mental health clinics, companies, hospitals, and more.

Some of the positions listed above may require additional training after completing the baccalaureate program in Child Development.

To download a handout, select Career Possibilities and Educational Requirements [PDF].

[Get Adobe Acrobat Reader]

Careers Related To Serving Family and Children

Social Work

Students interested in a career in social work should apply for a Master's Degree in Social Work after earning a Bachelor's Degree. Please see the CSUDH Master's in Social Work program. 

Marriage and Family Therapy

Students interested in a career in marriage and family therapy should apply for a Master's Degree in Marital and Family Therapy after earning a Bachelor's Degree. Please see the CSUDH Master's in Marital and Family Therapy program. 

Child Life Specialist

Students interested in a career in child life should consider the following courses. For more information on curriculum recommendations and careers as a child life specialist, please visit the Child Life Council website.

Recommended Courses

Occupational Therapy

Students interested in a career in Occupational Therapy should apply for a Master's Degree in Occupational Therapy after earning a Bachelor's Degree. Students who are interested in pursuing an advanced degree in Occupational Therapy (OT) should consider taking some of the common prerequisite requirements for the Occupational Therapy master’s program. 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.

See Admission Requirements of CSUDH Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT) for a sample.

Recommended Courses

Careers Related To Educating Children (Early Development and Learning Concentration)

Students who intend to work as teachers.

Students interested in being a preschool teacher, site supervisor, or program director should apply for an appropriate Child Development Permit from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC). Please visit the CTC website to learn more.  

Students interested in teaching Transitional Kindergarten to 3rd grade classes in elementary schools should apply to a PK-3 Early Childhood Specialist Instruction Credential program after earning a Bachelor's degree. Please visit the CSUDH PK-3 ECE Specialist Instruction Credential Program to learn more. A Bachelor's degree in Child Development or 24 semester units in Early Childhood Education or Child Development will meet the subject matter competency for this credential. 

Students interested in teaching Kindergarten to 5th grade classes in elementary schools should apply to a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential program after earning a Bachelor's degree. Please visit the CSUDH Multiple Subject Teaching Credential Program to learn more. 

Recommended Courses

• BIO 102 (Meet General Education: Biological Science)
• BIO 103 (Meet General Education: Science Laboratory)
• PHI 120 (Meet General Education: Critical Thinking)
• ART 100, DAN 130, MUS 101, or THE 100 (Meet General Education: Arts)
• HIS 120 (Meet General Education: 4B Social Behavioral Sciences)
• ENG 308 (Meet General Education: Upper Division Integrative Studies in the Arts and Humanities)
• EAR 416 (Meet General Education: Upper Division Integrative Studies in the Physical and Biological Sciences)
• CDV 444 (Child Development Specialized Electives course)
• LBS 375
• LBS 410 (Early Development and Learning Concentration course)
• MAT 107
• MAT 207
• KIN 425

Students interested in teaching the disability areas of specialization should apply to a Special Education Credential program after earning a Bachelor's degree. Please visit the CSUDH Special Education program to learn more. 

Bilingual Authorization can be added to any teaching credential above. 

Recommended Courses for Spanish Language Authorization during Undergraduate

• SPA 280
• SPA 341 

For Asian Language, please contact Dr. Minghye Son at CSUDH College of Education.