Earn Your Online Child and Family Studies Degree at Southern Miss!
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Child & Family Studies BS
Undergraduate
Are you passionate about having a career that promotes a better quality of life for all families? The fully online Child and Family Studies Degree (BS) – emphasizing child development – prepares students to work with children and their families in educational, institutional, and human service settings. Our online child and family studies degree graduates are qualified to obtain a license to teach Pre-K and Kindergarten. Course work focuses on a family systems perspective and highlights developmental observations.
With this American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences accredited online child and family studies degree, students have the opportunity to earn a degree without having to come to campus. Let The University of Southern Mississippi help you get the degree you need to become a Child and Family professional. This is your life, plus college.
Looking for a graduate degree? Check out our fully online Child and Family Studies MS here!
General Education Curriculum
Written Communication (6 hours)
| Course | Credits |
|---|---|
| Composition One | 3 hrs. |
| Composition Two | 3 hrs. |
Natural Science (8-10 hours minimum)
Select 2 courses with labs:
| Course | Credits |
|---|---|
| Biology and Society * | 3 hrs. |
| Principles of Biological Science I * | 3 hrs. |
| Principles of Biological Science II * | 3 hrs. |
| Chemistry and Our Environment * | 3 hrs. |
| General Physics I * | 3 hrs. |
| General Physics II * | 3 hrs. |
Humanities
| Course | Credits |
|---|---|
| World Literature | 3 hrs. |
Select 2 courses, 1 history required:
| Course | Credits |
|---|---|
| World Civilizations: Beginnings to 150 C.E. | 3 hrs. |
| World Civilizations: 1500 to the present | 3 hrs. |
| Introduction to Philosophy | 3 hrs. |
| Ethic and Good Living | 3 hrs. |
| Comparative Religion | 3 hrs. |
Aesthetic Values (3 hours)
Select 1 course:
| Course | Credits |
|---|---|
| Art Appreciation | 3 hrs. |
| Dance Appreciation | 3 hrs. |
| The Enjoyment of Music | 3 hrs. |
Social and Behavioral Sciences (6 hours)
Select 2 courses:
| Course | Credits |
|---|---|
| The Human Experience: A Global Perspective of Human Diversity | 3 hrs. |
| Basic Economics | 3 hrs. |
| World Geography: Dynamics of a Changing Earth | 3 hrs. |
| American Government | 3 hrs. |
| General Psychology | 3 hrs. |
| Understanding Society: Principles of Sociology | 3 hrs. |
Mathematics (3 hours)
| Course | Credits |
|---|---|
| Quantitative Reasoning | 3 hrs. |
| College Algebra | 3 hrs. |
| High-level MAT course | 3 hrs. |
Writing-Intensive Requirement (Major Area)
| Course | Credits |
|---|---|
| Family Life Education | 3 hrs. |
ENG 101 & ENG 102 prerequisites
Speaking Intensive Requirement (3 hours)
Select 1 course:
| Course | Credits |
|---|---|
| Oral Communication | 3 hrs. |
Capstone Requirement (Major Area)
| Course | Credits |
|---|---|
| Contemporary Issues Affecting the Quality of Life | 3 hrs. |
Program Curriculum
Major Area of Study Requirements (55 hours)
Minimum grade of “C” required in all Major Area of Study courses.
| Course | Credits |
|---|---|
| Child Development | 3 hrs. |
| Advanced Child Development | 3 hrs. |
| Behavior and Guidance of the Young Child | 3 hrs. |
| Infant Development | 3 hrs. |
| Developmental Disabilities in Early Childhood | 3 hrs. |
| Social and Professional Development | 3 hrs. |
| Personal Development and Interpersonal Relationship | 3 hrs. |
| Introduction to Child and Family Studies | 3 hrs. |
| Children, Families, and Technology | 3 hrs. |
| Marital and Family Relationships | 3 hrs. |
| Families and Adolescents | 3 hrs. |
| Family Life Education | 3 hrs. |
| Personal and Family Financial Management | 3 hrs. |
| Sexuality in the Family System | 3 hrs. |
| Parenthood | 3 hrs. |
| The Family in Later Life | 3 hrs. |
| Family Theories | 3 hrs. |
| Contemporary Issues Affecting the Quality of Life | 3 hrs. |
| Practicum | 3 hrs. |
Additional Requirements (18 hours)
| Course | Credits |
|---|---|
| General Psychology | 3 hrs. |
| Principles and Processes of Case Management | 3 hrs. |
| Abnormal Psychology | 3 hrs. |
Select 1 course:
| Course | Credits |
|---|---|
| Drugs and the Whole Person | 3 hrs. |
| Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Intervention | 3 hrs. |
Select 3 courses:
| Course | Credits |
|---|---|
| Administration of Child and Family Programs | 3 hrs. |
| Professional Presence and Influence | 3 hrs. |
| Introduction to Marriage and Family Therapy | 3 hrs. |
| Special Problems in Family and Consumer Sciences | 3 hrs. |
| Counseling Theory and Practice | 3 hrs. |
| Multicultural Counseling | 3 hrs. |
| Public Education in the United States | 3 hrs. |
| Forensic Psychology | 3 hrs. |
Additional Note
Please note that the above information is meant to be a guide and is not official. For further information regarding courses for this degree, see the University Bulletin. Please be aware that not all course choices listed in the University Bulletin are available online. However, sufficient online options are available to complete this degree.
Frequently Asked Questions
All CFS courses are offered online and other courses, if not offered online by The University of Southern Mississippi, can be taken through the Mississippi Virtual Community College while enrolled at Southern Miss for Southern Miss credit. You will not need to come to the Southern Miss campus for the online child and family studies degree.
The Office of Admissions will provide information for the steps you’ll need to complete in order to be admitted to The University of Southern Mississippi.
124 hours are needed to graduate with a BS in Child and Family Studies with an emphasis in Child Development. At least 50 percent of the hours applied to a degree at The University of Southern Mississippi must be earned from a senior college, and 45 of these hours must be in courses numbered 300 or above. The student must earn at least 21 of the last 30 hours of course work and at least 12 hours in the major area of study from Southern Miss. See Residence Hour Requirements for more information.
For pricing information, click here. For financial aid information, click here. For detailed tuition information, click here.
Follow this link and choose the term that applies to view the costs associated with part-time enrollment for the online child and family studies degree.
You should NOT be charged out-of-state fees, because the online child and family studies degree students are considered in-residence.
Yes, there are fees around $75 for the online child and family studies degree.
Visit the site for more information: http://www.usm.edu/financialaid
Other classes that are not listed may count towards your degree once your transcript has been evaluated and posted.
Admission Requirements
Any student who satisfies admission requirements to the University through the Office of Admissions is eligible for admission to the College of Education and Psychology.
After being admitted to the University, all students majoring in Child and family studies must have their child development degree plan approved by the director of the program.