Child and Family Sciences BS
Earn your online Child and Family Studies degree at Southern Miss!
Program-at-a-Glance (Undergraduate)
Credit Hours:
Total Hours: 120
Major Area of Study: 64
Additional Requirements: 18-21
Cost per Credit Hour:
$389.59
Completion Time:
2-4 years
Accreditation:
Special Requirements:
Licensure requirements and approval are determined by each state’s licensing board.
Learn more about this program:
If you have a passion for promoting healthy development within families and better quality of life for children, then the Child and Family Sciences Degree from The University of Southern Mississippi will help you turn your interests into a rewarding career! This degree – emphasizing child development – prepares students to work with children and their families in educational, institutional, and human service settings. Graduates with the online Child and Family Sciences degree with an emphasis in Child Development are eligible to become certified teachers for pre-k/kindergarten. With the emphasis in Family Sciences, students in this program will focus on social services, or parent education.
This fully-online degree is designed to give you the skills to work with children in their family, educational, institutional and human service settings. With the Child Development emphasis you’ll dive into subjects like literature and other media for children, teaching literacy, educational psychology, and so much more to prepare you for a career in promoting healthy development.
The Child Development emphasis will allow you to obtain a Mississippi teaching license, giving you the ability to use your skills in a classroom environment on the secondary education level. We do not guarantee to meet the licensure requirements of other states. Looking for more? Our enrollment coaches are standing by. Click here for more info! This is your life, plus college.
Looking for a graduate degree? Check out our fully online Child and Family Sciences MS here!
A number of scholarship opportunities are available for online students! Our Online Student Scholarship gives first time, fully online students an opportunity for $500 towards their first semester. To get started with our Online Student Scholarship, or to view our list of available scholarships for which you may qualify, visit our Student Scholarship page now!
We are here to help! Our enrollment coaches are standing by to help you take the next step.
We’ll call you soon! In the meantime, learn more about us from our blog or start your application.
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. |
|
Weather and Climate
*
|
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 1500 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. |
|
Concepts of Wellness
|
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 (64 hours)
Minimum grade of “C” required in all Major Area of Study courses.
| Course | Credits |
|---|---|
|
Health and Safety Standards for Young Children
|
3 hrs. |
|
Infant Development
|
3 hrs. |
|
Child Development
|
3 hrs. |
|
Assessment of Young Children
|
3 hrs. |
|
Behavior and Guidance of the Young Child
|
3 hrs. |
|
Administration of Programs for Young Children
|
3 hrs. |
|
Child Development Methods and Materials
|
3 hrs. |
|
Curriculum Activities for Young Children
|
3 hrs. |
|
Student Teaching in Child Development
|
9 hrs. |
|
Developmental Disabilities in Early Childhood
|
3 hrs. |
|
Foundations of Family and Consumer Sciences
|
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. |
|
Family Life Education
|
3 hrs. |
|
Personal and Family Financial Management
|
3 hrs. |
|
Parenthood
|
3 hrs. |
|
Family Theories
|
3 hrs. |
|
Contemporary Issues Affecting the Quality of Life
|
3 hrs. |
Additional Requirements (18-21 hours)
| Course | Credits |
|---|---|
|
Literature and Related Media for Children
|
3 hrs. |
|
General Psychology
|
3 hrs. |
|
Educational Psychology
|
3 hrs. |
|
Early Literacy Instruction I K-6
|
3 hrs. |
|
Early Literacy Instruction II K-6
|
3 hrs. |
|
Introduction to Mild/Moderate Disabilities
|
3 hrs. |
Select 1 course:
| Course | Credits |
|---|---|
|
Families and Adolescents
|
3 hrs. |
|
Families in Crisis
|
3 hrs. |
|
Sexuality in the Family System
|
3 hrs. |
|
The Family in Later Life
|
3 hrs. |
Electives
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
Southern Miss allows you to transfer up to 62 credit hours from an accredited institution.
Licensure requirements and approval are determined by each state’s licensing board. For additional information about professional licensure, please review the Professional Licensure Disclosures web page.
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 sciences degree.
The Office of Admissions will provide information for the steps you’ll need to complete in order to be admitted to Online Child and Family Sciences Degree at The University of Southern Mississippi.
120 hours are needed to graduate with a BS in Child and Family Sciences 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.
To find pricing information, visit our pricing page. For financial aid information, view our financial aid page. For detailed tuition information, visit our business services page.
The University of Southern Mississippi provides a Senior Citizen Tuition Scholarship Program for Mississippi residents age 62 or older. Legal residents of the State of Mississippi age 62 or older may enroll tuition-free in a maximum of six (6) semester hours for the fall or spring term. Courses on all campuses (Online, Hattiesburg, and Gulf Coast) are available to senior citizens on a space available, first come first serve basis. This scholarship program applies to fall and spring courses only.
To inquire about the availability of this scholarship, contact Precia Pedersen at precia.pedersen@usm.edu or the registrar’s office.
You should NOT be charged out-of-state fees, because the online Child and Family Sciences Degree students are considered in-residence.
Yes, there are fees around $75 for the online Child and Family Sciences degree.
Visit the site for more information:
No, as an online student, you will not need to provide MMR immunization documentation for admission to the University.
Other classes that are not listed may count towards your degree once your transcript has been evaluated and posted.
If you still have questions, please visit our FAQ page, or take a moment to fill out our form at the bottom of the screen, and we will reach out to you!
Admission Requirements
The following is required from all undergraduate applicants:
- Application for Undergraduate Admission
- $45 non-refundable application fee
- An official high school transcript for freshman (high school) applicants OR official transcripts from all institutions attended after high school for transfer applicants
- Submission of ACT or SAT scores for freshman (high school) applicants
Students should be mindful of admission deadlines. For a full list of admission requirements, see the University Admission Policies.
With this online Child and Family Sciences degree, accredited by the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, 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.
QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS DEGREE?
Talk to one of our enrollment coaches today for more information.
QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS DEGREE?
Talk to one of our enrollment coaches today for more information.
Apply Now!