Child and Family Sciences

Child and Family Sciences: Changing Lives!

Students seeking a degree in Child and Family Sciences choose one of two emphasis areas, Child Development or Family Sciences.

The Child Development emphasis is ideal for those wanting a career in a field related to early childhood education (birth through 8 years, including Pre-K/K licensure) or program administration/evaluation. This program is designed to meet the professional competency standards for licensure in Mississippi. The University of Southern Mississippi cannot determine whether this program leads to licensure in any state other than Mississippi.  It is recommended that students who intend to seek licensure in another state, verify that this program of study meets the desired state's licensure requirements. For assistance with out-of-state licensure questions, please refer to the Professional Licensure Disclosures webpage.

The Family Sciences emphasis is deal for those wanting a career in a field related to social services, parent education, or the operation of non-profit agencies.

The School of Child and Family Sciences has 13 school-specific scholarships available for students each year. All university scholarship opportunities can be found at: www.usmfoundation.com.

Child and Family Sciences majors learn how to examine the systemic relationships among individuals, families, and communities. All students take courses in individual and family development across the life cycle, interpersonal relationships and family dynamics, and parent-child interactions. Students then take courses specific to the chosen emphasis area.

Child Development emphasis:
Childcare administration
Curriculum development and creative activities
Early literacy
Developmentally appropriate methods and materials

Family Sciences emphasis:
Public policy
Human services
Mental health
Family life education

Strong Freshman applicants will present a 2.5 minimum GPA in core academic subjects. It is understood that most foreign education systems do not follow the same core curriculum as taught in U.S. high schools. Therefore, each applicant will be evaluated on criteria particular to the educational system of the country in which they completed their studies. However, it is expected that a college preparatory curriculum include courses in English, Math, Science, and Social Science.