2025 Undergraduate Catalog

Undergraduate Course Descriptions

Child and Family Development (CHFD)

CHFD210 Childhood Educational Development (3 semester hours)

This course examines a variety of developmentally appropriate instructional strategies central to the education of children. Integrating a micro-systemic perspective that takes into account internal and external family dynamics, this course will focus on identifying theoretical and applied solutions to the choice of age-appropriate learning exercises

View the course schedule AMU or APU to find out details about each course including prerequisites, course objectives, course materials, a snapshot of the syllabi, and session dates.

CHFD212 Infant and Toddler Programs (3 semester hours)

This course examines the fundamentals of infant and toddler development, including planning and implementing programs in group care. It emphasizes meeting physical, social, emotional, and cognitive needs; scheduling, preparing age-appropriate activities, health and safety policies, record keeping, and reporting to parents.

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CHFD215 Introduction to Child Development (3 semester hours)

This course addresses the research and theory of child development from conception through the end of childhood. Topics include the child’s emotional, perceptual, and intellectual development, with attention to the social, cultural, and biological context in which children develop. Practical applications of theory and research will be emphasized.

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CHFD220 Human Sexuality (3 semester hours)

This course is an overview of the biological, psychological, cultural, and behavioral aspects of human sexuality and family life. The overall theme of the course focuses on attitudes and responsible sexual behavior. Key topics include how culture, society, and history have impacted our understanding of human sexuality.

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CHFD225 Introduction to the American Family (3 semester hours)

This course examines the family during modern times. Topics include a diverse range of issues, including single mothers, fathers, disparities among families, childcare and child well-being, cohabitation, and how these trends affect American family life.

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CHFD230 Child Welfare and Advocacy (3 semester hours)

This introductory course will explore the field of child welfare by providing an overview of the systems that are in place to ensure the needs of high- risk children, youth and families are met. This course will also explore child advocacy with regard to protecting children experiencing different societal issues.

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CHFD307 Child and Adolescent Development (3 semester hours)

This course is a study of theories, research and practical interventions concerning the psychological development of the child from conception to puberty. Course content focuses on biological, intellectual, emotional and social development, and the dynamics of family, peer, school and other environmental influences.

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CHFD308 Infant-Toddler Development (3 semester hours)

This course is an examination of physical, cognitive, emotional and social development in the first 3 years of life. Course topics include developmental milestones, abnormal development and disease, parenting, family dynamics and appropriate care practices and environments from infancy through 36 months of age.

View the course schedule AMU or APU to find out details about each course including prerequisites, course objectives, course materials, a snapshot of the syllabi, and session dates.

CHFD311 Guidance in Early Childhood (3 semester hours)

This course stresses the need to respect the unique qualities that individual children and their families bring to the early childhood setting. It presents developmentally appropriate guidance strategies that help young children to become responsible, respectful, and productive members of the community.

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CHFD312 Special Needs Students (3 semester hours)

This course focuses on theory and practical approaches to understanding and providing accommodations for students with special needs. Students will be presented with an overview of the characteristics of the most prevalent types of disabilities, as well as the laws that protect and best educational practices for children with disabilities. Students will examine the methods to teach, as well as the documents that provide the legal basis for meeting the needs for an appropriate education for this population.

View the course schedule AMU or APU to find out details about each course including prerequisites, course objectives, course materials, a snapshot of the syllabi, and session dates.

CHFD314 Students with Special Needs (3 semester hours)

This course focuses on theory and practical approaches to understanding and providing accommodations for students with special needs. Students will be presented with an overview of the characteristics of the most prevalent types of disabilities, as well as the laws that protect and best educational practices for children with disabilities. Students will examine the methods to teach, as well as the documents that provide the legal basis for meeting the needs for an appropriate education for this population.

View the course schedule AMU or APU to find out details about each course including prerequisites, course objectives, course materials, a snapshot of the syllabi, and session dates.

CHFD331 Parenting (3 semester hours)

This course examines factors influencing child rearing practices in families with an emphasis on developing practical skills for working with parents and children. Topics of study include family systems, communication dynamics, blended and culturally diverse families, conflict management, custody concerns, factors supporting healthy child development and resilience, challenges to positive parenting and models for effectively working with parents and youth

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CHFD340 Family Development (3 semester hours)

This course is a study of the dynamics of family interaction over the life cycle. Course content emphasizes the developmental, social, and cultural influences of the family in relation to a variety of personal and social experiences.

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CHFD342 Human Life Span Development (3 semester hours)

This course is a survey of human development across the life span. Course content includes terminology, principles, and theories related to genetic and environmental influences on physical, cognitive, emotional and social development.

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CHFD348 Marriage and the Family (3 semester hours)

This course guides students through an examination of the major theories and research findings related to healthy and effective marriages and families. Family dynamics associated with marital breakdowns and an introduction to family therapy are included.

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CHFD350 Family Life Education (3 semester hours)

The course offers a philosophical and historical perspective on family life education across the lifespan. Practice in curriculum development including content, objectives, and teaching strategies for diverse social groups and settings is stressed.

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CHFD360 Family Resource Management (3 semester hours)

The course covers the management of a variety of resources most often found in family systems. Included is the interaction of families with other societal environmental systems in acquiring and using resources to meet goals and other demands.

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CHFD411 Child Psychopathology (3 semester hours)

This course focuses on psychopathology in childhood from biological, cognitive, social and emotional perspectives and the assessment and diagnostic tools and treatment approaches used with major childhood disorders. Environmental factors contributing to the development of child psychopathology, including family dysfunction, interpersonal violence and trauma and assessment of risk for child abuse and neglect, drug use and suicide will be examined. This course replaces CHFD410. (Prerequisite: CHFD307)

View the course schedule AMU or APU to find out details about each course including prerequisites, course objectives, course materials, a snapshot of the syllabi, and session dates.

CHFD415 Children and Stress (3 semester hours)

This course examines historical and current research related to, and practical applications for managing and reducing, childhood stress within home, school and community environments. The effects of separation, divorce, violence, crises and trauma both within and external to the home, and events impacting local and extended communities will be addressed with a prevention and intervention focus.

View the course schedule AMU or APU to find out details about each course including prerequisites, course objectives, course materials, a snapshot of the syllabi, and session dates.

CHFD445 Family Communications (3 semester hours)

This course emphasizes the role of communications within the family relationship cycle. It examines how individual needs, perceptions, and self-concepts affect the quality of intra - and inter-familial communication, and integrates both theoretical and applied aspects of family research.

View the course schedule AMU or APU to find out details about each course including prerequisites, course objectives, course materials, a snapshot of the syllabi, and session dates.

CHFD446 Families and Social Action (3 semester hours)

This course is the study of the multidimensional aspects of family law and policy, including child support enforcement, homosexual marriage, and surrogate parenting. Students will analyze case excerpts from court opinions on family policies and laws that apply at the federal, state, and local level.

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CHFD498 Senior Seminar in Child and Family Development (3 semester hours)

This course covers major issues within the field of child and family development. Historical underpinnings of theory and practice, factors influencing family function and dysfunction across the lifespan, family education and guidance, law and public policy related to children and families, family resource management, and ethical and professional issues confronting practitioners in field are examined. Extensive research, reading and synthesis of scholarly and professional resources are required. (Prerequisite: Completion of a minimum of 105 hours towards your program)

View the course schedule AMU or APU to find out details about each course including prerequisites, course objectives, course materials, a snapshot of the syllabi, and session dates.

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