Early Child Development prepares students to work directly with or for the benefit of children age 6 and younger. Students interested in this area of study will gain knowledge of early childhood development, professional child care, and educational programs for young children as well as skills for working with children who are in the preschool years. Specifically, students will learn how to understand, guide and teach young children, and they will gain experience to prepare for careers in early childhood settings, such as childcare centers, preschools, or Head Start classrooms, administration of early childhood programs, daycare licensing, training and consulting.
Programs of Study
The Department of Human Development and Family Science offers two undergraduate degree options for its Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Science: Child Life Option or Early Child Development Option.
The Early Child Development Program at Auburn University is accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Early Childhood Higher Education Programs of the National Association for the Education of Young Children.
Additional Information
- Articulate and apply HDFS-related theory to address the needs of individuals and families in the community;
- Students will demonstrate their critical thinking through writing
- Apply principles of professional practice in their HDFS-related field experience; and,
- Synthesize classroom and field learning to communicate preparation for accomplishing a specific HDFS-related professional goal.
The HDFS internship is the capstone course for our undergraduate majors. To best meet their personal interests and goals, students can select from a variety of internship tracks. The HDFS internship consists of an intensive semester-long field placement wherein students apply their academic training in a real-life setting. Through this “learning by doing” experience, students develop the knowledge and skills that are critical for successfully achieving their long-range career objectives. Our internship students also make valuable contributions to the well-being of individuals, families, and programs within the local, national, and international communities.
The B.S. Human Development and Family Science Early Child Development program at Auburn University is accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Early Childhood Higher Education Programs of the National Association for the Education of Young Children. The current accreditation term runs from July 2021-July 2028.
Since its inception in 2008, the annual Human Development and Family Science (HDFS) Internship and Professional Day has served over 4,000 of our HDFS undergraduate students, along with other undergraduates within the College of Human Sciences and across the University, and we have seen hundreds of university, local and regional program representatives. At this event, students are provided with an exclusive venue to learn about careers in Human Development and Family Science and to discover opportunities for practicum, service-learning and full-time internship positions. Through conversations with our community representatives, students also have occasion to practice their professional communication skills.
In Fall 2014, the HDFS department initiated the ePortfolio in the undergraduate curriculum. The ePortfolio is a 21st century method for communicating experience, demonstrating learning, and showcasing skills that support professional goals. The ePortfolio is a website directed to a professional audience and through reflective contextualization it presents a variety of artifacts that conveys the student’s preparedness for accomplishing their goals.
All HDFS undergraduate majors are expected to create an ePortfolio prior to graduation. Typically, students will begin their ePortfolio in HDFS 2030 and finalize it during the HDFS 4920 internship experience.
Program Faculty
