Advising Tips – Child Development Major

1. Your first point for help in planning your class schedule and for other general advising/scheduling information is the College of Education and Human Development Advising Center in Hinckley 309 (496-1566 or 496-3035).
2. When planning courses please note that you must complete Child 150, Child 210 and Family 160 before enrolling in other core major courses.These 3 courses provide a basic foundation for further study and are required prerequisites to upper division Child Development courses.
   
3. To ensure timely completion of degree requirements please follow the ‘Recommended Sequencing’ document.Any exceptions to the ‘Recommended Sequencing’ will need to be approved by your faculty advisor.

4. All Child Development majors are required to complete a practicum experience (Child 335 or Child 345) as a part of the Child Development degree requirements.  Family and Consumer Sciences majors are required to complete Child 335.  Professional Preschool Education Majors are required to complete Child 240 and Child 240L.  Child Development minors must also complete a practicum.  Minors can choose to complete Child 335 or Child 345 or Child 280.  For each of these practicum experiences an application is required.  Applications are available on-line or can be picked up from the Child Lab manager, Sister Ellsworth, in Clarke 217.  Completed applications should be returned to Clarke 217.  If you are off track you can e-mail the completed application to Sister Ellsworth (ellwsorths@byui.edu).  Applications are due by the 2^nd Friday of October for placement in the subsequent Winter Semester,  by the 2^nd Friday in February for placement in the subsequent Summer semester, and by the 2^nd Friday in May for placement in the subsequent Fall semester.  Placement decisions will be made by the Friday preceding mid-term exams each semester.  Once placement decisions are made all applicants will be notified via e-mail of their placement status by no later than the Friday of mid-term exams.  If you are not placed in your desired practicum for a given semester your application will be kept on file and you will be considered for placement in your next semester.  You do not need to reapply.  However, if you are offered a practicum placement and you decline the placement, you must reapply for the practicum.  Please consult with your advisor when completing the application for the practicum, and apply early!

5. The Child Development major requires that you complete a minor or two clusters.Contact the College of Education and Human Development Advising Center in Hinckley 309 to declare your minor and/or arrange clusters. You may want to meet with your faculty advisor for help in determining whether a minor or clusters will best meet your needs and goals.
6. The Child Development major requires that you complete an internship – Child 498R.You must complete a minimum of 2 credits of Child 498R. You are required to work at your internship placement site 80 hours for each credit.In addition you are required to document your experiences during the internship and complete a few other assignments. Often students complete the internship during their ‘off’ track although this is not required.Please meet with the Child Development Internship Coordinator, Bro. McCoy, two semesters before you plan to complete the internship to ensure that you will have met the prerequisites and to begin making the necessary arrangements for the internship.
7. Child Development majors who have a strong interest in teaching in or directing a preschool are encouraged to consider what we call the 2 + 2 option. In the 2 + 2 option, students complete the 2 year AAS degree in Professional Preschool Education (also offered in the Department of Home and Family) and then switch to the CD major and complete the remaining Foundations and Major requirements to receive the B.S. degree in Child Development. The PPE degree will count as the minor and we will also allow some of the PPE credit to ‘double count’ and fill major requirements. Talk to your faculty advisor if this option interests you. NOTE: To complete the 2 + 2 option you must choose this option early and begin with the PPE courses!
8. It is helpful to review your Grad Report each semester in order to successfully plan and monitor your progress toward completion of the degree. To view your Grad Report log on to MYBYUI.EDU. From the menu on the right click on Grad Report. The Grad Report indicates who your faculty advisor is and provides contact information. It also shows courses you have completed and those you still need to complete. In the Grad Report you can plan the courses you will take each semester. We encourage you to plan your courses out in the Grad Report and update your plan regularly. This will ensure that you are properly progressing toward degree completion and will also help the Department to know how many sections of a course are needed each semester.

9. If you are a transfer student from another University, or if you changed your major here on campus, you may have completed a course or courses that you feel could count toward meeting the requirements for the Child Development degree or Minor.  If this is the case, complete the Departmental ‘ Petition for Substitution of Course’ form .  Fill out this form completely and provide as much documentation as possible in support of your request.  Then submit the form to the Department of Home and Family office in Clarke 223.  Your request will be reviewed by the Child Development faculty committee.  Please realize that completion of the form does not guarantee that your petition will be granted.  Also note that personal decisions such as marriage, pregnancy, or a spouse’s pending graduation are not considered legitimate reasons for requesting a course substitution.  You are strongly urged to consult with your faculty advisor in completing the ‘Petition for Course Substitution’ form. 

10. Although advisors in the College of Education and Human Development Advising Center will be able to help you with class scheduling, declaring a minor or clusters, applying for Fast Grad and other tasks, you are encouraged to meet regularly with your faculty advisor to discuss career and grad school options and to deepen your knowledge of our discipline. As you graduate and move on to employment or graduate school your advisor can provide valuable assistance in the form of letters of recommendation if you have formed a positive relationship with him or her.
    
11. As a Child Development major you are strongly encouraged to participate actively in the Child and Family Advocacy Society. In the society students plan and carry out activities that complement learning in the classroom and that provide opportunities to gain leadership experience.

Course Changes and Additions

(Printable version of Course Changes and Additions )