The Children's Studies Program

The minor in Children’s Studies is an interdisciplinary program of study inspired by the work of the Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children’s Media. The minor seeks to enhance students’ understanding of children from a variety of disciplinary perspectives, providing students with a broad-based examination of childhood grounded in the tradition of the liberal arts.

Curriculumchildrens-studies-curriculum
Requirements for a Minor in Children's Studies

Required courses: (36 credits)
PY 212 Child Development - 3 credits
CA 281 Children and the Media - 3 credits
PY 499 Project in Children’s Studies - 1 credit
At least 11 credits from the following:
ED 122 Curriculum Projects and Play for Young Children - 2 credits
EL 128* Children’s Literature: Fables to 1900 - 3 credits
EL 130 * Children’s Literature: 1900 to present - 3 credits
EL 273* Representations of Childhood in Literature for Young Adults - 3 credits
EL 274 Representations of Childhood in Film - 3 credits
HI 279 History of American Childhood - 3 credits
SO 202 Sociology of Childhood - 3 credits
TH 272 Theology of Children - 3 credits
PY301** Directed Research at Fred Rogers Center - 1 credit
CA 381 Research on Children and the Media - 3 credits
PY 373 Seminar: What Would Fred Rogers Do? - 3 credits
*Students may count only one of EL 128, EL 130 or EL 273 toward requirements for minor.
**PY 301 is a repeatable course
  • Student Learning Outcomes
    • Enhance students' understanding of children from a variety of disciplinary perspectives.
    • Provide a broad-based examination of childhood grounded in the tradition of the liberal arts.