Child Development

Welcome to the Child Development Department!

The program in Child Development focuses on the study of the individual from conception through the end of adolescence in a plurality of contexts. Students are provided with fundamental knowledge of theoretical and methodological advances, developmental processes and current issues in the field. A unique feature of the curriculum is the inclusion of courses that are of special relevance to students from Southern California.

We believe that child development professionals play an important role in society with a significant impact on children. To ensure that our students graduate as well prepared professionals, our program rests on three fundamental elements:

Knowledge: providing a solid foundation in the scientific understanding of children’s development through academic rigor
Skills: providing opportunities to develop skills in observing and working with children through field experiences.
Integrity: emphasizing the development of professional and personal qualities of reliability, accountability, ethics, preparation, collegiality, and compassion


Department Chair: Dr. Megumi Kuwabara

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Department Office

Location: James L. Welch Hall (WH) A320DD
Phone: (310) 243-2029
Email: cdevelopment@zo23.com

Child Development Program Learning Outcomes
  1. Describe and summarize (basic), apply (intermediate), and critically evaluate and synthesize (advanced) constructs, theories, and empirical findings pertaining to child development including developmental milestones and processes in the physical, cognitive, and social-emotional domains from conception through adolescence.
  2. Incorporate Diversity: analyze and illustrate how culture, gender, ethnicity, social class, and contextual variables contribute to variation in development.
  3. Demonstrate research knowledge and skills: explain and apply the scientific method; describe, evaluate, and apply research and observation methods used in the study of children’s development; and calculate and interpret basic statistics.
  4. Demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills that reflect the ability to summarize (basic), apply (intermediate), and evaluate/synthesize (advanced) developmental theories and empirical findings and that are consistent with the professional and ethical standards of the child development field.
  5. Develop and demonstrate professional and personal skills and qualities related to the field of child development (e.g., observation techniques, curriculum development/implementation, leadership and team work, professional ethics, accountability, reliability)
  6. Demonstrate technological and computer literacy that permits the access, utilization, production, and dissemination of electronic information.
Commonly Used Forms

For the forms related to grading, enrollment, and graduation, please visit the Registrar’s website.

For all Financial Aid forms, please visit the Financial Aid website.

For course substitution requests, please complete this fillable Child Development Course Substitution Form [PDF] and submit the required documents to cdevelopment@zo23.com.

Important CSUDH Links

The Registrar's Office

Financial Aid

Cashier's Office

IT Service Portal

Career Center

Student Health & Psychological Services

Student DisAbility Resource Center

University Library

Women's Resource Center

Veterans Resource Center

Job Opportunities for Part-Time Faculty

Currently the Child Development Department has open part-time faculty positions. For position requirements and access to the application click here. 

Free Resources

Free Software: Did you know that there is a suite of free software available to you as a student?  Login to MyCSUDH and find the “software Launchpad” for the full suite.  It can all be downloaded remotely.

Technology Checkout Program Information: Students can checkout laptops for FREE.  

The Writing Center: The CSUDH Writing Center supports students at all levels as they prepare, draft, and revise their writing for various courses, departments, and programs. Visit the Writing Center's website to schedule an appointment. 

Child Development Association

The Child Development Association is here to help create a supportive network for upcoming professionals interested in working with infants, children, and families. We are bursting with ideas to help grow our networks within CSUDH and our community. We want to build a meaningful network within CSUDH and also form supportive relationships with our community.

Benefits of joining our organizations are:

  • Networking opportunities to meet other students and professionals
  • Building a support system
  • Volunteer opportunities that make a difference in the community and build your resume
  • Informational workshops for future career options and graduate schools
  • Workshops to learn about special topics in Child Development 
  • Job opportunities 
  • Sharpening your people skills
  • Development of team work skills
  • Development of time-management skills
  • And much much more! 

Anyone is welcomed to join! Our association values a diverse and inclusive environment in order to gain more knowledge from different perspectives. If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to email us at cdvclub.csudh@gmail.com and we will answer in a timely manner. For furthermore information, you can visit our page on Torolink, where you can see images and videos of members in previous events.