Bachelor of Arts in Child and Adolescent Development: Concentration in Early Care and Education

Child and Adolescent Development Major (B.A.): Concentration in Early Care and Education — 45 units

All courses for the major must be completed with a grade of C or better. CR/NC grading is only accepted for CAD 280 Early Childhood Internship.

Core Requirements (24 units)

Course List

Code	Title	Units
CAD 210	Introduction to Applied Child and Adolescent Development	3
CAD 260	Children, Families, and Community: An Ecological Perspective	3
CAD 300	Professional Roles and Careers in Child and Adolescent Development	3
CAD 410GW	Applied Developmental Science: Prenatal Through Early Childhood - GWAR	3
CAD 411	Applied Developmental Science: Middle Childhood through Emerging Adulthood	3
CAD 500	Research Methods in Child and Adolescent Development	3
CAD 625	Children, Youth, and Public Policy	3
CAD 660	Applied Advanced Developmental Science in Child and Adolescent Development	3

Early Childhood Foundations and Programs (3 units)

Select One:

Course List

Code	Title	Units
CAD 215	Foundations in Early Childhood	3
CAD 230	Principles and Practices in Early Childhood Programs	3

Curriculum and Methods (3 units)

Select One:

Course List

Code	Title	Units
CAD 330	Curriculum and Development in Early Childhood	3
E ED 602	Innovative Early Childhood Education Curriculum	3

Observation and Assessment (3 units)

Select One:

Course List

Code	Title	Units
CAD 420	Assessment and Observation with Children	3
E ED 610	Classroom Assessment and Evaluation for Young Children	3

Concentration Electives (12 units)

Select 12 units from the following:

Course List

Code	Title	Units
CAD 223	Infants, Toddlers, and Families	3
CAD 280	Early Childhood Internship	3
CAD 423	Administration of Programs for Young Children	3
CAD 510	Adult Supervision and Leadership in Early Childhood Programs	3
CAD 680	International Field Study in Child and Adolescent Development	3
CAD 685	Projects in the Teaching of CAD	1-4
E ED 603	Understanding and Supporting Children's Socio-Emotional Development	3
E ED 604	Collaborating with Children, Families, and Communities in Early Childhood Education	3
E ED 607	Leadership and Administration in ECE	3
E ED 611	Transforming Infant-Toddler Education and Care	3
E ED 614	Science, Math, and Technology Curricular in ECE	3
E ED 616	Multilingualism and Multiliteracies in the Early Years	3
E ED 668	Multicultural Education and Social Justice for Young Children	3
KIN 487	Motor Development	3
MUS 601	Music for Children	3
SPED 330	Introduction to Disability	3
SPED 370	Early Development and Neurodiversity	3
SPED 620	The Science of Early Intervention	3
SPED 671	Positive Behavior Support for Young Children	3
SPED 672	Inclusive Learning Environments for Young Children	3
SPED 675	Working with Families of Young Children with Disabilities	3
SPED 691	Autism in the Contemporary World	3

Complementary Studies

To fulfill the Complementary Studies requirement, all students completing a B.A. degree must take 12 units from courses outside of the primary prefix of their major and not cross-listed with the primary prefix for the major. This requirement is fulfilled when completing 12 units towards a minor, certificate or 2nd major, completion of 12 units of a language or in study abroad, or 12 units in any courses outside of Child and Adolescent Development. Students may need to take additional units, however, to reach the 120 minimum units required for graduation.

General Education Requirements 

General Education Requirements

Requirement	Course Level	Units	Area Designation
Oral Communication	LD	3	A1
Written English Communication	LD	3	A2
Critical Thinking	LD	3	A3
Physical Science	LD	3	B1
Life Science	LD	3	B2
Lab Science	LD	1	B3
Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning	LD	3	B4
Arts	LD	3	C1
Humanities	LD	3	C2
Arts or Humanities	LD	3	C1 or C2
Social Sciences	LD	3	D1
Social Sciences: US History	LD	3	D2
Lifelong Learning and Self-Development (LLD)	LD	3	E
Ethnic Studies	LD	3	F
Physical and/or Life Science	UD	3	UD-B
Arts and/or Humanities	UD	3	UD-C
Social Sciences	UD	3	UD-D
SF State Studies
Courses certified as meeting the SF State Studies requirements may be upper or lower division in General Education (GE), a major or minor, or an elective.
American Ethnic and Racial Minorities	LD or UD	3	AERM
Environmental Sustainability	LD or UD	3	ES
Global Perspectives	LD or UD	3	GP
Social Justice	LD or UD	3	SJ

Note: LD = Lower-Division; UD = Upper-Division.

First-Time Student Roadmap (4 Year)

The roadmaps presented in this Bulletin are intended as suggested plans of study and do not replace meeting with an advisor. For a more personalized roadmap, please use the Degree Planner tool found in your Student Center.

First-Time Student Roadmap

SF State Scholars

The San Francisco State Scholars program provides undergraduate students with an accelerated pathway to a graduate degree. Students in this program pursue a bachelor’s and master’s degree simultaneously. This program allows students to earn graduate credit while in their junior and/or senior year, reducing the number of semesters required for completion of a master’s degree.

B.A. in Child and Adolescent Development: Concentration in Early Care and Education, M.A. in Special Education, and Early Childhood Special Education Credential SF Scholars Roadmap

Transfer Student Roadmap (2 Year)

For students with an AS-T in Early Childhood Education.
ECE ADT Roadmap

For students with an AA-T in Child and Adolescent Development.
CAD ADT Roadmap

For students with an AA-T in Elementary Teacher Education.
ETE ADT Roadmap

For students with an AA-T in Psychology
PSY ADT Roadmap

This degree program is an approved pathway (“similar” major) for students earning the ADT in Early Childhood Education

California legislation SB 1440 (2009) mandated the creation of the Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) to be awarded by the California Community Colleges. Two types of ADTs are awarded: Associate in Arts for Transfer (AA-T) and Associate in Science for Transfer (AS-T). 

Note: no specific degree is required for admission as an upper-division student. However, the ADT includes specific guarantees related to admission and graduation and is designed to clarify the transfer process and strengthen lower-division preparation for the major.

An ADT totals 60 units and in most cases includes completion of all lower-division General Education requirements and at least 18 units in a specific major. (The Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Science AS-T degrees defer 3 units in lower-division GE area C and 3 units in lower-division GE area D until after transfer.) Students pursuing an ADT are guaranteed admission to the CSU if minimum eligibility requirements are met, though not necessarily to the CSU campus of primary choice.

Upon verification that the ADT has been awarded prior to matriculation at SF State, students are guaranteed B.A. or B.S. completion in 60 units if pursuing a “similar” major after transfer. Determinations about “similar” majors at SF State are made by faculty in the discipline.

Degree completion in 60 units cannot be guaranteed when a student simultaneously pursues an additional major, a minor, certificate, or credential.

A sample advising roadmap for students who have earned an ADT and continue in a "similar" major at SF State is available on the Roadmaps tab on the degree requirements page for the major. The roadmap displays:

• How many lower-division units required for the major have been completed upon entry based on the award of a specific ADT;
• Which lower-division requirements are considered complete upon entry based on the award of a specific ADT;
• How to complete the remaining 60 units for the degree in four semesters.

Students who have earned an ADT should seek advising in the major department during the first semester of attendance.

General Advising Information for Transfer Students

1. Before transfer, complete as many lower-division requirements or electives for this major as possible.
2. The following courses are not required for admission but are required for graduation. Students are strongly encouraged to complete these units before transfer; doing so will provide more flexibility in course selection after transfer.
   • a course in U.S. History
   • a course in U.S. & California Government

For information about satisfying the requirements described in (1) and (2) above at a California Community College (CCC), please visit http://www.assist.org. Check any geographically accessible CCCs; sometimes options include more than one college. Use ASSIST to determine:

• Which courses at a CCC satisfy any lower-division major requirements for this major;
• Which courses at a CCC satisfy CSU GE, US History, and US & CA Government requirements.

Remedial courses are not transferable and do not apply to the minimum 60 semester units/90 quarter units required for admission.

Additional units for courses that are repeated do not apply to the minimum 60 units required for upper-division transfer (for example, if a course was not passed on the first attempt or was taken to earn a better grade).

Before leaving the last California Community College of attendance, obtain a summary of completion of lower-division General Education units (IGETC or CSU GE Breadth). This is often referred to as a GE certification worksheet. SF State does not require delivery of this certification to Admissions, but students should retain this document for verifying degree progress after transfer.

Credit for Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or College-Level Examination Program courses: AP/IB/CLEP credit is not automatically transferred from the previous institution. Units are transferred only when an official score report is delivered to SF State. Credit is based on the academic year during which exams were taken. Refer to the University Bulletin in effect during the year of AP/IB/CLEP examination(s) for details regarding the award of credit for AP/IB/CLEP.

Students pursuing majors in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines often defer 6-9 units of lower-division General Education in Areas C and D until after transfer to focus on preparation courses for the major. This advice does not apply to students pursuing associate degree completion before transfer.

Transferring From Institutions Other Than CCCs or CSUs

Review SF State's lower-division General Education requirements. Note that, as described below, the four basic skills courses required for admission meet A1, A2, A3, and B4 in the SF State GE pattern. Courses that fulfill the remaining areas of SF State’s lower-division GE pattern are available at most two-year and four-year colleges and universities.

Of the four required basic skills courses, a course in critical thinking (A3) may not be widely offered outside the CCC and CSU systems. Students should attempt to identify and take an appropriate course no later than the term of application to the CSU. To review more information about the A3 requirement, please visit bulletin.sfsu.edu/undergraduate-education/general-education/lower-division/#AAEL.

Waiting until after transfer to take a single course at SF State that meets both US and CA/local government requirements may be an appropriate option, particularly if transferring from outside of California.