Child and Adolescent Development

Child and Adolescent Development AA-T

The Associate in Arts in Child and Adolescent Development for transfer degree is designed to provide students a seamless transfer to the California state university system. The degree is designed to prepare students for baccalaureate degree in Child Development. The West Hills College Child Development Program offers a comprehensive background in the field of child adolescent growth and development. Program emphasis includes information directed at working with culturally diverse families, working with children ages 10 – 18 years in an elementary school setting, and creating and teaching developmentally appropriate environments for adolescence. Students will be offered information and skills for future employment in primary and secondary school systems. This program is intended for students planning to transfer to a California State University to pursue elementary teaching, social services, and counseling

Students must fulfill the following requirements to qualify for an associate degree for transfer

• Completion of 60 semester units or 90 quarter units of degree-applicable courses,
• Minimum overall grade point average of 2.0,
• Minimum grade of “C” (or “P”) for each course in the major, and
• Completion of IGETC and/or CSU GE-Breadth.

Upon completion of the early childhood education program, the student will be able to:

• identify and contrast current adolescent development theoretical information and investigative methodologies, as it applies to the development of adolescents;
• examine ways in which developmental domains are continuous, sequential and inter related;
• demonstrate knowledge of the physical, social, emotional and cognitive development of adolescents, both typical and atypical, major developmental stages;
• investigate and explain sources of developmental change and reasons for disturbances in the developmental process;
• identify the current research findings, as it applies to adolescent development;
• examine and explain how bias can influence the research process;
• demonstrate objective techniques and skills when observing, interviewing, describing and evaluating behavior in adolescents, cultures and backgrounds and their caregivers;
• examine and evaluate the role of family in facilitating adolescent development;  
• examine and evaluate the role of teachers and other professionals in facilitating adolescent development;  
• identify and describe risk factors that impact families and adolescent at each major developmental stage;  
• describe and explain biological and environmental factors influencing the development of Adolescents.