Education & Child Development

When you major in Education and Child Development, you’ll become well-versed in child development and gain real-life experience working with children and families in a variety of settings. This flexible major allows students to choose an area of focus within special education, early childhood or education more broadly to meet their professional and personal goals. Through extensive internship opportunities, students gain valuable experiences building their skills and working in the field of their choice before graduation. 

Graduates from this program are prepared for a wide variety of careers working with children and families, from early interventionists to directors of childcare facilities to caseworkers with human services organizations. Students interested in pursuing graduate study in a variety of human services related fields will find this major a strong foundation, as it allows flexibility in course selection to meet a range of graduate program prerequisites.

Program Goals:

The goals of the Lander University Education and Child Development Major prepare students to be able to:

• Describe and apply important concepts related to the growth and development of young children.
• Use appropriate diagnostic, formative, and summative assessments to develop and implement data-informed, developmentally appropriate instruction for each learner.
• Apply research and theories of child development in a variety of settings to create positive learning environments.
• Work closely with families in a professional setting.
• Demonstrate professional dispositions in community and education-related settings conducive to promote healthy child development across a range of settings.