University of Washington Early Childhood and Family Studies (ECFS)
http://education.washington.edu/degrees/undergrad/
Facilitating the healthy development of children and ensuring their readiness for school is a national priority. Too many children are at risk for failure in school, and too many families are not receiving the support they need to help their children develop optimally. Why, in times of unparalleled research discoveries, do such challenges remain? The UW College of Education's BA in Early Childhood and Family Studies (ECFS) will prepare students to use the most recent research to understand how to facilitate optimal child development and how to become agents for institutional and societal change.
The ECFS major is designed to give students the opportunity to study early childhood development, early learning, and family studies from a variety of perspectives across a range of disciplines. Students will take course work that is specifically developed for the major, along with relevant courses from other University departments. They will participate in fieldwork and/or research each quarter during their junior and senior years.
A BA in early child development will prepare students for positions in social services/mental health, education, childcare, or research. Job opportunities are expanding in the area of early childhood development. National efforts (e.g., Head Start, National Association for the Education of Young Children) are underway to ensure that early childhood teachers have a bachelor’s degree.
An undergraduate major in ECFS may also serve as a pathway for students interested in graduate studies in education, speech and hearing sciences, physical therapy, occupational therapy, nursing, psychology, nutrition, and social work.