Bachelor of Science in Child Learning and Development

Child development practitioners and researchers focus on providing better ways to foster the intellectual and emotional development of children. The child learning and development major focuses on the fundamental processes of child and adolescent development within the contexts of families, schools, peer groups and larger cultural surroundings.

This major provides undergraduate students a rigorous science-based curriculum that immerses them in the theories, findings, research methods and best practices that the scientific study of child development has to offer. Opportunities for supervised and independent research, as well as field placements that involve working with children, families, schools and social services, are provided in addition to formal schoolwork.

Careers in Child Learning and Development

The child learning and development major prepares students for a wide range of careers in education, psychology, social work, family medicine, public health, family law and public policy.

The major is especially well suited for students seeking elementary teacher certification. Students will develop a strong foundation in child development and accumulate teaching skills by combining a degree in child learning and development with an elementary teacher certification.

The University’s Career Center is an important resource for students pursuing their careers. Professional career counselors are available to help clarify career goals, provide strategies for mastering job interviews and writing professional cover letters and resumes and help students connect with campus recruiters.

Child Learning and Development at UT Dallas

UT Dallas offers two undergraduate degree plans in child learning and development:

  • The BS in child learning and development requires 120 hours to graduate: 42 hours from the University's core curriculum, 28 hours of child learning and development courses and 50 hours of electives.
  • The BS in child learning and development with the EC-6 teacher certification requires a minimum of 45 additional hours of coursework that can be completed within the free elective hours.

Internships

Junior and senior child learning and development majors with at least a 2.5 GPA are eligible to receive college credit for a volunteer internship in the community.

Fast-Track

The Fast-Track program enables undergraduate students to take up to 15 hours of graduate courses that will count toward both a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in applied cognition and neuroscience, communication disorders, and human development and early childhood disorders. Students must have at least 90 credit hours and meet the graduate admission requirements to qualify.

The University of Texas at Dallas www.utdallas.edu/enroll

School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences

The School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences is focused on the intersection of mind, brain and behavior. Through the school’s research-intensive culture, our professors and students work together to unravel mysteries that will improve human lives. They accomplish this by translating the latest research into treatments and sharing this knowledge through community outreach.

Areas of study include:

  • Child learning and development
  • Cognition and neuroscience
  • Psychology
  • Speech-language pathology and communication disorders
  • Audiology

Degrees Offered

Bachelor of Arts: Psychology*

Bachelor of Science: Child learning and development*, cognitive science, neuroscience, speech-language pathology and audiology*

Master of Science: Applied cognition and neuroscience, communication disorders, human development and early childhood disorders, psychological sciences

Doctor of Philosophy: Cognition and neuroscience, communication sciences and disorders, psychological sciences

Doctor of Audiology: Audiology

*May be combined with a teacher certification degree plan

Research Centers

In addition to the many research opportunities in faculty labs, students can also gain valuable experience through the school’s four affiliated centers committed to research, treatment and outreach.

  • Callier Center for Communication Disorders — The center is a national leader in providing care for children and adults with a wide variety of speech, language and hearing disorders. Faculty members support the center’s clinical services by engaging in research to provide the latest information on causes, treatments and prevention of communication disorders.
  • The Center for BrainHealth — This center has a unique mission: to understand the brain's ability to restore or protect healthy function, to protect the brain from unnecessary mental decline and to heal the brain through treatments that regenerate function. To accomplish its mission, the Center for BrainHealth unites cutting-edge technologies in brain science with the intellectual talent of world-class scientists and clinicians, thereby advancing cognitive treatments and brain repair across diseases.
  • The Center for Vital Longevity — This research center is focused on understanding and expanding the capacity of the aging mind. Center researchers use cutting-edge brain imaging technologies and advances in cognitive science to understand how the brain changes from young to old adulthood, the consequences of neural aging for everyday function and what interventions show promise for slowing cognitive aging.
  • The Center for Children and Families — The center’s research, programs and community outreach activities are organized around parenting healthy families, strengthening interpersonal relationships and enhancing thinking and learning.

To learn more about the research centers affiliated with the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences and to view a complete list of the school's research labs, visit

utdallas.edu/bbs/research

Additional Facts about BBS

  • BBS enrollment has increased by almost 50 percent during the last seven years.
  • The graduate programs in audiology and speech- language pathology are both nationally ranked in the top five percent, according to U.S. News & World Report.
  • The school is home to one of the state’s largest concentrations of child development experts.
  • Since September 2008, BBS faculty members have received close to $35 million in research funding.
  • BBS has more than 1,200 undergraduate students and more than 460 graduate students.

Contact Information

Melanie Spence, PhD
Associate Dean of Undergraduate Education

School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences
The University of Texas at Dallas
800 West Campbell Road GR41
Richardson, TX 75080-3021
Fax: (972)-883-2491
E-mail: bbs.undergraduate@utdallas.edu
Website: bbs.utdallas.edu

Office of Admission and Enrollment Services
800 West Campbell Road ROC 11
Richardson, TX 75080-3021
Phone: 972-883-2270 or 1-800-889-2443
E-mail: interest@utdallas.edu
Website: utdallas.edu/enroll