Child, Youth and Family Studies (CYAF)
Prerequisites: Admission to the Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) master's program.
Description: Provides an introduction and an overview to the marriage and family therapy program and The Couple and Family Clinic. Learn the basics of clinic management, receive required trainings, and work on establishing your professional identity as a marriage and family therapist.
Requires a completed contract form before registering.
Description: Undergraduate Creative Research Experience (UCARE), Research Experience For Undergraduates (REU), and non-UCARE research and/or creative activity.
Description: Regularly scheduled meeting of doctoral students focusing on professional development and career preparation. Required for doctoral students during each semester of residence.
Prerequisites: Open to freshmen and sophomores only
Letter Grade only
Description: Ecological Systems Theory (EST) as a foundation to understanding the complex college environment and how basic life skills can be used to achieve success in college. How to apply EST to the following challenges: study skills and time management; awareness of diversity of thought and action; leadership; community service and social responsibility; money management; coping with stress; developing health social relationships; and career exploration.
Description: Developmental life cycle approach to the study of the individual from conception to death. Each stage of life studied from the perspective of how individual development is fostered within the family system.
Prerequisites: Admission to ECEMS program
Description: Child development from birth to age three. Growth patterns, the influences of disabilities and risk factors, environmental factors and their effects on attachment styles, language acquisition, brain development, cognitive development, social-emotional development, and perceptual and sensory motor skills.
Prerequisites: Admission to ECEMS Program
Description: Physical, cognitive, social/emotional and personality growth and development during early childhood. Major theories of development and current research and ideas in conjunction with historical approaches to examining growth and development in ages 4-8.
Prerequisites: Admission to ECEMS Program
Description: Knowledge of developmentally appropriate practice in child guidance. Review of current guidance methods and programs in order to become familiar with successful guidance techniques. Develop student's own approach to guidance based upon practices best suited to their own unique skills and strengths.
Prerequisites: Parallel CYAF 210L
For people interested in working with children in schools, child care programs, and in social service agencies.
Description: An overview of the components of social competence and what influences its development. Common social difficulties experienced by children and enhancing children's social competence.
Prerequisites: Parallel CYAF 210
For students to improve their ability to interact effectively with young children. Provides a bridge between theory and practice. Pass/No Pass only.
Description: Practice and demonstrate behaviors and skills related to sound child development theory and/or research and best practices under the guidance of early childhood professionals.
Prerequisites: Sophomore standing
Not open to students with credit in FINA 260 or equivalent.
Description: Individual and family financial planning. Emphasis on financial planning for families in the early life cycle. Application of credit, insurance, savings, investments, taxes, and estate planning information to individual and family needs.
Prerequisites: Parallel CYAF 271L
Description: Human growth and behavior from conception to three years of age from a holistic and ecological perspective including application of knowledge to the care and education of infants and toddlers.
Description: Introduction to research and theory on family relationships and to careers working with children and families. Family systems and how they are affected by healthy and unhealthy processes. How ethnicity, gender and social class influences family living.
This course is a prerequisite for: CYAF 382
Description: The complexities of dating and diverse couple relationships from both developmental and family systems perspectives. Research on the formation, dissolution, and maintenance of relationships. Promotion of healthy communication and inter-actional patterns. The influence of family of origin, dynamics, culture, gender, and life cycle transitions.
Description: Select, evaluate, and use appropriate assessment tools for children birth to age 8. Use assessment data to inform decisions about teaching (environments and practice) and intervention. Ethical use of assessments, validity of assessments, multicultural sensitivity, and assessments for children with special needs.
Description: Learn and use assessment and documentation to inform curriculum, plan and evaluate developmentally appropriate activities, and learn about effective ways to share curriculum information with families. Addresses all areas of developmental domains and content areas. Issues related to diversity in family composition, culture, and individual abilities for children ages Birth to 3.
Description: Learn and use assessment and documentation to inform curriculum, plan and evaluate developmentally appropriate activities, and learn about effective ways to share curriculum information with families. Addresses all areas of developmental domains and content areas. Issues related to diversity in family composition, culture, and individual abilities for children ages 4 to 8.
Prerequisites: Admission to ECEMS Program
Description: Role of a professional as a teacher, administrator, or advocate in early childhood programming. Professionalism and ethics, identifying child abuse and applying universal precautions. Discuss qualities of the early childhood educator role, program models, and working with children and professional colleagues.
Description: Opportunity for Early Childhood Education (ECE) teacher educators to have a guided learning experience in a professional agency that provides services to children and families. Learning experiences and projects at practicum site will provide teacher educators with the opportunity to use and implement theories and practices learned in other ECE classes.
This course is a prerequisite for: CYAF 303
Description: Provides foundational knowledge and skills in visual art, music, drama, media, and dance and practical experiences for prospective teachers to explore how these art forms can be integrated into the early childhood (Birth-Grade 3) curriculum. Opportunities to participate in activities and environments that develop their appreciation for these art forms and consider how creative art forms can enrich early educational contexts, both inside and out of the classroom.
Description: Concentrates on language and literacy acquisition in young children, instructional strategies, curriculum tools, and assessment practices in components of the language arts - reading, writing, listening, speaking. Emphasizes literature analyses and the natural integration of literacy across the curriculum.
Description: Concentrates on developmentally appropriate science and social studies activities in the primary grades, culturally-sustaining and inclusive instructional strategies, standards analyses, exploring content within community spaces, and also emphasizes integrating science and social studies across the curriculum.
Description: Develop the pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) of future teachers in the early childhood setting. Examine challenges faced when planning or implementing lessons that address the needs of all children, and explore strategies to combat inequities in the classroom.
Description: The determinants of economic well-being of individuals and families over time. The consequences of family economic well-being for family functioning and outcomes. Family economics theories and concepts. How families develop, acquire, maintain, and conserve scarce resources to attain desired standards of living.
Description: Introduce students to methods used in infant-toddler programs, including center-based, home-based, and family-support models. Delivered in hybrid format with most course material online supplemented by brief in-person class meetings. Examination of program models and frameworks, curricula, training programs and methods of assessment used in infant-toddler programs.
Description: Course will feature 9 hours of practicum shadowing experiences in 3 different types of infant-toddler programs in the first half of the semester and 21 hours of weekly practicum in one of the settings for a more in-depth experience during the second half of the semester. Emphasis will be on skills needed for Nebraska Early Childhood Endowment programs and on Nebraska Early Learning Guidelines but examination of programs from other states and international efforts will also be included in course materials.
Description: Best practices in early childhood education (preschool through Kindergarten) and the teacher's role in facilitating childhood learning through planning, implementing, sequencing, documenting, and evaluating early childhood instruction.
Description: Planning, implementing, and evaluating developmentally appropriate activities for young children in a supervised early childhood laboratory setting.
Prerequisites: Sophomore Standing
Description: The theoretical foundations for working with families in the community and school. Professional interaction skills needed to establish sound working relationships with families. Ethical guidelines for professional interactions with families to facilitate appropriate application of principles to the diversity of professions working with families.
Description: Introduction to principles of parenting within multiple contexts including developmental, structural, and cultural perspectives. Evaluation of parenting concerns and relationships as they apply to working with families. Content will cover parenting philosophies as well as a central focus on programs and practices related to parent education. There will be a strong emphasis on the links between theory, research, and application.
Description: Theoretical and research bases in readings, facilitated class discussions, and practical assignments to develop understanding of emergent language and literacy skills and skill development in children from birth to five. Focus on understanding developmental trajectories of critical early language and literacy skills as well as common benchmarks for transitioning to kindergarten.
Description: The development and learning of children from birth through Kindergarten in the domains of math, science, and nature. The developmentally appropriate methods for supporting children's development in these domains.
Prerequisites: By Permission
Requires a completed contract form before registering.
Description: Individual problems and readings in current literature.
Prerequisites: Good standing in the University Honors Program or by invitation; 12 hrs CYAF or closely related areas; and permission.
Letter Grade Only. Requires a completed contract form before registering.
Description: Individual problems and readings in current literature under the direction of a faculty member in the department.
Includes two full-day visits and is designed to foster opportunities to apply the principles and methods materials learned within a school-age (K - Grade 3) setting.
Description: Provides an opportunity to learn about the role of cooperating teacher(s) within various components of the profession such as effective planning strategies, active experiences that promote content learning and children's development, intervention plans/strategies, assessment, family collaboration, and curriculum analyses.
Parallel with TEAC 416D
Description: Develop key mathematical content knowledge necessary for early childhood professionals through explorations of the five content strands in mathematics: number and operations, algebraic reasoning, measurement, geometry, data analysis probability. Develop logical reasoning and skills. Become effective communicators of mathematical content.
Prerequisites: Permission
Description: Analysis of school programs with attention to: teacher certification in Family and Consumer Sciences; teacher and student rights and responsibilities; proper conduct of teachers; selected legal aspects of education; methods of communicating with parents and community members; current issues which impact education; and reflection and discussion of student teaching experiences. Reinforcement of learning theories, teaching principles, management, and best practices.
Description: Preparation to teach basic construction skills, understand technology, fabrics, and the uses and applications of textiles within the home, business and industry. Curriculum within the clothing and textiles classes in middle and high school FCS classes should incorporate intellectual and critical thinking skills along with the traditional technical subject matter taught in the past.
Prerequisites: CYAF 305
Description: Exploration of issues surrounding the administration of early childhood programs including identification of community needs, analysis of business opportunities, the evaluation and appropriate use of space and quality programming, consideration of policy and legal responsibilities, and professionalism in the field. Explores best practices in staff selection, training, coaching, and supervision.
Prerequisites: Admission to the ECEMS Program
Description: Explore cultural diversity in daily life and beliefs in families with young children. The focus is on U.S. families, with attention to the multiple cultures from which they come.
Prerequisites: Admission to ECEMS program.
Description: Important elements for planning, promoting, and maintaining healthy and safe learning/care environments; understanding childhood illnesses and establishing healthy lifestyles; performing first aid; and maintaining care providers' health. Information about maintaining safe relationships with others, including identifying and reporting abuse, neglect, and exploitation of children. Exploration of nutrients for life, feeding, food preparation and safety policies and guidelines, food allergies and intolerances, and appropriate feeding practices.
Prerequisites: Admission to the ECEMS Program
Description: Discover how electronic technology impacts the development of young children in educational, home, and community environments, and how technology can be used to enhance teaching and learning. Learn to be critical thinkers and informed consumers of technology related to young children.
Prerequisites: Admission to the ECEMS Program
Description: Focuses on application of an ecological model to the understanding of variation in parental roles, perspectives, approaches, and challenges. Overview of effective communication strategies and parent education programs.
Prerequisites: Senior Standing and Instructor Permission
Description: Fifteen week practicum experience to demonstrate practical application of developmentally appropriate early childhood teaching techniques and skills, actual teaching experience and developmental feedback. Observation and evaluation of classroom experiences, environmental design, classroom management, and parent communication.
Description: Explore the dynamics of forced migration across the continuum, with particular emphasis on the effects of migration on the family unit.
Description: The concept of violence includes both interpersonal violence (child abuse, violence against women) and collective violence (war, genocide) and their intersections. The nature, causes, agents, and consequences of, as well as responses to violence are examined in the social, political, economic, cultural and global contexts.
Prerequisites: Junior standing
Description: Planning and implementing developmentally appropriate educational experiences for a variety of audiences in non-formal settings.
Description: Introduction to addictions from a family systems perspective: theories; behavioral patterns; physiological, psychological and social impacts on individuals and the family; and implications for interventions and treatment.
Prerequisites: Admission to the Family and Consumer Sciences Secondary Teacher Education Program; completion of 80% of subject area coursework with a 2.5 GPA or better; parallel CYAF 297J (1 cr) or CYAF 894J (1cr)
Description: Theoretical issues in the area of teaching and leaning as applied in Family and Consumer Sciences. Development of middle and secondary education curriculum in Family and Consumer Sciences using student-centered, interactive methods of instruction.
Prerequisites: Admission to the Family and Consumer Sciences Secondary Teacher Education Program; completion of 80% of subject area course work with a 2.5 GPA or better; CYAF 451/851; parallel CYAF 397J (1 cr) or CYAF 894J (1 cr)
Description: Practical issues in the area of teaching and learning as applied to Family and Consumer Sciences. Develop teaching and/or learning plans for teaching Family and Consumer Sciences. Analyze classroom management practices and develop plans for assessment.
Prerequisites: Junior standing
Description: Normative and non-normative family stressors (e.g. violence, economic conditions, war and political conflict, natural disasters) and how they affect family functioning. Family stress theories are used to understand crisis events and how families can cope and recover.
Prerequisites: Junior or Senior standing
Open to advanced students planning careers in the professions in which knowledge of human behavior and society is important (e.g., helping professions, medicine, law, ministry, education, etc.).
Description: Interdisciplinary approach to the study of human sexuality in terms of the psychological, social, cultural, anthropological, legal, historical, and physical characteristics of individual sexuality and sex in society.
Prerequisites: 12 hours CYAF, PSYC, EDPS, TEAC, or SECD
Description: Selection, use, and interpretation of assessment instruments for understanding the developmental level of children from birth through age eight. Assessment of reasoning and thinking processes, concept formation, and social cognition.
This course is a prerequisite for: SPED 362
Description: Overview of early childhood cognitive development and education. Nature and development of reasoning and thinking processes and concept formation in children. In-depth examination of early childhood cognitive developmental theories and their implications for teachers, parents, and others working with young children.
Prerequisites: Junior standing or above.
Description: Discussion of key issues related to working with diverse children and their families who are coping with chronic and acute pediatric health conditions and their treatment. Content will focus on psychosocial challenges associated with pediatric health conditions and approaches to working with pediatric patients to address their needs and specific challenges encountered in hospitalization and ambulatory care contexts.
Prerequisites: 12 hours of coursework in CYAF, PSYC, SOCI, TEAC, or CRIM.
Description: Acquire the knowledge, competencies, and experiences that will allow greater participation as a global citizen by examining the historical, cultural, ethnic, economic, systemic and socio-cultural complexities of families.
Description: Experience the rich culture within countries around the world through interactions with families, children, couples and individuals within their country context. Emphasis is on learning about families, early childhood, youth and adults, and the impact of systems and services within the cultural context.
Prerequisites: Junior standing
Description: Analysis of child and family policies, including what is family policy, how policy is made and implemented, how values and goals affect policy and future directions for child and family policies in America and in other countries.
Description: Special topics related to child, youth, and family studies. Topics vary.
Description: Special topics related to child, youth, and family studies.
Description: Special topics related to child, youth, and family studies.
Description: Special topics related to child, youth, and family studies.
Description: Special topics related to child, youth, and family studies.
Description: Current issues that today's families experience. Topics vary and include, for example: Gender and family, low-income families, fathers and fatherhood, families with children who have disabilities.
Topics vary.
Description: Contemporary ethnic diversity or global family issues. Topics vary and include, for example: Immigrant and refugee families, ethnic diversity and discrimination, global family well-being, and cultural strengths.
Prerequisites: Department permission
Description: Participation in a department sponsored Study Abroad experience. Must enroll in course during time of experience.
Prerequisites: By Permission
Requires a contract and the contract is to be completed before registering for the course. Work is supervised and evaluated by a CYAF faculty member.
Description: Individual projects in research, literature review, or creative production may or may not be an extension of course work.
Prerequisites: CYAF 270 and 270L; CYAF 374 and 374L, with grades of 'C' or better. Inclusive Early Childhood: Birth to Age 3 (IECE) option students must also have taken SPED 362 with a grade of 'C' or better.
Pass/No Pass only.
Description: Integrating developmental theory into the planning, implementation, and evaluation of individual and group experiences for young children in classroom settings.
Prerequisites: Permission
Orientation in prior semester and contract required.
Description: Fieldwork in agencies serving children, youth, families and communities.
Prerequisites: Admission by application; completion of all required methods courses and practica with minimum grade of 'C+' (2.33) in each of these courses.
Requires a middle-level or high school experience. Pass/No Pass only.
Description: Supervised teaching experience in schools.
Requires a completed contract form before registering.
Description: Undergraduate Creative Research Experience (UCARE), Research Experience For Undergraduates (REU), and non-UCARE research and/or creative activity.
Prerequisites: Good standing in the University Honors Program or by invitation
Description: Honor thesis in Child, Youth and Family Studies.