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BA in Childhood Studies

Earning Your Degree in Childhood Studies at BSU: A Unique Interdisciplinary Approach

Housed in the School of Social Work, Bridgewater State University has launched a new childhood studies degree program designed to prepare you for a range of careers. BSU’s distinctive interdisciplinary path leads to your BA in childhood studies and it includes the study of arts, humanities, science and education. You’ll accumulate the necessary interdisciplinary theory, research and skills to address the diverse and complex nature of children’s needs, which prepares you to enter a variety of fields, from counseling, public policy and social services to education.

The childhood studies BA and minor allow you to learn with dedicated and diverse faculty across disciplines in small, focused classes of about 25 students. Given your interdisciplinary access to experts in the areas of English, music, education, social work, psychology, criminal justice and more, you can determine which field best fits your interests and goals while earning your BA in childhood studies.

Childhood Studies Degree Program Highlights

Dr. Susan Eliason sitting at a classroom table talking to students

Keep growing as you study

Our ever-evolving childhood studies degree maintains an interdisciplinary approach via actively engaged faculty members serving on the Childhood Studies Advisory Group. Led by Associate Professor Susan Eliason, an educator who boasts 30 years of experience teaching pre-K through college-level students, the group reviews new course proposals and program developments to bring you an up-to-the-minute education that prepares you to engage with modern children post-graduation.

A BSU student sits on the grass on Boyden Quad working on her laptop

Complete the program 100 percent online

Choose from day or night classes and in person, online or hybrid classes. BSU’s College of Continuing Studies offers a completely online program that gives you maximum flexibility to complete the program.

A BSU student teacher stands at front of an Elementary school classroom while 2 students work on a map of the United States

Complement this program with another major

Consider combining this program with another program at BSU as a dual major. Childhood studies is a great complement to any of these programs, including elementary and early childhood education, social work, English, psychology, health studies and criminal justice, among others.

Program of Study for Childhood Studies Majors and Minors

As you earn your Childhood Studies BA, you’ll take core courses such as Research Methods and Service Learning to explore childhood for children from birth to age 18. Childhood studies students have the advantage of choosing electives across disciplines in areas from natural sciences to humanities. You’ll be immersed in a variety of fields like anthropology, sociology, special education, theatre, English and communication sciences and disorders.

You’ll also gain hands-on learning and applied knowledge in senior seminar courses designed to research and analyze an aspect of childhood, resulting an a creative project, portfolio or paper for presentation or publication. Internships and study abroad experiences are also encouraged and available.

Click any link below to reveal each program's course detail.

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Program details from 2023-2024 Undergraduate/Graduate Catalog

Programs Related to Childhood Studies

Undergraduates in our childhood studies degree program are encouraged to double major or minor to get the most out of the BSU experience and best prepare for the future. Some programs to consider in addition to your childhood studies degree include:

English, BA
Social Work, BS
Early Childhood Education, BSE
Elementary Education, BSE
Psychology, BS
Health Studies, BS

“I picked up the childhood studies minor. It was a blast getting to participate in World Children's Day. It provided me so much clarity. I have decided I am going to go back for my master’s in school counseling!”
Angelique Lheureux-Dauphin

Careers in Childhood Studies

The childhood studies degree program at Bridgewater State University prepares you for a wide array of careers across many fields, including education, public policy, social services, youth programming, health care and the arts.

Throughout our childhood studies program, you’ll gain understanding of local and global issues facing children across cultures — and acquire strategies to affect change, be it through advocacy, research, the legal system or teaching. You may also decide to pursue graduate school for counseling, criminal justice, law, education, public administration or social work.

BSU graduates who incorporated the childhood studies minor into their undergraduate degrees have held job titles such as:

  • Counselor
  • Applied behavioral therapist
  • Social worker
  • Teacher
  • Assistant project manager
  • Out-of-school-time educator

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs for preschool teachers are expected to grow

18%

by 2030. Meanwhile, a social worker’s median salary is $50,390 as of 2021.

a female student in an Elementary Education class at BSU

Continue your education beyond your BA in Childhood Studies

If you’d like to earn a graduate degree after you complete your BA in Childhood Studies program, BSU offers a number of graduate programs, including:

  • Counseling, Mental Health Counseling Concentration, MEd
  • Criminal Justice, Restorative and Transformative Justice Concentration, MS
  • Early Childhood, (PreK-2) Educational Leadership
  • English, Creative Writing Concentration, MA
  • Health Studies Health, Health/Family and Consumer Sciences PreK-12 (Initial Licensure)
  • Clinical Psychology, MA
  • Reading, Language, Literacy and Culture Concentration (Non-Licensure), MEd
  • Secondary Education, Postbaccalaureate Licensure (APB, PB)
  • Social Work, MSW
View BSU Graduate Programs »

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