CHFS: Child & Family Studies (Undergraduate)
This course is an overview of the science of family development, covering major theories and developmental frameworks. This course emphasizes important social contexts that influence family processes, including variations in family structures/functions, and social, psychological, and historical variables that influence familial experiences. Strategies used in helping professions promote and support optimal family functioning and career opportunities for marriage and family professionals are also explored. Note: This course is aligned with the Community and Human Services Area of Study guidelines for Knowledge of Human Behavior and Diversity.
Attributes: Liberal
Students have the opportunity to develop individualized studies with their mentor in Child and Family Studies (CHFS). Registration for this class must be approved by the student’s mentor.
This course discusses forms of child abuse and neglect and intervention strategies for working with families who have experienced child abuse and neglect. Students will explore the causes of and risk factors for abuse within a psycho-social framework. Note: This course is aligned with the Community and Human Service Area of Study guidelines for Service Delivery and Skills and Application.
Attributes: Liberal
This 2-credit, interdisciplinary course is designed to expose students to the breadth of careers associated with the elderly. Students can explore careers associated with different levels of education, from an associate's degree through doctoral level training with a focus on the benefits and drawbacks of each. Through this study, students will investigate professions associated with professional caregiving in gerontology. Students will research how academic interests and/or prior learning fit into potential careers in gerontology. With an overview of the field students will have the basic skills, knowledge and ethical underpinnings required of service provision. Students will acquire knowledge about the history of professional caregiving for older adults in the United States, as well as the interdisciplinary nature of service provision. Students will learn the skills to create collaborative relationships between professional caregivers, community based resources, clients, and their families. The ethical underpinnings of service provision to the aged will be explored. Finally, the different career trajectories and the professional expectations that are associated with a career will be explored. The materials for this course will be open educational resources, and the course will encourage students to research and explore relevant information and resources in the field. Note: This course is aligned with the Community and Human Services Area of Study guidelines for Knowledge of Service Delivery, Skills, and Application. This course was previously CHS-252132 Exploring the Professions: Careers in Gerontology.
This course will define bullying and provide an overview of the range of ways that adults can intervene. The statistics on bullying across American schools are staggering, and the subsequent impact on child and adolescent well-being--cognitive, social and emotional development is especially concerning. Students will examine ways to identify and intervene on micro, mezzo, and macro levels on behalf of children and adolescents. Note: This course is aligned with the Community and Human Services Area of Study guidelines for Knowledge of Service Delivery and Skills.
Attributes: Liberal
This study focuses on theoretical and practical frameworks for understanding and intervening in distressful individual, couple, and family issues. An emphasis is placed on contextual factors, particularly those unique to marginalized and diverse populations. Note: This course is aligned with the Community and Human Services Area of Study guidelines for Knowledge of Human Behavior and Diversity.
Attributes: Liberal
This course is an overview of the science of family development, covering major theories and developmental frameworks. This course emphasizes important social contexts that influence family processes, including variations in family structures/functions, and social, psychological, and historical variables that influence familial experiences. Strategies used in helping professions promote and support optimal family functioning and career opportunities for marriage and family professionals are also explored. Note: This course is aligned with the Community and Human Services Area of Study guidelines for Knowledge of Human Behavior and Skills.
Attributes: Liberal
In a world highly dependent upon the Internet and social media for information and social support, children, adolescents, and young adults are increasingly subject to bullying both within school and online. This course will introduce students to physical bullying and cyberbullying, the definitions of each, and where both are more likely to occur. Focus will also be placed on the warning signs of cyberbullying that parents, teachers, and mental health professionals need to heed as well as ways of preventing future cyberbullying occurrences among this population.
Attributes: Liberal
Students have the opportunity to develop individualized studies with their mentor in Child and Family Studies (CHFS). Registration for this class must be approved by the student’s mentor.
This study will provide the student with the opportunity to examine the experiences and processes of aging in a cross-cultural context. The course will examine how gender, ethnicity, race, and socio-economic factors shape the physical, cognitive/emotional, and sociocultural experiences of aging. Students will reflect on the impact of cultural expectations, myths, norms, roles and practices - marriage, grand-parenting, family structure, social organization, policies, religion, and spirituality. Aging and retirement are viewed in cross-cultural perspective, with reference to the effects of industrialization, globalization, and information technologies. Note: This course is aligned with the Community and Human Services Area of Study Guidelines for Knowledge of Human Behavior, Diversity and Service Delivery.
Attributes: Liberal
This study provides an overview of child welfare services in the United States from both historical and contemporary perspectives. Topics may include child maltreatment and protection, preventive family services, the range of out-of-home placements, and the impact of poverty on the lives of families involved in the child welfare system. Note: This course aligns with the Community and Human Services Area of Study guidelines for Knowledge of Service Delivery. This course was previously CHS-253614 Child Welfare in the United States.
Attributes: Liberal
This study provides students with an overview of theories, research, and interventions related to childhood stress and trauma and their effects into adulthood. Students will learn the signs and symptoms of stress and trauma, as well as strategies to help children cope and develop resiliency. Note: This course aligns with the Community and Human Services Area of Study guidelines for Knowledge of Human Behavior, Skills and Application and Integration.
Attributes: Liberal
In this study students will explore the various theories, models, and treatment approaches for working with children and adolescents who are in need of counseling. Students will learn techniques that helping professionals use for assessment, engagement, and intervention. An important part of this study is examining counseling children and adolescents in various social and cultural contexts. This course aligns with the Community and Human Services area of study guidelines for Knowledge of Human Behavior, Skills, and Application and Integration. Course previously CHS-253414
Attributes: Liberal
This course will provide an overview of violence and abuse issues as they relate to older adults and the elderly. Current initiatives, services, laws, and policies related to elder abuse will be explored. The causes of elder abuse will be examined, as well as the role of family dynamics. Note: This course meets the Community and Human Services Area of Study guidelines for Skills.
Attributes: Liberal
This course covers family theories, assessments, and interventions to create a framework for understanding, evaluating and implementing a variety of family interventions. Utilizing current theories in family development, students will learn about and critique intervening and preventative tactics used to address crises occurring across the family life cycle. The course also explores research-supported therapeutic approaches that are most effective for working with diverse families, with attention to distinct family contexts, strengths, needs, values, traditions and beliefs. This course meets the Community and Human Services Area of Study guidelines for Knowledge of Service Delivery, Skills and Application and Integration. This course is aligned with the BS in Addiction Studies program guidelines for Skills, Assessment & Education, and Application and Integration. This course was previously CHS-253504 Family Intervention.
Explore the topic of aging as a global phenomenon with cross-cultural, multinational resource implications for health care systems and health and human services providers. Study the interdisciplinary topic of global aging from an international, primarily non-Western perspective with emphasis on learning country-specific models for engaging the worldwide trend of aging populations. Understand the health and human service implications for aging policy and practice driven by cultural practices, geographic resources, demographics, traditions of kinship structures and perceptions of disability around the globe. Note: This course aligns with the Community and Human Services Area of Study guidelines for Diversity and Knowledge of Service Delivery. This course was previously CHS-253314 Global Perspectives on Aging.
Attributes: Liberal
By examining the controversies and policies of adoption, we will better understand the evolving child welfare system, and cultural attitudes towards families created by adoption. Note: This course is aligned with the Community and Human Services Area of Study guidelines for Knowledge of Service Delivery.
Attributes: Liberal
The purpose of this course is to teach specific human services skills to those students who may specialize in working with the aging population. This course will expose students to current demographic information, to include statistics and trends. The course will also present current knowledge and skills preparation to prepare students for working with aging and elderly clients who may require human service interventions. Students will also develop a working knowledge and the skills necessary to perform in assisted living or skilled nursing facilities, or within a community based setting. The course will expose students to specialized issues such as Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender (LGBT) seniors, seniors with mental disabilities, or unique cultural sensitivities. Note: This course is aligned with the Community and Human Services area of study guidelines for Skills and Diversity. This course was previously CHS-253324 Human Service Practice with Older Adults.
The course examines prevalent forms of family violence and their impact on individuals, families, and communities, including child abuse, elder abuse, intimate partner violence, gender-based violence, dating violence, and sibling abuse. Family violence and abuse preventions, interventions, policies, laws and community-based services will also be covered. Appropriate human service interventions and delivery systems will be addressed through case studies. Note: This course is aligned with the Community and Human Service Area of Study guidelines for Knowledge of Human Behavior, Knowledge of Service Delivery, Skills and Application and Integration.
Attributes: Liberal
Persons conducting investigations into child abuse and neglect, adult/elder abuse and neglect, child care delivery, other kinds of personal care, as well as workplace issues, and accidents have a need for theoretical knowledge and skills to conduct non-police investigations. This course meets that need. On completion of this course, students will be able to design and conduct non-police investigations in an area of their choice. In addition, through an understanding of human memory and other factors in interview situations, students will be able to conduct valid interviews and obtain accurate information from their subjects. At completion, students will be able to understand and apply ethical principles to interviews and investigations and are able to work with special populations such as children and the intellectually challenged. Note: This course aligns with the Community and Human Services area of study guidelines for Skills and Application. This course was previously CHS-253174 Investigation for Protective Services.
This study examines variations in family life across cultures. Enculturation will also be explored. Note: This course aligns with the Community and Human Services area of study guidelines for Diversity.
Attributes: Liberal
The purpose of this study is to develop an understanding of the challenges facing active duty military, veterans, and their families; and to develop an informed position on providing support to them. Note: This course aligns with the Community and Human Services area of study guidelines for Knowledge of Human Behavior, Skills, and Application and Integration.
Attributes: Liberal
This interdisciplinary study examines cultural, historical and interpersonal factors that influence the shifting structure and function of African American families and intimate relationships, including an overview of engagement and treatment strategies used in working with of couples and families. Topics covered include: love, dating, courtship, cohabitation, marriage and its alternatives, childbirth and parenting, and crisis faced in intimate relationships such as divorce and family violence. Note: This course is aligned with the Community and Human Services Area of Study guidelines for Knowledge of Human Behavior and Diversity.
Attributes: Liberal
This course explores mental illnesses diagnosed in children and adolescents and recognizes the social and environmental contexts in which they manifest. Students will learn how to distinguish between the common disorders and identify challenges of assessment of children and adolescents. Media portrayal and stigmas of mental illness will also be examined. Prerequisite (must complete before registering): A minimum of 64 credits or an associate degree Note: This course is aligned with the Community and Human Services Area of Study guidelines for Knowledge of Human Behavior and Skills.
Attributes: Liberal
This course will uncover the reciprocal linkages between family functioning and public and private policies in the United States. Students will identify historical and modern policies developed to address child/family issues and problems. The course will explore the extent to which policies have been based on the principles of risk and protection and contemplate the ways in which social policies have impacted children, youth, and families across diverse personal and service domains. Topics include polices relevant to health, poverty, disability, education, child welfare and protection, and juvenile justice. -Prerequisite (must complete before registering): Introduction to Family Studies. -Note: This course meets the Community and Human Services guidelines of Knowledge of Service Delivery, Application, and Diversity.
Attributes: Liberal
This course will uncover the reciprocal linkages between family functioning and public and private policies in the United States. Students will identify historical and modern policies developed to address child/family issues and problems. The course will explore the extent to which policies have been based on the principles of risk and protection and contemplate the ways in which social policies have impacted children, youth, and families across diverse personal and service domains. Topics include polices relevant to health, poverty, disability, education, child welfare and protection, and juvenile justice. Prerequisite (must complete before registering): Introduction to Family Studies (CHFS 2122) Note: This course meets the Community and Human Services guidelines of Knowledge of Service Delivery, Application, and Diversity.
Attributes: Liberal
The content of this course will vary by term and section. Students may repeat this course for credit as long as the topic differs. Please refer to the Term Guide for course topic offerings.
Attributes: Liberal
The content of this course will vary by term and section. Students may repeat this course for credit as long as the topic differs. Please refer to the Term Guide for course topic offerings.
Students have the opportunity to develop individualized studies with their mentor in Child and Family Studies (CHFS). Registration for this class must be approved by the student’s mentor.
This course focuses on the theory and practice of cognitive and behavioral interventions in human services. This course will examine several common problems that effect children, adolescents, and adults, and students will learn techniques and skills to address these problems. Students will also learn about the cognitive concept of “schema” in cognitive theory; and how this relates to issues of power and privilege. A schema lens can deepen our understanding of how we maintain stratification, power, and oppression, and invite an exploration of cognitive strategies for addressing social problems. This course aligns with the Community and Human Services area of study guidelines for Skills and Diversity.
Attributes: Liberal
The purpose of this study is to investigate the growing imperative that collaboration on all levels is critical to the success of students in school and community based organizations. Model programs will be examined. Students will examine the nature of these collaborations as they begin to articulate and develop a dialog on their own research supported conclusions on how and when full collaboration could re-conceptualize the nature of school and community based programming. Note: This course aligns with the Community and Human Services area of study guidelines for Knowledge of Service Delivery, Skills, and Application and Integration.
Attributes: Liberal
This course explores the conditions and circumstances that place young people at risk. Students will examine the position of youth at risk in their own communities and propose policies and programs, as well as prevention and intervention strategies aimed at supporting and protecting at-risk youth. This course aligns with the Community and Human Services area of study guidelines for Knowledge of Human Behavior and Skills and Applications.
Attributes: Liberal
This study integrates biological and cultural approaches to pregnancy and parenting, drawing on critical perspectives from anthropology, human development, epigenetics, sociology and public/global health. The student has the opportunity to examine the impact of biological and cultural diversity, along with environmental factors, while considering current theories and contemporary trends, local and global. The student will also explore recent literature on the biocultural, evolutionary, and life-course perspectives on pregnancy and parenting, which has shown that early life environment shapes future health, from pre-conception to adolescence. Note: This course aligns with the Community and Human Services area of study guidelines for Knowledge of Human Behavior.
Attributes: Liberal
Relying on theory and research related to marital dissolution, students will examine the impact of divorce on children and adults in various family roles across multiple social situations. This study will explore policy implications and practical application relevant to relational dissolution. Note: This course aligns with the Community and Human Services area of study guidelines for Knowledge of human behavior.
Attributes: Liberal
The study will introduce students to trauma theory, practice, and stages of recovery as related to work with adults. The study addresses the experiences of people who have suffered traumas like sexual and/or domestic violence, combat, and political terror. Students will explore treatment strategies that may include working with groups, individual, and families. This study will emphasize self-awareness and boundaries and introduce students to concepts of vicarious trauma and self-care. Note: This course aligns with the Community and Human Services area of study guidelines for Knowledge of Human Behavior, Knowledge of Service Delivery, and Skills. This study will not cover childhood trauma. Please see: Childhood Trauma: Theory, Treatment and Recovery for further study.
Attributes: Liberal
Students have the opportunity to develop individualized studies with their mentor in Child and Family Studies (CHFS). Registration for this class must be approved by the student’s mentor.