Course Descriptions

CDEV 1220 Child Safety, Health & Nutrition (4 credits)

 

This course will guide the learner in obtaining the skills needed to establish and maintain a physically and psychologically safe and healthy learning environment for young children. THIS COURSE DOES NOT INCLUDE CPR OR FIRST AID CERTIFICATION.
(Prerequisites: None) Offered Fall

CDEV 1230 Guidance: Managing the Physical/Social Environment (3 credits)

 

This course provides an exploration of the physical and social environments that promote learning and development for young children. It includes an introduction to basic child guidance techniques for individual and group situations. The course will emphasize problem-prevention and positive guidance strategies. Learners will apply their knowledge of the environment's role in an actual early childhood setting.
(Prerequisites: None) Offered Fall

CDEV 1240 Family & Community Relations (3 credits)

 

Students will examine how current societal and community issues impact the development of children and the well-being of families. Cultural diversity and dynamics, bias, violence, and other issues will be explored, along with study of contemporary family structures, roles, and diversity.
(Prerequisites: College level reading and writing) Offered Fall

CDEV 1340 Planning & Implementing Curriculum (4 credits)

 

This course will provide an examination of home or center-based child care learning environments for children from birth through school-age. It includes an examination of both indoor and outdoor space in relation to arrangement, maintenance, and evaluation. It will explore the role of the adult and adult interactions with each age group as well as how the adult caregiver can facilitate optimum curriculum experiences for young children. Students will apply their knowledge of the environment's role in actual home or center-based work setting.
(Prerequisites: CDEV 1210 Foundations of Child Development) Offered Spring

CDEV 2510 Internship (3 credits)

 

This course provides an opportunity to apply knowledge and skills in an early childhood setting. Students implement a variety of learning experiences that are developmentally appropriate for and culturally sensitive to a specific age and group of children. The student will need to arrange an instructor approved practicum site prior to or in the first week of the semester.
(Prerequisites: CDEV 1200 Professional Relations in Early Childhood Careers, CDEV 1220 Child Safety, Health & Nutrition, CDEV 1230 Guidance: Managing the Physical/Social Environment, CDEV 1240 Family & Community Relations, CDEV 1340 Planning & Implementing Curriculum) Offered on demand

CDEV 2640 Program Planning (3 credits)

 

This course provides an advanced level exploration of program planning and management skills for educators and caregivers of young children through age 12 years. Students will integrate their knowledge of developmental needs, developmentally appropriate environments, practices, curriculum and teaching methods to organize, implement, and evaluate a quality, comprehensive child care and education program plan. A number of curriculum models will be explored. Specifically, the Project Approach/Emergent Curriculum and the Reggio Emilia curriculum models will be explored in depth.
(Prerequisites: CDEV 1340 Planning & Implementing Curriculum) Offered Fall

CDEV 2810 Early Childhood Development Practicum (3 credits)

 

This course provides an opportunity to apply knowledge and skill in an early childhood setting. Students implement a variety of learning experiences that are developmentally appropriate for and culturally sensitive to a specific age and group of children.
(Prerequisites: CDEV 2640 Program Planning and CDEV 2510 Internship) Offered on demand

CDEV 1200 Professional Relations in Early Childhood Careers (3 credits)

 

Course Description: This course explores career opportunities for working with children in a variety of child development programs. The course also examines job requirements, duties, regulations, issues, skills, and personal characteristics for becoming a successful professional in an early childhood setting.
(Prerequisites: College Level Reading and Writing) Offered Spring

CDEV 1205 Not By Chance: Child Care that Supports School Readiness (1 credit)

 

Course Description: This course provides an overview of the Minnesota Core Competencies of Early Childhood and Care Practitioners, the Environment Rating Scales and the Early Childhood Indicators of Progress: Minnesota’s Early Learning Standards. The focus of this course, Not By Chance is to look at the functional pieces of high-quality child care and school readiness.
(Prerequisites: None) Offered on demand

CDEV 1206 SEEDS of Emergent Literacy (1 credit)

 

Course Description: This course introduces the concept of “emergent literacy” to early childhood development professionals. It provides information about implementing a literacy-rich classroom for young children. Students are expected to think critically about the impact of curriculum experiences, classroom and environment organization and design, and the role of the teacher/caregiver in organizing appropriate learning opportunities for children’s emergent literacy skills.
(Prerequisites: None) Offered on demand

CDEV 1207 Professionalism in Early Childhood (1 credit)

 

Course Description: This course focuses on the characteristics of professionals in the field of early childhood including communication, problem solving, collaboration, ethics, relationship and team building skills. This not only benefits and builds skills for the professional, but assists that person in professionally working with families, co-workers and supervisors in early childhood programs.
(Prerequisites: College level reading and writing) Offered on demand

CDEV 1210 Foundations of Child Development (3 credits)

 

Course Description: This course provides an overview of typical and atypical child development across cultures, from prenatal through school age including physical, social, emotional, language, cognitive, aesthetic and identity/individual development. It integrates developmental theory with appropriate practices in a variety of early childhood care and education settings.
(Prerequisite: College Level Reading and Writing) Offered Fall

CDEV 1215 Culturally Relevant and Anti-Biased Education (3 credits)

 

Course Description: This course provides an overview of culturally relevant and anti-bias education in a variety of settings. Students will examine the major approaches to culturally relevant/anti-bias education, evaluate and create anti-bias learning materials, plan and implement culturally relevant/anti-bias learning experiences, and plan culturally relevant/anti-bias projects.
(Prerequisite: College Level Reading and Writing) Offered Fall

CDEV 1250 Infant and Toddler Development and Learning (4 credits)

 

This course covers infant/toddler theory and development in home or center-based settings. Students will integrate knowledge of developmental needs, developmentally appropriate environments, effective caregiving, teaching strategies and observation methods.
(Prerequisite: CDEV 1210 Foundations of Child Development) Offered on demand

CDEV 1290 Special Topics (1-4 variable)

 

This course provides an opportunity for students to apply knowledge and skills in an actual child care or early education setting. Students will design course goals along with the instructor on targeted areas of knowledge and skill development.
(Prerequisite: Instructor permission) Offered on demand

CDEV 1350 Literature and Language Experiences (3 credits)

 

This course provides an opportunity for students to develop literature and language experiences to support children’s emerging literacy and language skills. Students will integrate knowledge of child growth and development, designing learning environments, and using appropriate teaching and caregiving methods to promote children’s emerging literacy and language skills in various early childhood environments and programs.
(Prerequisite: CDEV 1210 Foundations of Child Development and CDEV 1340 Planning and Implementing Curriculum) Offered Spring

CDEV 2600 Professional Leadership (3 credits)

 

This course prepares students to take active leadership and advocacy roles in the child development profession through examining and applying the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct and Statement of Commitment to case studies, developing and delivering effective early childhood in-service presentations, and constructing child/family advocacy displays.
(Prerequisite: CDEV 2530 Challenging Behaviors) Offered Spring

CDEV 2620 Inclusion: Special Needs and Mixed Age Groups (3 credits)

 

Provides an overview of development and learning experiences for children with special needs in integrated early childhood settings. Learners integrate knowledge of developmental needs, developmentally appropriate environments, and effective teaching methods.
(Prerequisite: CDEV 1210 Foundations of Child Development, CDEV 1220 Child Safety, Health & Nutrition, CDEV 1230 Guidance: Managing the Physical/Social Environment, CDEV 1240 Family & Community Relations) Offered Spring