Children and Society Bridging Disciplines Program Certificate
Department website: https://undergraduates.utexas.edu/academics/bridging-disciplines-programs/programs/children-society
This program offers students the opportunity to explore a variety of disciplinary approaches to the psychology and development of children and the social forces that impact them. The strands are designed to complement a range of majors and to prepare students for careers in fields such as advocacy, health care, research, public policy, and teaching. Through the Connecting Experiences component, students can participate in some of UT Austin's most innovative faculty research or develop their knowledge through work with community groups, corporations, and schools.
Total Hours Required: 19
Requirements
Requirements are listed in the table below. Additional requirements may follow the table, so be sure to read the entire page. Some required courses listed below may also satisfy General Education requirements, including Core Curriculum. Students should also review the University's Undergraduate Minor and Certificate Requirements and Policies.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Hours chosen from: Forum Seminars | 1 | |
| Children and Society | ||
| Health Inequality in Childhood and Adolescence | ||
Approved hours | ||
| Hours chosen from: Child Development | 3 | |
| Child Development | ||
| Introduction to Child Psychology | ||
| Introduction to Developmental Psychology | ||
Approved hours | ||
| Hours chosen from: Strand | 9 | |
| Adolescence Strand | ||
| Adolescent Development | ||
Hours chosen from: Approved list | ||
| Children and Health Strand | ||
| Child and Adolescent Health | ||
Hours chosen from: Approved list | ||
| Education, Language, and Literacy Strand | ||
| Foundations of United States Schooling | ||
Hours chosen from: Approved list | ||
| Children and the Family Strand | ||
| Family Relationships | ||
Hours chosen from: Approved list | ||
| Children and Public Policy Strand | ||
| Children and Public Policy | ||
Hours chosen from: Approved list | ||
| Early Childhood Intervention Strand | ||
| Play in Early Childhood Development | ||
Hours chosen from: Approved list | ||
| Intervention and Vulneralbe Children Strand | ||
| Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families | ||
Hours chosen from: Approved list | ||
| Approved Hours chosen from: Two different research or internship Connecting Experiences(see advisor) | 6 | |
| Connecting Research Experience | ||
| Connecting Research Experience | ||
| Connecting Internship Experience | ||
| Undergraduate Minor and Certificate Requirements and Policies | ||
| Total Hours | 19 | |
Additional Requirements and Policy
- A three to four page essay in which students reflect on what they have learned and accomplished through their experience is required. The essay is reviewed and must be approved by a member of the BDP faculty panel in order to complete the certificate requirements
- To create an interdisciplinary experience, students must choose courses from a variety of disciplines. Only one of the strand courses may come from the student's major department(s) or from same as with the student's major department(s). The certificate as a whole must represent a variety of disciplines; the advisor can help ensure that the coursework will meet the certificate requirements for interdisciplinarity.
- In courses taken for a letter grade, the student must obtain a grade of at least C- .
- A cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 is required for the certificate.
- Only one BDP course, including connecting experience, may be taken pass/fail. Any exceptions will be considered by the faculty panel on an individual basis.
- The student may be able to count courses toward the certificate that are not listed, if enough of the course content relates to the BDP topic. Consult with the advisor to petition a course to count towards the certificate.
- Psychology or Human Development and Family Sciences majors may take no more than two courses taught from a psychology disciplinary perspective. Courses are considered to have a psychology disciplinary perspective if they are tagged with a "-P" on the BDP website. All students regardless of major should be aware that EDP, HDF, and PSY courses have a similar disciplinary approach, and students should take that into account when selecting courses.