BA with Early Childhood or Community Focus

Our BA in Child and Adolescent Development (ChAD) equips students with a solid foundation in theory and research while preparing them for graduate studies and/or careers in early childhood education settings or with children and their families in community settings. While enrolled in this program, students can elect to complete the Early Childhood Focus or Community Focus to best prepare themselves for either pathway.

Program Overview

  • Official Title: Bachelor of Arts in Child and Adolescent Development
  • Format: Full-time or part-time
  • Units: 120
  • Start date: Fall (Freshmen and Transfers), Spring (Transfers)
  • Application deadlines: Visit the SJSU Admissions Freshman Deadlines webpage and Transfer Deadlines webpage

Initial Eligibility and Requirements

The requirements to apply to our ChAD program within SJSU and the California State University system vary depending on whether you're applying as a freshman or transfer. For more information, visit the SJSU Admissions Freshman CSU Eligibility Requirements webpage or Transfer CSU Eligibility Requirements webpage.

Curriculum and Roadmaps

In order to earn a BA in Child and Adolescent Development, students must complete 120 units of requirements:

  • University graduation requirements - 38 units
  • Major requirements - 51 units (Early Childhood Focus) or 52 units (Community Focus)
  • University electives - 31 units (Early Childhood Focus) or 30 units (Community Focus)

For more details about the course requirements, options, and roadmaps for these plans, visit Child and Adolescent Development, BA on the SJSU Catalog website.  

Steps to Apply

Current SJSU Students

Complete the following courses with a 2.0 GPA or higher across all four courses (no Ds or Fs). Visit the SJSU Articulation Webpage for equivalent courses.

  • ChAD 60 - Child Development
  • ChAD 70 - Lifespan Development in the 21st Century
  • PSYC 01 - Introduction to Psychology
  • ChAD 80 - Quantitative Analysis in Developmental Science

For students with fewer than 90 units, please submit the online Change of Major form. Anticipate an email confirmation within 2-5 business days regarding the status of the request.

For students with more than 90 units, please schedule an appointment to meet with a ChAD Academic Advisor who will review the request, plan a curricular roadmap, and provide instructions for submitting a Change of Major request. 

Future SJSU Freshman and Transfer Students

Apply to SJSU and select your intended major for admission into a ChAD program. The department doesn't have additional admission requirements. The following prerequisite courses are recommended, but not a requirement to declare your major via this process:

  • ChAD 60 - Child Development
  • ChAD 70 - Lifespan Development in the 21st Century
  • PSYC 01 - Introduction to Psychology
  • ChAD 80, STAT 95 or SOCI/SOCS 15 - Statistics

View the complete details for the application requirements and process on the SJSU Freshman Admissions webpage or Transfer Admissions webpage.

Former SJSU Students

Complete the appropriate petition paperwork and submit it to the ChAD Department in Sweeney Hall (SH) 201 for review/approval for admission. An overall 2.0 GPA, and a 2.0 GPA across the four courses listed below (no Ds or Fs), are required. 

  • ChAD 60 - Child Development
  • ChAD 70 - Lifespan Development in the 21st Century
  • PSYC 01 - Introduction to Psychology
  • STAT 95 or SOCI/SOCS 15 - Statistics

If you are a former student who is petitioning to return to SJSU, you may have different steps to complete depending on whether you left SJSU in good academic standing or as a result of academic disqualification. For complete information, visit the SJSU Admissions Former Student webpage.

Honors Program

Students may apply for the departmental Honors Program in Child and Adolescent Development if they meet the following criteria: completion of 9 units of upper division child development course work with a minimum GPA of 3.5, and completion of CHAD 101 or STAT 95 (or equivalent) with a grade of "A-" or better. Students who meet the entrance criteria will be awarded departmental honors by showing evidence of distinguished scholarly work as indicated by completion of a BA honors thesis (CHAD 199: Honors Thesis) or work leading to a published paper or presentation at a professional meeting, and a minimum GPA of 3.5 in all upper division child development courses.

Additional Resources

For information about financial aid opportunities, internship and job opportunities, research opportunities, and more, visit our Student Resources webpage.