Department of Child and Family Development
The Department of Child and Family Development (CFD) offers undergraduate, master’s, and certificate programs that prepare anti-racist changemakers to tackle issues affecting children, families, and communities. We achieve this through a culturally responsive curriculum emphasizing social-emotional development, social justice, and equity-minded education, focusing on reducing structural inequities. Our interdisciplinary approach equips students with a strong foundation for careers in education, health, mental health promotion, human services, law, and other impactful fields. Read our full mission statement.
Our Programs
Announcements
Summer 2025 Office Hours
Our in-person office hours will be limited from May 27 to July 8, 2025, due to ventilation and air conditioning work scheduled to take place in Lamden Hall. The best way to reach us is via email at [email protected].
Summer Session 2025
Summer registration begins on March 5. SDSU offers a twelve week term and four sessions ranging from four to eight weeks in length to fit your summer schedule.
Fall 2026 Admissions
SDSU will begin accepting applications for fall 2026 on October 1, 2025. Deadlines differ by program. Please see individual academic program information for details.
More Announcements
Dr. Wendy Ochoa Assistant Professor for the Department of Child and Family Development has a new publication, "Parenting While Latine: Bicultural Socialization Values and Practices in Support of Preschool Children’s Well-being" was published in the Journal of Child and Family Studies.
Findings from this study showed that Latine Spanish and English-speaking parents of preschool-age children viewed their children’s bicultural socialization as critical to supporting their development and wellbeing. Parents aimed to raise bicultural children by fostering their children's bilingualism and transmitting heritage and US values. Importantly, these findings highlight that low-income, Latine parents have clear developmental goals for their children and take an active role in meeting these goals, even when they are discriminated against for holding on to their heritage culture and language.
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SDSU Children's Center
Coursework with Hands-on Experience
Many of our CFD courses provide a rich learning experience for child development majors and minors by collaborating with the SDSU Children’s Center. These courses use the Children’s Center for hands-on classroom lab experiences, enhancing knowledge in the child development major domains: physical/motor, cognitive, social, and emotional. Students apply lecture knowledge to real-life situations, gaining insight into the developmental continuum from infants to six-year-olds.
Focus on Your Studies While Your Child Thrives
The SDSU Children's Center provides loving care and an educational program for children of students, faculty, and staff.
Separate classrooms for children of different ages:
- Infant (6 months to 18 months)
- Toddler (18 months to 28 months)
- Preschool (2 years to 6 years)
Features and Benefits
- Fees determined by family size and income
- Sliding scales and grant programs available
- Snacks, meals and diapers included
- Certified and caring staff
- Licensed by the California Department of Social Services
- Part-time and full-time programs available
- Convenient entrance for drop-off and pick-up
- Parent involvement is an intregal part of the center
- Great indoor and outdoor play areas
- Located east of College Ave between parking structure 1 and 6
“Being a CFD minor, I love how my classes associate with the SDSU Children's Center. They expose me to children of various ages and in different settings, so that I can learn through hands-on experiences rather than just sitting in a class, listening to lectures.”
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