B.A. Human Development

Program Description

Pacific Oaks' bachelor's-completion program equips graduates with a comprehensive interdisciplinary understanding of human development across the lifespan, from birth through the end of life. Students become familiar with the biological, psychological, emotional, and sociological factors that contribute to an individual's development, and to the implications those factors have on have such wide-ranging skills and milestones as problem solving, language acquisition, personality and identity formation, and social and emotional maturation. Integrated into the content is Pacific Oaks' hallmark commitment to social justice, advocacy, and its respect for diversity and individual potential. 

• Depending upon transfer credits received, the program may be completed in as little as one year.
• Students can choose from four concentrations to tailor their curriculum to their unique career and personal goals, or they may choose a generalist course of study.
• Students pursuing the on-ground course of study may also have the opportunity to enroll in online courses.
• Pacific Oaks' Credit for Life Experience option allows students in this program to accelerate their progress toward a bachelor's degree and entry into a master's program by earning undergraduate credit for experience they have gained in the workplace. Learn more.
  
  

Locations

POC:Pasadena, CAPOC:Salinas, CAPOC:Santa Cruz, CAPOC:Sacramento, CAPOC:Online

School

Human Development

Specializations

Developmental Education
Early Childhood Education
Social Change
Infant/Toddler Care and Development
Therapeutic Companion

Total Credits

60-90, depending on credits transferred in. A minimum of 30 credits must be earned at Pacific Oaks College.

Licensure

Fieldwork Requirements

One implementation class and one fieldwork/observation class (specializations may require additional fieldwork) in which students observe and comprehend developmentally and culturally appropriate practice with children.

Prerequisites

Completion of an associate's degree or a minimum of 60 semester credits with a grade of "C" or higher from a college or university accredited by regional commissions.

Applicants may also take CLEP (College Level Exam Program) tests to acquire credits. A maximum of 30 credits may transfer.

Sample Courses

Early Childhood Themes and Life Cycle Issues

Each stage of life poses a task to be accomplished. These tasks appear as a challenge and bring the chance for growth, but also a fear of failure and discomforting disequilibrium. Themes which begin in early childhood-attachment, separation, autonomy, accomplishment and failure-recur later in the life cycle. Understanding of their beginnings and knowledge of psychosocial developmental theories enables adults to be aware of the resolution of these themes in their own lives, as well as in children's lives.

Conflict Resolution and Mediation

Designed for human service professionals, including teachers, educational administrators, and marriage and family counselors, who work with children, adolescents, and families. Examines the nature of human conflict and effective strategies for conflict resolutions, and explores methods for developing programs which promote the peaceful resolution of conflict. Focuses on the techniques and models for conflict resolution, mediation, and creative problem-solving in various conflict areas, including the family, the school, and the workplace. Techniques for effective communication, brainstorming and cooperative group decision-making are explored. Communicating across cultures, and bias awareness issues are explored within all content areas. Class format includes discussion, lecture, reading, writing, demonstration and role playing.

Play in Childhood

Exploration of play as a human adaptive function with a distinct developmental course, beginning in infancy and varying in content and mode from culture to culture. Emphasis placed on the ability to observe children's play and to make use of these observations in planning for a child; the importance of the physical environment; and the setting up of environments for play that will engage children in using the skills that are pre-requisites for academic learning. Cultural and gender issues and ways to support cultural expression and non sexist play opportunities are examined Focuses on early years but address the integrative and transformative function of play as it contributes to the lives of individuals throughout the life span.

Program Description

Pacific Oaks' bachelor's-completion program equips graduates with a comprehensive interdisciplinary understanding of human development across the lifespan, from birth through the end of life.  Students become familiar with the biological, psychological, emotional, and sociological factors that contribute to an individual's development, and to the implications those factors have on have such wide-ranging skills and milestones as problem solving, language acquisition, personality and identity formation, and social and emotional maturation. Integrated into the content is Pacific Oaks' hallmark commitment to social justice, advocacy, and its respect for diversity and individual potential. 

School

Human Development

Specializations

Social Change

Total Credits

60-90, depending on credits transferred in. A minimum of 30 credits must be earned at Pacific Oaks College

Prerequisites

Completion of an associate's degree or a minimum of 60 semester credits with a grade of "C" or higher from a college or university accredited by regional commissions.

Applicants may also take CLEP (College Level Exam Program) tests to acquire credits. A maximum of 30 credits may transfer.

Effective Summer 2011, applicants must have an associate's degree or at least 60 transferable semester credits and may transfer in up to a total of 94 semester credits toward the 120 total semester credits required for B.A. degree completion. A minimum of 30 of those credits must be completed through Pacific Oaks coursework. 

Sample Courses

Social and Political Contexts of Human Development

The diverse social and political contexts of our society affect the socialization of the individual and his/her understanding of human development. Examines attitudes toward gender, class, race/ethnicity, disability and sexual orientation, along with the historical contexts within which specific theories of human development were created. Students are challenged to examine these influences on their own growth and perceptions of human behavior, to define their personal ethics within the context of contemporary society, and to search for creative professional responses to inequality and bias. A variety of methods, including experiential activities, small group discussion, weekly writing, reading, and mini-lectures are utilized.

The Art of Observation
Observation is a basic teaching and assessment tool in early childhood education and a necessary skill in the field of counseling. When you observe a child: What do you see? What do you look for and why? How do you interpret what you are seeing? How do you translate what you have observed into goals for intervention? Participants will observe children and adults, share and evaluate frameworks for observation, and get feedback on observational skills.

Communication and the Life Cycles
This class is about life cycles and communication concepts. It is a goal of this class to enhance understanding of the interconnected and interdependent components of communication and tasks of various life cycle changes. Whether it's an infant learning about trust, an older adult learning to adjust to physical and mental changes, or any of the many stages in between, we all have a vital need to communicate with one another. Focusing on specific life cycle stages and how attention to communication can facilitate engagement with the task of that stage will provide valuable information for personal and professional relationships. Communication and life cycle issues will be addressed in a holistic way, looking at the needs of both parties as well as the special context of attentiveness.