Child Development

Influencing the Future

The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Child Development is designed for the student who wants to work with children outside of a classroom setting.

Child Development offers a holistic approach to child studies, focusing on the physical, emotional, social, and intellectual development of a child.

At Olivet, students will plan and design activities for young children, including small-group and one-on-one activities that are age-appropriate and fun. Students will learn ways to keep children healthy with good eating habits, personal hygiene, and times for rest. They will also learn how to identify emotional or developmental problems.

Child Development majors will work closely with young children in many settings, including schools, businesses, private households, day care centers, camps, hospitals or adoption agencies.

Child Development Students:

Learn CPR and first aid.

Earn your Food and Safety sanitation license.

Study child, family and community relations; parenting; sociology of the family; language development; and teaching diverse populations.

Complete an internship or field placement assignment before you graduate in settings such as approved child care or day care facilities, children's museums, community centers, camps or hospitals.

Prepare to manage a day care center.

And so much more!

Tomorrow's Educators

The School of Education strives for responsiveness in keeping its programs current. Within the last three years, the Early Childhood, Elementary Education and Middle Grades programs have been revised to meet licensing and hiring requirements. The newest program is the Special Education Teacher Training Program with the first graduates in the Class of 2017.

Licensure

Olivet Nazarene University’s Teacher Education Program is a recognized education preparation program by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board (SEPLB). Each teaching program that is offered at Olivet has been individually approved for licensure, meaning that when a teaching candidate graduates with a teaching degree they will also have earned an Illinois Professional Educators License. The School of Education continues to update existing programs to meet and exceed the Illinois State Board of Education standards and is aligned with the top educational preparation standards in the nation.

Internship Opportunities

Olivet students have worked for a variety of local and national companies, including Kankakee Children's Museum, Easter Seals, Crossroads Childcare Center, Play Palz 101, Inc., Aunt Martha's, and Riverside Hospital. Internships are introductory-level positions, often paid and have resulted in full-time jobs.