Child, Youth & Family Studies: Specialization in Youth Development

Course Overview

Master's degree or graduate certificate? Professionals with a master's degree can demand a higher wage than those holding a graduate certificate. The graduate certificate can be used for continuing education credits, to advance your career or to supplement a master's degree in another field. The master's degree and certificate prepare you to: Develop policies with a positive effect, Apply basic research and evaluation skills, Understand normative pathways to development, Work with agencies, boards, families, and other professionals, Gain the necessary skills for budgeting, grant writing, and fund-raising, Examine the impact of local, state, federal, and global policies on youth, Identify how youth and family cultural issues affect positive youth outcomes, Apply the primary concepts of youth development, The Department of Child, Youth and Family Studies offers graduate programs leading to the M.S. and Ph. D. degrees. The Department is a founding participant of the Great Plains IDEA and offers several graduate programs online through the consortium of universities that make up the Great Plains IDEA. Students have access to the Family Resource Center (FRC) and the Ruth Staples Child Development Laboratory (CDL). Through the FRC, students in the Marriage and Family Therapy program offer psychotherapy to couples, families and individuals on site and remotely through tele, mental health to rural communities throughout Nebraska. The FRC is also a research laboratory, giving students valuable research experience with couples, families, individuals, and intervention. Through the CDL, students in child development and early childhood education engage in experiential learning and gain teaching experience working with children and families. The CDL is also a research laboratory, giving students valuable research experience with children and their families and curriculum. The DCL's programs are among the 9% in the nation accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and have been in operation since 1925.