About the Program

The online Minor in Child Development and Family Relations explores how people develop physically, emotionally, and intellectually throughout their lives, focusing on the family environment. You’ll learn to examine how relationships form in various social contexts and how you can help and support families.

To declare a minor, complete the Change of Program form, which can be found on the UMaine Student Records website and the UMaine Portal.

Our students acquire the professional skills to work with children and families in various rewarding and challenging careers. Recent graduates work in family-focused agencies, social service programs, early childcare facilities and schools, elementary schools, family respite care settings, and child development and family service agencies. 

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), about 4,600 openings for preschool and childcare center directors are projected each year from 2022 to 2032. The median annual wage for preschool and childcare center directors was $54,290 in May 2023., which was higher than the median yearly wage for all occupations of $48,060.

Many of our students also use this minor to support their journey toward enrolling in graduate programs to become family, couple, or individual therapists. According to Maine Public, “Maine school officials are reporting rising rates of anxiety, depression and other disorders in students — and to address those challenges, many districts now bring in contracted outside mental health clinicians.”

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment of community health workers is projected to grow 13% from 2023 to 2033, much faster than the average for all occupations.