Family talking to a counselor

Online Minor in Child Development and Family Relations

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18 Credits

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Fall, Spring, & Summer Entry Terms

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.

Contact Us

Have questions about earning your degree online with UMaine? Contact a UMaineOnline advisor.

UMaineOnline Advisor


207.581.5858
umaineonline@maine.edu

Curriculum

The following courses are required (6 credits):

  • CHF 200: Family Interaction (3 credits) Fall
  • CHF 201: Introduction to Child Development (3 credits) Fall, Spring, and Summer

Choose four courses (12 credits). Course options include, but are not limited to:

  • CHF 351: Human Sexuality (3 credits) Fall, Spring, and Summer
  • CHF 381: Family Resource Management (3 credits) Fall
  • CHF 404: Select Topics in Child Development and Family Life (3 credits)
    Topics include: Families and Technology
  • CHF 431: Parenting (3 credits) Spring and Summer
  • CHF 450: Early Childhood Special Education – Inclusion in the Early Childhood Classroom (3 credits) Fall and Spring
  • CHF 445: Conflict & Violence in Intimate Relationships (3 credits) Fall 
  • CHF 488: Family Legal Issues (3 credits) Spring 
  • CHF 496: Field Experience in Human Development and Family Studies (1-6 credits) Spring and Summer

Delcaring a Minor

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

  • NOTE: Minors are available to current degree-seeking undergraduate students at the University of Maine. Minors are not available to students enrolled in a certificate program, and a minor can only be earned with a bachelor’s degree.

Careers

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.