Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) and Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
Child Development Undergraduate Program
PLO1. Knowledge Base in Child & Family Studies
Students will articulate the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, and empirical findings related to human development and family processes.
SLO 1.1. Students will describe major transitions and developmental achievements across the lifespan in physical, cognitive, linguistic, and socioemotional domains, within diverse cultural and social contexts.
SLO 1.2. Students will define and evaluate major theoretical perspectives on human development and family processes, including classic frameworks and intersectional and strengths-based models.
SLO 1.3. Students will identify and analyze research methods and empirical findings in developmental science.
SLO 1.4. Students will describe systems of oppression and historical antecedents that impact human development.
PLO2. Critical Thinking, Problem-Solving, and Quantitative Reasoning
Students will investigate, critically question, and analyze current perspectives, research, contemporary challenges, and applications (policies and programs) related to human development and family studies.
SLO 2.1. Students will study children and families using rigorous scientific methods and processes, entailing critically conscious introspection and awareness of positionality.
SLO 2.2. Students will evaluate research and common understandings in the field and their limitations, acknowledging contextualized interpretations' complexity and importance.
SLO2.3. Students will analyze how the developing person and family are embedded within diverse, nested, and interconnected cultural, local, global, and historical contexts and systems of power that impact those contexts.
PLO3. Ethical and Social Responsibility and Commitment to Diverse Communities
Students will exhibit leadership in multilingual, multi-ethnic, and global communities adopting, strength-based perspectives, ethical principles and social responsibility.
SLO 3.1. Students will apply ethical standards and social responsibility to analyze child and family programs and practices in diverse contexts.
SLO 3.2. Students will adopt values that use strength-based perspectives and critical consciousness to build and enhance interpersonal relationships at local, national, and global levels.
SLO 3.3. Students will demonstrate leadership skills and advocacy by creating, evaluating, and/or implementing programs and practices that promote wellbeing in multilingual, multi-ethnic, and global communities.
SLO 3.4. Through experiential learning, students will collaborate with diverse communities to redress inequities, strengthen communities, and build cross-sector relationships.
PLO4. Communication
Students will demonstrate competence in writing, oral, and interpersonal communication skills, exemplifying attitudes and behaviors that promote the development of children and families, valuing and including a diversity of communication styles and mediums.
SLO 4.1. Students will develop written products that conform to accepted standards of communication in the field and practice (i.e., use of scholarly, field, and community-based literacy), and are relevant and culturally affirming to the communities they serve.
SLO 4.2. Students will orally communicate theoretical, empirical, and practical ideas in a manner that shows consideration of the audience and practice disseminating information to the families and communities they serve.
SLO 4.3. Students will employ interpersonal communication skills to build mutual, collaborative relationships with community members and colleagues, including perspective-taking, collaborating, leveraging strengths, and soliciting and integrating feedback.
PLO5. Integrative Learning and Professional Development
Students will integrate personal awareness and professional knowledge to advocate for developmentally appropriate and culturally responsive practices and collaborate with diverse communities.
SLO 5.1. Students will analyze their social positions, personal biases, strengths, and opportunities for self-development in relation to academic and practitioner-based knowledge in diverse communities.
SLO 5.2. Students will synthesize their personal, academic, and community experiences and knowledge to deepen their understanding of children and families and to broaden their own points of view.
SLO 5.3. Students will integrate critical perspectives across disciplines to draw conclusions about developmentally appropriate and culturally responsive practices.
SLO 5.4. Students will adapt and apply personal, academic and community skills, abilities, theories, or methodologies gained in one situation to a new situation.
Child and Family Studies Department
MA in Child Development Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs):
PLO1. Students will integrate their understanding of advanced concepts and theories related to human development with an intersectional and strength-based perspective.
SLO 1.1 Evaluate major concepts and theories of child and family studies across cognitive, linguistic, and socioemotional domains from a strength-based perspective.
SLO 1.2 Interpret, critique, and synthesize research methods and scholarly literature in child and family studies.
SLO 1.3 Critically analyze the multiple levels of contextual influence on individual and family functioning, including socio-historical, sociopolitical, community, and family contexts.
PLO2. Students will reflect on personal, academic, and practice-based knowledge in preparation to take social justice and strength-based approaches for their future careers and professional settings.
SLO 2.1 Evaluate their social positions, personal biases, strengths, and opportunities for self-development in relation to academic and practice-based knowledge in diverse communities in preparation for their future careers in professional settings.
SLO 2.2 Integrate their personal, academic, and community experiences, practice-based knowledge, and perspectives to prepare for their future careers in professional settings.
SLO 2.3 Adapt and apply academic and practice-based knowledge through social justice and strength-based perspectives in community settings.
PLO 3. Students will utilize quantitative and qualitative reasoning to formulate and conduct research that takes a critical lens and is aligned with ethical standards in the field.
SLO 3.1. Evaluate research and theory, acknowledging the importance of contextualized interpretations, their limitations, and the existence of complexity.
SLO 3.2 Select and implement quantitative research methods and statistical analysis to study children and families in a manner that is ethical, integrates critical introspection, and demonstrates awareness of the researcher’s positionality.
SLO 3.3 Identify and propose research that centers around the lived experiences of diverse families and promotes social action, using qualitative methodologies, community-based, participatory action research, and other approaches.
PLO 4. Students will articulate advanced concepts and promote advocacy of the needs of today’s diverse children and families in preparation for leadership in multilingual, multi-ethnic, and global communities.
SLO 4.1 Identify concepts and strategies that use strength-based perspectives and challenge deficit notions to articulate the needs of diverse children and families to stakeholders at local, national, and global levels.
SLO 4.2 Apply leadership skills while refining a professional identity that promotes a commitment to ethically and socially just practices in child and family studies
SLO 4.3 Create, evaluate, and/or recommend programs, practices, and policies that promote well-being in multilingual, multi-ethnic, and global communities.