CHILD AND FAMILY STUDIES …

                      CHILD AND FAMILY STUDIES
                         What can I do with this degree?
              AREAS                       EMPLOYERS                                            STRATEGIES
PRE-SCHOOL/DAY CARE
Teaching                  Religious organizations                              Develop physical stamina for working with children.
Administration            Montessori schools                                   Acquire appropriate certification or licensure for
                          Private, public, franchise, and corporate day care     day care and public school teaching.
                             centers                                           Obtain experience working with children through
                          Private homes                                          volunteering or part-time jobs.
                          Family day care                                      Demonstrate patience with children and the ability to
                          Extended school programs                               work well with people of various backgrounds.
                          Preschools                                           Develop strong communications skills to deal
                          Head Start programs                                    effectively with parents.

COMMUNITY SERVICES
Administration            Community centers                                    Seek related work experience, particularly summer
Development               YMCA or YWCA                                            camps or special needs areas.
Programming               Consumer protection agencies                         Learn to work well with all types of people through
Research                  Summer camp programs                                    volunteer or paid positions.
Evaluation                Adult day care providers                             Obtain Child Life Certification for some areas.
                          Hospitals                                            Develop strong presentation and public speaking
                          Rehabilitation organizations                            skills.
                          Religious organizations                              Be willing to wear multiple hats within an organization.
                          Adoption agencies                                    Learn how to write grants.
                                                                               Develop research and writing skills.



SOCIAL SERVICES
Case Management           Profit and nonprofit organizations focused on        Supplement curriculum with courses in social work,
Counseling                    children, youth, families, or senior citizens       sociology, or psychology.
Administration            Adult and child day care providers                   Obtain a master's degree and appropriate licensure in
                          Group homes                                             mental health counseling, social work, or
                          Half-way houses                                         rehabilitation counseling to provide therapy.
                          Youth services agencies                              Earn a graduate degree to obtain most administrative
                          Senior citizens' programs                               positions.
                          Foundations and funding organizations                Gain experience through volunteer positions or
                                                                                  internships.
(Child and Family Studies, Page 2)

                   AREAS                                 EMPLOYERS                                            STRATEGIES

EDUCATION
Teaching                               Public and private schools (K-12)                      Acquire appropriate certification for public school
   Early Childhood Education           Public preschool programs (e.g., Head Start)              teaching.
   Early Childhood Special Education   Private preschool programs                             Obtain Ph.D. for college and university teaching
   Home Economics                      Montessori schools                                        and research opportunities.
   Family and Consumer Sciences        Adult education programs                               Acquire certification for day care and parent-child
Curriculum Development                 Colleges and universities                                 education.
Research                               Programs servicing children and adults with special    Obtain graduate degree for counseling, student
Counseling                                needs                                                  affairs, and administrative positions.
Administration                                                                                Find part-time or summer jobs working with children.
College Student Affairs                                                                       Serve as a tutor, peer mentor, resident assistant or
Parent-Child Education                                                                           student advisor.
MEDICAL
Child Care Programs                    Hospitals                                              Earn a master's degree in Social Work, Counseling,
Education                              Healthcare facilities                                     or related areas for the most opportunities.
                                       Health and wellness agencies                           Obtain experience in advocacy.
                                       Hospices                                               Acquire licensing or certification for some areas.
                                                                                              Volunteer in a healthcare setting.

BUSINESS
Management                             Manufacturing companies of children's clothes, toys,   Minor in business; develop skills in areas such as
Sales                                     furniture, and food                                    management, marketing or sales.
Customer Service                       Department and retail stores                           Secure leadership positions on campus.
                                       Service organizations                                  Get related experience through internships or part-
                                                                                                 time jobs.
                                                                                              Build computer skills in word processing, database
                                                                                                 management, and spreadsheet programs.

COMMUNICATIONS
Journalism                             Organizations geared toward children and family        Minor or double major in a communications field.
Public Relations                       including:                                             Develop excellent communication skills, both written
Writing                                    Book publishers                                       and verbal.
Editing                                    Professional associations                          Submit articles or books for publication.
Research                                   Radio and TV stations                              Work for campus publications or radio stations.
                                           Nonprofit organizations                            Complete internships with related organizations.
                                           Manufacturers
                                           Newspapers
                                           Magazines
(Child and Family Studies, Page 3)

                   AREAS                                                       EMPLOYERS                                                       STRATEGIES

GOVERNMENT
Social Services                                            Federal, state and local government agencies (i.e.,              Take additional courses in area of interest.
Rehabilitation                                                 Departments of Health, Education and                         Develop strong presentation and public speaking
Program Coordination                                           Welfare, Criminal Justice Departments,                          skills.
Research                                                       Sanitation, Fire/Safety, Nutrition, and Cooperative          Obtain specialized training for opportunities in
Program Evaluation                                             Extension)                                                      protective services or law enforcement.
Legislation                                                Vocational rehabilitation                                        Complete an internship with a government
Advocacy                                                   Mental health agencies                                              organization.
                                                           Military child care programs                                     Learn federal, state, and local job application
                                                           Overseas child care and education programs                          procedures.
                                                           Health and wellness agencies
                                                           Women's protective agencies


GENERAL INFORMATION
· Bachelor's degree is sufficient for entry-level positions.
· Advanced degrees are essential for clinical and therapeutic counseling positions.
· Master's degree or Ph.D. is often needed for administrative and supervisory positions.
· Ph.D. is required for college teaching and advanced research positions.
· Additional or specialized training qualifies one for higher paying and positions of greater responsibility.
· Obtain part-time, summer, internship, or volunteer experience in child care, schools, hospitals, camps, or overseas programs or in advocacy or service-oriented
     programs dealing with alcoholism, drug abuse, family violence, aging, poor, or disabled populations.
· Obtain certification in CPR, safety, and first aid for adults, children, and infants.
· Develop interest and gain experience in computers, arts, crafts, music, or physical activitiy.
· Obtain certification for specialized areas including Child Life Specialist or Child Advocacy.




                          Prepared by the Career Planning staff of Career Services at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville. (1995, Revised 2000, Revised 2004)
                                                            UTK is an EEO/AA/Title VI/Title IX/Section 504/ADA /ADEA/Employer