Rutgers University
Department/Program:
Department of Childhood Studies
Institution Address:
Rutgers University
405-7 Cooper Street
Camden NJ 08102
Degrees Granted:
MA and PhD
Faculty:
Dr. Lynne Vallone (vallone@rutgers.edu)
The Curriculum:
PhD Core Requirements
All students inPh.D. program follow the following program of study, with most completing thecourses in two or three years, with the dissertation completed in the fourthand or fifth years. Although the programis intended for full-time students, part-time students are accepted into theprogram. Most classes will be offered in the late afternoon and early evening.There are four major program elements.
Approaches, Methods,Applications
The nature of ChildhoodStudies requires that students be equipped with the intellectual toolsnecessary to engage in interdisciplinary research focusing on children. Towardsthis end, 15 credits are required in classes that acquaint students with theapproaches, methods and applications characteristic of the social sciences andthe humanities.
Six of the credits for thestudy of interdisciplinary approaches, methods, and applications are earned inthe Proseminar in Childhood Studies. This two-semester sequence is taken duringeach student's first year. Different disciplines (psychology,sociology/criminal justice, anthropology, history, religion, and English) serveas a perspective for a section of the course. During each section, through acombination of lectures, discussion and readings, students gain knowledge ofthe substantive topic; they also gain a broad overview of each discipline'smethodology and an understanding of the strengths and limitations of eachdiscipline's approach to the problem. Toward the end of the year, students willbe guided toward an understanding of how a given problem can be approached inan interdisciplinary manner. Students also complete one course in quantitativesocial science (typically a statistics class), qualitative social science(ethnography), and methods in humanities (e.g., Introduction to LiteraryStudies).
Children inOntogenetic, Historical, and Cultural Perspective
To provide for a solid footing for interdisciplinary research,all students complete at least six credits in courses that examine children incontext. Typically, students fulfill this requirement by enrolling in two ormore of the following four classes.
Child Growth &Development (3 credits)
This coursewill cover children's physical, mental, and social development. The goal ofthis course will be to provide students with an integrated perspective on howtypical children develop, beginning with the milestones and developmental tasksof infancy and continuing through the biological, social, and psychologicalchanges of adolescence.
Children and Childhoodin Cross-Cultural Perspective (3 credits)
Therichness and diversity of children's development is best understood byexamining socialization norms and child-rearing practices of the world'svarious societies. The course focuses on the rich anthropological literature onchildren in different cultures, but considers as well cross-culturalpsychological and sociological investigations.
Literary and CulturalConstructions of Childhood (3 credits)
Thiscourse will examine changing concepts of childhood as reflected in a range ofliterary and cultural texts from a variety of cultures and periods. It willconsider the representations of children and childhood throughout literatureand culture; the impact of the concept of childhood on intellectual andaesthetic traditions; the role of childhood in imagination and memory as wellas in actuality; and the notion of childhood as a discursive category useful forunderstanding human subjectivity and the human condition.
Focused Coursework inChildhood Studies
By the beginningof the second year of study, and in consultation with her/his advisor, eachstudent develops a plan for coursework (minimum of 27 credits) in ChildhoodStudies that is the foundation for the doctoral dissertation.
Doctoral Dissertation
MA Core Requirements
NOTE: These aregeneral guidelines. Students should consult the Gradate Student Handbook fordetailed requirements or contact the Graduate Studies Director.
The Master of Arts inChildhood Studies equips practitioners andbeginning scholars with the skills and knowledge to understand and to addressthe challenges which confront children throughout the world. The programprepares its graduates to conduct research with and about children, formulatesocial policy on behalf of children and their families, and work effectivelywith the diverse populations of children found throughout the world
Core Requirements
Students in the M.A.program complete the following program of study in approximately two years.Most classes will be offered in late afternoon and early evening.
Disciplinary Concentrations (12 credits) Each student willchoose two concentrated areas of study, one from the disciplines in thehumanities and one from the social sciences. 6 credits must be completed ineach concentration. This will ensure grounding in two traditional fields ofstudy.
For more information:
http://childhood.camden.rutgers.edu/CS-graduatecourses.htm