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Child Development, B.S.

College of Arts and Sciences

Do you have a calling to work with children and help them develop into healthy, successful adults? With a degree in child development from Indiana Tech, you will become immersed in the stages of development, from infancy through adolescence, and learn how society and nature can impact how individuals grow and develop. You will also receive a grounding in psychology courses that will provide an understanding of theory and practices related to working with children and adolescents.

You will acquire interventions, methods and strategies to positively impact child development and learn how to be a successful advocate for children. You will also develop a solid foundation with which you can pursue graduate studies in a myriad of areas including child psychology, mental health counseling and teaching.

Why Choose Indiana Tech?

  • Coursework will immerse you in child development theory and practice, while exposing you to the principles of psychology.
  • You will learn student engagement strategies that are designed to encourage critical thinking and the application of learned strategies to new situations.
  • You will learn how to develop programming and interventions for working with children, adolescents and their families.
  • This degree would provide you with an excellent knowledge base to enter the University of Saint Francis’ Transition to Teaching program, a partnership between universities that gives Indiana Tech students a seamless path to becoming licensed teachers.
  • We foster an active learning environment, enriched by instructors who possess years of experience in their respective fields.

What You Can Do With This Degree

Below are potential career opportunities available to graduates with this degree. Some opportunities listed may require additional education or certification. Consult your academic advisor for clarification.

  • Certified child life specialist
  • Social worker
  • Social/community service manager
  • Preschool/childcare center director
  • Teacher

Career Outlook

A B.S. in Child Development from Indiana Tech prepares you for a wide variety of in-demand careers. Below, you can explore career fields, salary information and employer demand from our partners at Lightcast, the leading labor market and career data provider in the U.S.

Job Outlook

Below are some of the potential career opportunities available to graduates with this degree. Additionally, you will find national statistics for average annual salaries and projected job growth, as identified by BLS.gov statistics. Salaries can vary based on the market in which you live and the prior experience you bring to the position.

  • Social/community service manager $65,320/year

Job outlook through 2028: 13 percent increase

  • Preschool/childcare center director $47,940/year

Job outlook through 2028: 7 percent increase

  • Preschool teacher $29,780/year

Job outlook through 2028: 7 percent increase

  • Social worker $49,470/year

Job outlook through 2028: 11 percent increase

Internship Opportunities

Indiana Tech students pursuing this degree have interned with:

  • Autism Society of Indiana
  • Bowen Center
  • Empowered Youth Academy
  • YMCA
  • YWCA
  • Early Childhood Alliance
  • Local schools, including Fort Wayne Community Schools

Autumn Stokes
B.S. Child Development, 2019

Success Story

Autumn Stokes achieved many recognitions during her time at Indiana Tech. The 2019 graduate made the dean’s list for six straight semesters, was named the university’s Outstanding Child Development graduate for 2019 and was honored as a Daktronics NA…

Read full story

Melissa Schweikert

Program Lead

Over the past 30 years, professor Lavin has taught in universities and has worked in inpatient and outpatient mental hospitals and community mental health centers. Her focus is on childhood development and her expertise in this area includes working with children who struggle with trauma-related issues, those who have learning disabilities, such as ADHD, and those who have aggressive behavior tendencies, such as oppositional-defiant disorder and conduct disorder. She is currently pursuing her doctoral degree in developmental psychology.

  • M.S., General Psychology, Old Dominion University
  • B.A., Psychology, University of North Carolina, Charlotte

Faculty Profile
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