初级文凭中的儿童发展重点是一项学术性儿童发展计划，重点是为学生准备进入小学（多科目的）教学证书计划做准备。儿童发育是对儿童从受孕到青春期的身体，社会情感和认知生长和发育的研究。该专业的目的是在儿童发展方面提供良好的学术课程，并使学生在各种学校和社区环境中与儿童和家庭一起工作。儿童发展专业的学生从事小学教学，学前教学和管理，儿童保育和课余工作，父母教育，社区大学教学等职业，或与各种咨询，社会服务和社区机构合作。本科专业还为学生准备儿童发展，基础或特殊教育，人类发展，社会工作或咨询方面的研究生课程。
The Child Development Concentration in Elementary Pre-credential is an academic child development program with an emphasis on preparing the student to enter an elementary school (multiple-subjects) teaching credential program. It consists of the core academic child development courses, 11 units of credential prerequisite courses, and 3 units of electives, chosen from the approved list. Students who intend to pursue an elementary school (multiple subjects) teaching credential must take the CBEST exam and the CSET subject matter exam as a part of the admission requirements for the credential program. Child Development students planning to pursue the credential should work with a faculty advisor to select general education courses recommended as preparation for the CSET exam.