A student sits in a classroom at La Roche University. Her hands are folded and she looks straight ahead. A classmate is next to her in the background.

Child and Family Studies

La Roche University prepares you for work in child care, youth advocacy, case work, and agencies serving children, youth and families.

Helping families and children through troubling times is more than a profession; it’s a mission. From drug and alcohol counseling, to helping those with mental health issues and providing support through community outreach, those who enter the helping professions make a difference in society as a whole.

Career-Focused Curriculum

The Child and Family Studies major at La Roche University prepares you for multiple fields and graduate school.

You’ll enjoy a rigorous academic program that explores recent developments in the field, and you’ll develop sought-after skills such as analyzing, problem solving and working with a team.

In addition, you’ll learn about the network of human services programs that offer assistance to those in need.

Real-World Experience

We require all child and family studies majors to earn internship credits in their senior year, which are invaluable in developing professional skills and confidence. Students have held internships at Glade Run, Mars Home for Youth and Pressley Ridge, among other facilities.

Supervised internship experiences provide direct exposure to the clients and services offered by a local agency. Internships are tied to the Senior Seminar course, in which you’ll discuss cases, work closely with a faculty member with an extensive counseling background, and develop greater awareness of your professional responsibilities.

Clubs, Events and Activities

We offer a variety of clubs, organizations and programs for you to earn distinction in your field of study. These opportunities include the possibility of earning departmental honors during your senior year and invitation to Psi Chi, the international honors society in psychology.

You also have the ability to join the Psychology Club or One Youth, a student organization that serves to empower and inspire the younger generation by addressing the needs of local youth in struggling communities.

What Can You Do With Your Degree?

A Bachelor of Arts in child and family studies prepares you for careers in:

Mental health
Welfare work
Group counseling
Drug and alcohol counseling
Community outreach
Research assistant
Wrap-around programs

Scholarships

In addition to our merit-based scholarships, we offer annual and endowed scholarships, thanks to our generous donors.

Coach Scott Lang Memorial Endowed Scholarship
This scholarship provides an annual award to a currently enrolled full-time student in any of the following majors: child and family studies, criminal justice and criminology, elementary education and English education (language arts and reading).