The Child and Family Studies, founded in 1973, is designed to provide an understanding of the process of human development and the dynamics of family relationships across the life span, with special focus on infancy and childhood. The undergraduate program emphasizes the ecological contexts in human development, family, early childhood education settings, and community. The program prepares students for careers in childcare, early childhood education, family service, or child and family therapy, etc. The M.A. degree program has been offered since 1977 and the doctoral program since 1981.