Child and Family Studies

Internships
Students complete internships in a variety of settings that range from administration in educational and social service settings to public and private school classrooms to outreach programs in state, local and private settings. For example:

Students interested in serving as a director of a childcare center or want to start their own center complete internships with the Director of the Muskingum University Center for Child Development.  They focus on understanding finances, staff development and support, state licensing rules and regulations, defining and implementing quality care, Center policies and procedures, record keeping, family relationships, and standards and assessment.

Students interested in social services complete internships with County Health Departments, Job and Family Services, and Children Services.  Experiences include learning the structure and function of the agency, working directly with clients, attending workshops and seminars, understanding agency policies and procedures, record keeping, and team building skills.

Research
Students have completed research for senior seminars and research internships on a variety of topics. Examples include:

• Prevalence of substance abuse among women
• Implications of stigma against homelessness
• Dropout rates and motivation in schools
• Important factors in a counselor student relationship
• Self-neglect in older adults

Professional Activities
Students are encouraged to attend the Ohio Association for the Education of Young Children, the Midwestern Psychological Association, and other relevant conferences, workshops and seminars held in the area.

After Graduation
Where Muskingum graduates in Child and Family Studies have found employment in recent years:

• Head Start
• Help Me Grow
• Children Services
• Job and Family Services
• Private pre-schools
• Public pre-schools
• Camps that serve terminally ill children
• Counseling services working with adolescents and adults
• State, local, and private agencies, as service coordinators