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Prepare for a career in child-care


Learn to be a center director, Head Start teacher, or a professional working within youth-related human services agencies.

Human Development & Family Relations Major with Concentration in Child Care Management


Participate in a twelve-credit, supervised internship at a human service agency. Minor in a related field such as psychology or business. Learn from faculty that have strong commitments to quality instruction and advisement.

What Will I Learn?


Course offerings include child development, infant/toddler program planning, preschool curriculum development, child-care administration, and parenting perspectives. This option also involves one semester of full-time field experience in a child care facility or other appropriate human service agency. 

What is Unique About Our Program?


The concentration in child care management is the only four-year degree program of its kind in SUNY. It is designed for students who desire to become child-care center directors, pre-school teachers, or professionals working within youth-related human services agencies.

The best part of the HDFR program is the professional experience you get outside of the classroom. I specialized in child care management but completed my internship in probation; I now use everything I learned in my career.
Brianna, Child Care Management Graduate

What Are My Career Opportunities?


A human development and family relations degree is highly relevant to a broad range of career opportunities.

In addition to becoming highly qualified and sought after child care providers, graduates holding degrees in HDFR with a concentration in child-care management from SUNY Plattsburgh are currently working in such diverse fields as:

  • Family advocacy
  • Child life specialist
  • Crisis center counseling
  • Youth detention center casework
  • Child care centers
  • Planned Parenthood education
  • Mental health services

Pursuing a Graduate Degree

Approximately 25–30 percent of human development and family relations graduates pursue advanced degrees in counseling, social work, psychology, law, public administration, or other related fields. Recent graduates have gone on to master’s programs at SUNY Albany, Hunter College, College of Saint Rose, University of Buffalo and SUNY Plattsburgh, to name a few. 

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