HDFS 310 Infant and Child Development in Context

Overview of Course

Physical, cognitive, and socioemotional development from birth through middle childhood in context of family, relationships, and culture.

Have you ever wondered how pregnancy, birth, and the earliest years of life are shaped by culture, family, and community around the world? In this course, we’ll explore the experiences of pregnancy, childbirth, infancy, early childhood, and middle childhood through a global, cross-cultural lens as we travel from country to country. Using each port as a window into local beliefs and practices, we’ll examine how families prepare for birth, care for babies, and support young children in different parts of the world.

We’ll look at questions like: How do cultures define a “healthy” pregnancy and birth
experience? Who supports new parents? How do families nurture children in different social and cultural settings? What do young children need to thrive, and how do those needs vary across contexts? We will compare countries on how long children are required to attend school, who has access to secondary schooling, how early children start formal education, and how families support learning outside school. Along the way, we’ll connect course concepts to real-world experiences, local traditions, and the everyday lives of families we encounter during the voyage.

This class is perfect for students interested in early childhood development, family life, and the many ways culture shapes the first years of human experience. Expect meaningful discussions, engaging examples, and a broader understanding of how children and families grow across the globe.