Child, Youth, and Community Science Concentration

Child, Youth, and Community Science Concentration

The Child, Youth, and Community Science concentration prepares you for education-focused careers beyond traditional K–12 classrooms. You’ll earn a Bachelor of Science in Education without teacher certification while gaining hands-on experience in community-based learning environments.

This program is a good fit if you’re interested in how learning happens in places like museums, youth programs, nonprofits, social service organizations, and other community settings.

Program Overview

• Bachelor of Science in Education (non-certification)

• 120 total credit hours

• Capstone with a 200-hour internship

• Flexible options for minors and electives aligned with career goals

What You’ll Study

Coursework focuses on how people learn and engage outside traditional school environments. You'll study educational theory, research, and practice including:

• Learning and development from childhood through adulthood

• Educational practices in community and informal settings

• Policies and approaches that support equitable access to education

• Leadership and communication skills for community-based work

Hands-On Experience Through An Internship

Your capstone experience includes a required internship that connects coursework with real-world practice. A minimum of 200 internship hours is required and may be completed in one semester or split across terms.

Internships allow students to:

• Apply classroom learning in professional settings
• Explore career paths aligned with personal interests
• Build professional skills and networks
• Strengthen preparation for employment or graduate study

Career Paths

Graduates of the Child, Youth, and Community Science concentration pursue careers in a wide range of education-focused and community-based fields.

Museums and Nonprofits

• Museum Educator or Program Coordinator
• Guest Experiences Specialist
• Volunteer Coordinator
• School, Teacher, or Field Trip Coordinator

Afterschool and Summer Programs

• Camp Counselor or Camp Director
• Environmental Educator
• Youth Development Specialist
• Coach or Sports Instructor

PK–12 Education Support

• Daycare Educator or Director
• Elementary Paraprofessional
• Tutoring Center Educator
• ESL or Dual Language Liaison

Social and Human Services

• Community Service Manager
• Family Support Worker or Advocate
• Disability Services Specialist
• Adult or Continuing Education Coordinator

Students are encouraged to build experience through internships, part-time work, volunteer opportunities, and leadership roles on or off campus.

Apply to the Program

Application Deadlines

• Fall semester: March 1 or June 1
• Spring semester: October 1

Program Admission Requirements

Those seeking the non-teacher certification pathway must apply to the Child, Youth, and Community Science Program in order to take the major coursework.

• Apply to the University
• Complete the following course with a grade of C- or higher: English Composition I (ENGL 1140/1150) or proficiency.
• The following courses may be in progress at the time of application, or completed ahead of time with a grade of C- or higher: English Composition II (ENGL 1160/2160) or proficiency, Communication Studies (CMST 1110 Public Speaking or CMST 2120 Debate), MATH/STEM 1120, MATH 1130, MATH 1220, MATH 1300, STAT 1530, MATH/STAT 1100 or math proficiency.
• The following courses may be in progress at the time of application, or completed ahead of time with a grade of C or higher: TED 2100 Educational Foundations and TED 2200 Human Relations for a Bias-Free Classroom
• GPA Requirements (UNO Students): Currently enrolled UNO students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5.
• GPA Requirements (Transfer Students)Transfer students with 12 or more credit hours in the Nebraska System (UNL, UNK, UNO) must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 for all attempted coursework taken in the NU System.
  • Transfer students with credit hours from institutions other than the NU System must have a minimum combined cumulative GPA of 2.5 for all attempted coursework.
• Background check: All students accepted into the Child, Youth, and Community Science program are required to complete a background check through the vendor selected by UNO. Instructions are provided upon program acceptance. The cost is $38.

Internship Details and Deadlines

Students must apply for their internship the semester prior to enrollment.

Fall Internship

• Application due: March 15
• Internship finalized by: June 1

Spring Internship

• Application due: September 15
• Internship finalized by: December 1

Students who miss a deadline must appeal to the Academic Review Committee.

Professional Core Coursework

• TED 2050 Introduction to Teaching ESL
• TED 2100 Educational Foundations
• TED 2200 Human Relations
• TED 2300 Human Growth and Learning
• TED 2350 Play in Early Childhood Education
• TED 3100 Community Education
• SPED 1500 Introduction to Special Education
• COUN 2020 Counseling Theory

Featured Course: TED 3100

Community Education: Teaching & Practice in Informal Environments

Looking for a class to help you explore this field? TED 3100 has no prerequisites and will introduce students to teaching and learning in community-based and informal settings such as museums, zoos, afterschool programs, summer camps, and special-interest organizations.

In this course, students:

• Examine educational theory, research, and practice in informal learning environments
• Work on collaborative service-learning projects with community partners
• Gain hands-on experience in community education settings

Course details

• No prerequisites
• Offered in Fall semesters only
• Open to students exploring community-based education

Community partners may include:

• The Kiewit Luminarium
• Omaha Children’s Museum
• WhyArts, Inc.
• Collective for Youth
• Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium
• The Samuel Bak Museum: The Learning Center

Advising and Support

The College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences provides advising and academic support throughout the program. Students are encouraged to meet regularly with their advisor for degree planning and program guidance.

Program Advisor:
Hanna Wanzenried Solberg, hwanzenried@unomaha.edu

Program documents

• Internship Manual
• List of Potential Internship Sites
• Internship Application for Fall Term
• Internship Application for Spring Term
• Agency/Intern Confirmation Forms