Course description
Child Development: Behavior and Mental Health
Earn an official certificate of professional achievement from Stanford University.
It’s well known that childhood plays a significant role in the shaping of physically and mentally healthy adults. Positive social, environmental, and behavioral factors can contribute towards a child thriving in later life. However, not all children are the same: each requires a unique approach, and it’s imperative that the role of individual identity development within supportive environments is recognized.
Study child psychology from this important perspective in the Child Development: Behavior and Mental Health online short course, designed by child development experts from the Stanford Center for Health Education (SCHE), part of Stanford Medicine. By capitalizing on each child’s personal interests and motivations, you'll learn to create a space that fosters positive interactions and optimal learning. Over the course of six weeks, you’ll look at practical, science-based approaches to encourage a child’s innate learning abilities, and positive behavioral discipline techniques to prevent and address children acting out. You’ll also explore the impact of parenting and grasp the importance of a child’s social connection with adults and peers. Lastly, the course examines the steps you can take to support a child’s mental health, in order to help them develop in a healthy and happy way.
Who should attend?
Is this course for you?
Professionals who engage with children, either in educational or healthcare contexts, will benefit from this practical, science-informed online course. These individuals will gain the techniques and knowledge to better support a child’s development while working in roles within the medical or healthcare industry, such as physicians, pediatric specialists, therapists, and social workers. Those within child-related occupations, including teachers, parents, caregivers, and school counselors, will have the opportunity to study positive child-rearing approaches and key developmental milestones. All learners will walk away with a clear, in-depth understanding of how to support and encourage a child as they develop — socially, emotionally, and physically.
Training content
Learn to support a childs mental health and positive social relationships as you work through the weekly modules of this online short course.
Orientation module
Welcome to your Online Campus
Module 1
Diverse drivers of positive development
Module 2
From birth to school — developmental milestones
Module 3
The parenting experience
Module 4
Building peer connections
Module 5
Challenging behavior — what it means and how to respond
Module 6
Supporting child mental health
Course delivery details
Duration
- 6 weeks Excluding orientation
- 6–8 hours per week Self-paced learning online
Certification / Credits
- Study child development and behavior, and earn an official certificate of completion from Stanford Center for Health Education.
- Assessment is continuous and based on a series of practical assignments completed online. In order to be issued with a certificate, you’ll need to meet the requirements outlined in the course handbook. The handbook will be made available to you as soon as you begin the course.
What will set you apart
- On completion of this course, you’ll walk away with:
- Practical, science-based strategies toward supporting the development of happier and healthier children.
- Positive behavioral interventions to help you manage challenging behavior in children, with the skills to identify and support mental-health concerns.
- Key insight into the importance of social connection, helping you to encourage a child’s healthy social development.
Quick stats about GetSmarter?
- Data-driven course selection
- Outcomes-based design
- People-mediated delivery
GetSmarter
GetSmarter™, powered by 2U, is an online learning expert with over 10 years' experience in developing premium online short courses from the world’s leading universities and institutions. We are powered by 2U to support you in unlocking your potential through...