Our program is designed to build from a broad base of general knowledge about human development toward mastery of a more specific area of specialization selected by each student. Most of the substantive course work occurs early in the program, leaving students more time as they progress to devote to research and, if desired, to gain some teaching experience. Student progress is assessed annually so that students have feedback on their accomplishments and their goals for the following year.
Requirements for the MS degree
- Research seminar (EP 709 / 710)
- First Year Research Project
- Approved program plan
- Foundation courses in child and adolescent development (EP 720 & 721)
- Statistical foundations (EP 760 and 761)
- One additional Human Development area course
- M.S. empirical thesis
Requirements for the doctoral degree
All M.S. level requirements plus:
- Two additional Human Development area courses
- Advanced statistical methods (EP 762 or 763)
- Courses to complete a Graduate Minor (see question 4)
- Additional course work to reach a total of 20 credits
- Preliminary examination (see question 4)
- Doctoral dissertation
Typical program schedule
Semesters 1 & 2
- Foundation courses in human development and statistics
- Proseminar on principles of research
- First Year Project
Semesters 3 & 4
- Advanced courses in human development and statistics
- Graduate Minor program coursework
- MS thesis initiated
Semesters 5 & 6
- Completion of human development, graduate minor coursework
- Completion of MS thesis and MS degree
- Preparation for prelim exam and dissertation proposal
- More concentrated work on papers for publication
Semesters 7 & 8
- Prelim completed;
- Dissertation study conducted
- Continued work on papers for publication\
Degree is granted when dissertation study is completed
Details of Program Elements
Research components: Click here for details of research components.
Program Plan: With guidance from their academic advisor, all students prepare a program plan that describes the courses they plan to take, the research studies they intend to conduct, their plan for a Graduate Minor program, and any other major activity they want to pursue during their graduate training. This plan must be submitted by Sept. 1 of the student’s second year and approved by the Human Development area faculty. The plan can be altered as students continue their graduate program, but the intention is to ensure that each student has a sensible, coherent plan for graduate training.
Graduate Minor program: To broaden their expertise, students are required to complete a coordinated set of courses (totaling 10 credits) beyond human development. Courses may be concentrated in a single department outside of Educational Psychology or may be distributed across several departments but tied together thematically. The Graduate Minor program plan should be submitted for approval before students begin taking courses related to the minor.
Preliminary Examination: The major preliminary examination consists of an independently written paper of between 40 and 60 pages (prepared according to APA guidelines), the aim of which is to summarize and extend previous research and theory on an important topic in the scientific study of human development. Before preparing the paper, the student submits a brief outline of the paper for feedback to a three-member faculty committee in accordance with existing departmental policy and schedules. The completed paper is evaluated by a three-member faculty committee. The student also must participate in an oral defense of the paper before the committee.