Education: Human Development (EDHD)

Abstract

The purposes of the Department of Human Development/Institute for Child Study and of its graduate programs are to contribute to basic knowledge about human development and learning and apply this knowledge in various settings. The general areas of human development covered in courses and research include infant and early childhood development, child development, adolescent development, developmental science, and educational psychology. Specific faculty areas of expertise include achievement motivation, moral development, social development, temperament, parenting, developmental neuroscience, civic education, prejudice and discrimination, early childhood policy, and the role of culture on development.

The Department of Human Development/Institute for Child Study offers graduate programs leading to the Master of Education, Master of Arts, and Doctor of Philosophy degrees. The research-oriented M.A. (with thesis) and the Ph.D. degree programs in human development are designed to develop competencies in the scientific knowledge of human development through theory and research. The practice-oriented M.Ed. and M.A. without thesis programs are designed to develop competencies in identifying implications of the scientific knowledge of human development for specific situations and contexts through training in design, management, delivery and evaluation of human services programs.

There are two specialization areas of study at the doctoral level, a Specialization in Educational Psychology, and a Specialization in Developmental Sciences. A Concentration in Early Childhood Education is available at the doctoral and masters levels. The graduate programs and specializations provide the scientific knowledge of human growth and development that prepares graduates for positions such as faculty in institutions of higher education (including universities, community colleges and specialty schools (e.g.,nursing), human service specialists in government and community agencies, educational psychologists serving in schools and educational settings, and research-oriented professionals in private, policy, or advocacy organizations.

Admissions Information

The College of Education and Graduate School require a minimum GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) at the undergraduate level. At the master's level, a minimum GPA of 3.5 is required by the College of Education. A minimum of the 40th percentile on all subtests (verbal, quantitative, and analytical) of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE)is required by both the Department and the Graduate School. Three letters of recommendation including evidence of academic potential from university faculty references are required. In addition, students must write a statement of purpose which indicates a match between student research interests and faculty expertise, and that documents the potential student's preparation to undertake graduate study in the social sciences and (at the doctoral level) to undertake research. Because the doctorate requires the development of an advanced level of research skills, the majority of students admitted to the program have some previous background in social science research.

Application Deadlines

Fall

Spring

Domestic Applicants:
U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents

Domestic Applicant Deadlines

December 15 is the deadline for financial aid consideration and final is May 1. International students must apply by November 1 for financial aid consideration and at least 10 months prior to the semester they wish to attend. May 1 (December 15 preferred) .

Masters and doctoral applications may be submitted by October 1 (September 1 preferred) .

International Applicants:
Applicants from Outside the U.S. or U.S. Citizens / Permanent Residents with Non-U.S. Credentials

IMPORTANT: International Applicants and U.S. Applicants with Non-U.S. Credentials must follow the domestic deadlines above if they are earlier than the deadlines listed below.

Applicants seeking admission under F (Student) or J (Exchange Visitor) visas

February 1
If Domestic Deadline is after Feb. 1

June 1
If Domestic Deadline is after Jun. 1

Applicants seeking admission under A, E, G, H, I, and L visas and immigrants

May 1
If Domestic Deadline is after May 1

October 1
If Domestic Deadline is after Jun. 1

U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents with foreign credentials

May 15
If Domestic Deadline is after May 15

October 31
If Domestic Deadline is after Oct.31

Application Requirements

GRE General
3 Letters of Recommendation
Statement of Goals

	Fall	Spring
Domestic Applicants: U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents
Domestic Applicant Deadlines	December 15 is the deadline for financial aid consideration and final is May 1. International students must apply by November 1 for financial aid consideration and at least 10 months prior to the semester they wish to attend. May 1 (December 15 preferred) .	Masters and doctoral applications may be submitted by October 1 (September 1 preferred) .

International Applicants: Applicants from Outside the U.S. or U.S. Citizens / Permanent Residents with Non-U.S. Credentials IMPORTANT: International Applicants and U.S. Applicants with Non-U.S. Credentials must follow the domestic deadlines above if they are earlier than the deadlines listed below.
Applicants seeking admission under F (Student) or J (Exchange Visitor) visas	February 1 If Domestic Deadline is after Feb. 1	June 1 If Domestic Deadline is after Jun. 1
Applicants seeking admission under A, E, G, H, I, and L visas and immigrants	May 1 If Domestic Deadline is after May 1	October 1 If Domestic Deadline is after Jun. 1
U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents with foreign credentials	May 15 If Domestic Deadline is after May 15	October 31 If Domestic Deadline is after Oct.31

Degree Requirements

Master of Arts (M.A.)
The M.A. program requires 30 credit hours and offers both a thesis option (24 hours of courses plus 6 hours of thesis) and a non-thesis option (24 hours of courses plus 6 hours of supervised placement in an organization and accompanying papers).Courses in biological, social, cognitive, and personality development and in quantitative methods and a written comprehensive examination are required for all master's degrees.

Master of Education (M.Ed.)
The Master of Education degree in Human Development has the following requirements: Minimum of 30 semesters of coursework, including EDMS 645. A minimum of 15 hours in courses numbered 600-800, with the remainder in the 400 series or above. Required courses focus on biological, social, cognitive, and personality development and in quantitative methods. A written comprehensive examination and seminar paper are required to be taken at the end of the coursework.

Master of Education in Partnership with MCPS (M.Ed.)
The Master of Education in Partnership with MCPS is restricted to middle and high school educators who teach in Montgomery County Public Schools. Applicants must be certified to teach. This is not a certification program. This Human Development Master of Education Program is unique in that its curriculum is designed to respond to developmental and motivational challenges faced by secondary teachers working with adolescents. The program uses a cohort model. Each fall a new cohort of students begins the program and the program runs for seven continuous semesters. To graduate students must successfully complete 30 credits of study, a comprehensive exam, and a seminar paper.

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D. )
The Ph.D. degree requires 72 hours of credit including 12 dissertation credits. Courses in biological, social, and cognitive development and in intermediate statistics and research methods are required. Students also receive credit for research experiences. Slight modifications of these requirements characterize the Specializations in Educational Psychology and Developmental Sciences. Students are also required to complete a comprehensive examination portfolio prior to advancement to candidacy.

Facilities and Special Resources

The Washington, D.C. area and the University of Maryland are rich in resources for graduate study in human development. The faculty of the Department is multi-disciplinary, representing the broad range of developmental sciences, educational psychology, and related fields. There are programs of funded research, field service programs, and internship experiences available in cooperation with agencies and schools. The Department sponsors the Center for the Study of Children, Relationships, and Culture, the Maryland Literacy Research Center, and manages the on-campus Center for Young Children. Students in the College of Education have access to the latest technology through Educational Technology Services.

Financial Assistance

Students requesting consideration for Financial Aid, in addition to completing the financial aid form found in the Graduate Admissions application, must submit their application by the priority deadline. All students who submit their application by December 15 will automatically be reviewed for any departmental aid. University fellowships, NIH traineeships, and Departmental assistantships are awarded on a competitive basis -- more students are admitted than can be awarded funding. In recent years, only students with undergraduate GPA's of 3.6, GRE scores above the 70th percentile, and strong letters of recommendation from academic references have been successful in obtaining Recruitment Fellowships sponsored by the Graduate School and graduate assistantships in the Department.

First priority for Departmental assistantships goes to students already admitted to the Department who have been assured financial assistance for the full course of their study. Almost all awards of fellowships and assistantships are based on previous academic performance, with little attention to need. In addition, some faculty have external grants which provide support for graduate students. Students who do not receive a fellowship or assistantship from the Department may contact the University Financial Aid office at 301-314-9000 for information about other sources of financial support.

Contact Information

A complete description of the Human Development program is available by contacting us at the address below.

Graduate Coordinator
Department of Human Development 3304 Benjamin Building
University of Maryland College Park
MD 20742
Telephone: (301) 405-8432
Fax: (301) 405-2891
humandev@umd.edu

http://www.education.umd.edu/EDHD ">http://www.education.umd.edu/EDHD

Courses: EDHD EDUC

Related Programs and Campus Units

Maryland Literacy Research Center
Center for Children, Relationships, and Culture
Young Children, Center for
Neuroscience and Cognitive Science
Education: Counseling and Personnel Services