Child Development Curricula

MS in Child Development

Plan A: Research Track

  • HDFS 810: Theories of Human Development
  • HDFS 811: Child Development from Ecological Perspectives  
  • HDFS 821:  Early Prevention and Intervention Birth to Five  
  • HDFS 826: Social-Emotional Development Birth to Five: Biology, Relationships, & Culture
  • HDFS 892: Seminars in Diversity
    • One course from departmental offerings on diverse families; diversity is defined broadly and could include diversity in race, culture, developmental abilities, SES, family processes.
  • One course (3 credits) in research methodology  
  • One course (3 credits) in quantitative methods or HDFS 827 - Language and Literacy Development from Infancy to Formal Schooling and HDFS 899 - Thesis credits (6 credits)
  • Choose 1 elective course

Total Credits = 30 credits, Research track students complete a Master's Thesis.

Plan B: Professional Track

Child Development Content (6 credits)

  • HDFS 811: Child Development from Ecological and Cultural Perspectives
  • HDFS 825: Families and Children with Special Needs or HDFS 449 Children with Special Needs and Their Families

Family Processes (6 credits)

  • HDFS 414: Parenting or HDFS 845-Foundations of Family Study and HDFS 892 Seminar in Diversity

Advanced Practice (14 credits)

  • HDFS 817: Advanced  Infant and Toddler Program Planning  
  • HDFS 818: Advanced Curricular Adaptations in Diverse Early Childhood Environments  HDFS 819: Advanced Practicum in an Early Childhood Setting, offered during a summer semester (4 credits)
  • HDFS 822: Assessment of the Young Child
  • HDFS 894: Laboratory and Field Experience
  • HDFS 894: Laboratory and Field Experience (early childhood setting, summer)

Supervision and Administration (6 credits)

  • HDFS 473: Administration of Early Childhood Programs
  • HDFS 821: Prevention, Curricula, and Intervention Research in Early Childhood Education  

TOTAL = 32 credits, professional students complete an oral defense  

Students in either the research or professional track may choose to complete the Interdepartmental Graduate Certification in Infancy and Early Childhood in conjunction with their HDFS degrees.

Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies/Specialization in Child Development  

Core Departmental Required Credits  

  • HDFS 901: Contemporary Scholarship in Human Development and Family Studies
  • Methodology and Statistics: 4 courses (12 credits) (HDFS 880 and HDFS 881 will not apply)
  • HDFS 999: Doctoral Dissertation Credits (24 required)

Core Child Development Required Credits (minimum 9 credits)

  • HDFS 990: Research Apprenticeship (minimum 3 credits)
  • HDFS 826:  Social-Emotional Development Birth to Five: Biology, Relationships, & Culture
  • HDFS 827:  Language and Literacy: Research to Practice  

The remainder of course credits reflect elective courses chosen by the student and the guidance committee to best meets the student’s goals.  A minimum of 63 course credits, including core and electives courses, are required for the doctoral program.

Background Coursework that May Be Required

If the student has not completed the following courses or equivalent at the master's level, the following courses must be included in the doctoral program:

  • HDFS 810: Theories of Human Development
  • HDFS 811: Child Development from Ecological Perspectives
  • One course in diversity

Students may choose to complete the Interdepartmental Graduate Certification in Infancy and Early Childhood in conjunction with their HDFS degrees.