Human Development

The doctoral program in Human Development has 31 faculty; 21 are members of the Department of Human Development and 10 have primary appointments in the departments of Psychology, Design and Environmental Analysis,  Policy Analysis and Management, or in the Law school. The faculty include psychologists and sociologists. There are currently 34 graduate students in the program.

The field offers two general majors:

• Developmental Psychology focuses on individual development and the effects of various intrinsic and extrinsic factors.
• Human Development and Family Studies focuses on the inter-relationships among the individual, the family and the larger society

For a student without previous graduate training but with an undergraduate major in psychology, sociology, or human development, the Ph.D. program usually requires five years. Students with more limited preparation may need additional time. The master's of arts degree is offered as a preliminary to more advanced graduate work. Students seeking a terminal master's degree are not admitted to the program. Although it is possible to complete a master's degree in less time, a typical program takes approximately two years. The Graduate School requires a minimum of two residence units for a master's degree.