Human Development (EDHD)
Graduate Degree Program
College: Education
Abstract
The purposes of the Human Development 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, and adolescent development. Specific faculty areas of expertise and research include achievement motivation, cognitive development, developmental neuroscience, early childhood policy, intergroup attitudes and relationships, language development, literacy development, peer relationships, moral development, social development, temperament, parenting, prejudice and discrimination, and the role of culture on many aspects of development.
Graduate programs in Human Development lead 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 students' scientific knowledge of human development and ability to carry out original empirical research projects. The 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, particularly elementary and secondary schools.
Human Development offers two specialization areas of study at the doctoral level, Developmental Science and Educational Psychology. The graduate programs and specializations prepare graduates for faculty positions at universities or research positions at institutions where research in developmental science and educational psychology is conducted. Graduates of our program have obtained positions as university professors, research scientists, program analysts, and other research-oriented occupations including research-oriented professionals in private, policy, or advocacy organizations.
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 1, 2024 will automatically be reviewed for any departmental aid. University fellowships 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, outstanding research experience, 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
Jannitta Graham
Graduate Coordinator
Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology
3304 Benjamin Building
3942 Campus Drive
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742
Telephone: 301.405.8432
Fax: 301.405.2891
Email: humandev@umd.edu
Website: http://www.education.umd.edu/HDQM/ for the HDQM department. For the Human Development program: https://education.umd.edu/human-development-program.
Courses: EDHD EDMS
Relationships: Neurosciences and Cognitive Science (NACS)
ON-CAMPUS ADMISSIONS INFORMATION
General Requirements
- Statement of Purpose
- Transcript(s): Please note: EDHD requires all applicants to submit official transcripts (hard copies) to: University of Maryland, College Park, Enrollment Services Operation/Graduate Admissions, Room 0130 Mitchell Building, College Park, MD 20742
- TOEFL/IELTS/PTE (international graduate students)
Program-Specific Requirements
- Letters of Recommendation (3)
- Graduate Record Examination (GRE)* Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are not considered as a criterion for admission into the program. GRE scores that are submitted are made available to potential faculty advisors.
- CV/Resume
- Description of Research/Work Experience (M.A. only)
- Writing Sample (required for M.A. and Ph.D., not required for M.Ed.)
- Supplementary Application (required for M.A. and Ph.D., optional for M.Ed.)
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. The general Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is required by the Department. 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. Students should indicate their research interests, describe any relevant research experience, and how their experience and interests can be met by our program.
For more admissions information or to apply to the program, please visit our Graduate School website: www.gradschool.umd.edu/admissions
Application Deadlines
| Type of Applicant | Fall Deadline | Spring Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic Applicants (US Citizens and Permanent Residents) | December 3, 2024 | |
| International Applicants (F (student) or J (exchange visitor) visas; A, E, G, H, I, and L visas and immigrants) | December 3, 2024 |
RESOURCES AND LINKS:
Program Website: http://www.education.umd.edu/HDQM/
Application Process: gradschool.umd.edu/admissions
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 and manages the on-campus Center for Young Children. Faculty in the department make use of the research facilities at the Maryland Neuroimaging Center and Maryland Language Science Center. Students in the College of Education have access to the latest technology through Educational Technology Services.
| Last Name | First/Middle Name | Graduate Faculty Status | Academic Credentials | Positions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander | Patricia A. | Full Member | B.A., Bethel College-McKenzie, 1970; M.Ed., James Madison University, 1979; Ph.D., University of Maryland-College Park, 1981. | Distinguished University Professor, Human Development |
| Bolger | Donald J. | Full Member | B.A., University of Massachusetts, 1998; M.S., University of Pittsburgh, 2002; Ph.D., 2006. | Associate Professor, Human Development Assistant Professor, Neurosciences and Cognitive Science |
| Butler | Lucas | Full Member | A.B., Harvard University, 2005; M.A., Stanford University, 2009; Ph.D., Stanford University, 2012 | Associate Professor, Human Development Assistant Professor, Neurosciences and Cognitive Science |
| Cabrera | Natasha J. | Full Member | B.Sc. University of Toronto, 1985; M.A., 1989; Ph.D, University of Denver, 1995. | Professor, Human Development |
| Corbin | Christy T. | Adjunct Member | B.A., Connecticut College, 1980; M.S., East Carolina University-Greenville, 1984; Ph.D., University of Maryland-College Park, 1996. | Clinical Professor, Human Development |
| Cosso | Jimena | Full Member | B.A., National University of La Plata, Argentina, 2010, M.A., New York University, 2016, Ph.D., Purdue University, 2022. | Assistant Professor, Human Development |
| Fox | Nathan A. | Full Member | A.B., Williams College, 1970; Ph.D., Harvard University, 1975. | Distinguished University Professor, Human Development Professor, Neurosciences and Cognitive Science |
| Gibson | Stephen | Full Member | B.S., North Carolina Central University, 2016, M.S., North Carolina State University, 2019, Ph.D., Virginia Commonwealth University, 2024. | Assistant Professor, Human Development |
| Hurley | Megan M. | Adjunct Member | B.S., Ithaca College, 1991; M.A. The Pennsylvania State University, 1993; Ph.D. The Pennsylvania State University, 1998 | University Affiliate, Human Development |
| Jones Harden | Brenda P. | Full Member | B.A., Fordham University, 1979;M.S.W., New York University, 1980; M.S., Yale University, 1991; Ph.D., 1996. | Professor Emerita, Human Development |
| Killen | Melanie A. | Full Member | B.A., Clark University, 1978; M.A., University of California-Berkeley, 1981; Ph.D.,1985. | Professor, Human Development Professor, Neurosciences and Cognitive Science |
| Klein | Elisa L. | Full Member | B.A., Kalamazoo College, 1975; M.S., Pennsylvania State University-University Park, 1977; Ph.D., 1980. | Associate Professor Emerita, Human Development |
| Lombardi | Doug | Full Member | B.S., University of Colorado, 1987; M.S., University of Tennessee, 1996; M.S., University of Tennessee, 2000; Ph.D., University of Las Vegas, 2012 | Professor, Human Development |
| Prather | Richard | Full Member | S.B., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2002; Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2009 | Associate Professor, Human Development Assistant Professor, Neurosciences and Cognitive Science |
| Ramani | Geetha | Full Member | B.A., Bryn Mawr College, 1998; M.S., University of Pittsburgh, 2002; Ph.D., 2005. | Professor, Human Development |
| Romeo | Rachel | Full Member | B.A., University of Pennsylvania, 2011; M.Sc., University College London, ; Ph.D., Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2018 | Assistant Professor, Human Development |
| Rubin | Kenneth H. | Full Member | B.A., McGill University-Montreal, 1968; M.S.,Pennsylvania State University-University Park, 1969; Ph.D., 1971. | Professor, Neurosciences and Cognitive Science Professor Emeritus, Human Development |
| Wang | Min | Full Member | B.S., Hangzhou University, P.R. China, 1987; M.A., 1990; Ph.D., University of Toronto, 2000. | Professor, Human Development |
| Wentzel | Kathryn R. | Full Member | B.A., University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, 1982; Ph.D., Stanford University, 1987. | Professor Emerita, Human Development |
| Wigfield | Allan L. | Full Member | B.S., University of Illinois-Urbana/Champaign, 1974; M.A., 1977; Ph.D., 1982. | Professor Emeritus, Human Development |