Applied developmental psychology
Certificate program
Program
The certificate in applied developmental psychology allows graduate students who major or minor in child psychology to study and experience applications of developmental science to issues, policies, and problems concerning children and child development at the local, state, and national level. Through its combination of theory and field experience, graduate students learn how to use their knowledge to help solve pressing, real-life problems and to improve the lives of children. The 21-credit program allows students to explore such topics as ethical issues in applied developmental psychology, media and children's programming, nutrition and hunger, accidents and safety issues, children in the judicial system, the design and role of children's museums, and the development of children's toys, games, and recreational activities. Professionals in this field need to develop an in-depth understanding of how public policy affects children's lives, how to make pure research comprehensible and practical without losing its complexity, and how to work in interdisciplinary teams.
Admission
Admission is open to graduate students enrolled in a doctoral program at the University. All students must have successfully completed a four-year undergraduate degree with a minimum 3.0 GPA and equivalent of 12 quarter or 9 semester credits in psychology, and one statistics course. Admission is based primarily on the applicant’s academic record, GRE scores, and research experience. We are committed to a policy of equal access to programs without regard to race, religion, color, sex, national origin, handicap, veteran status, or sexual orientation. All students must apply to both the department and to the Graduate School. Contact Danielle Bordeleau (borde021@umn.edu or 612-625-9778) for a departmental application form. For the graduate school Change of Status form see: Change of Status and Readmission.
Curriculum
The certificate in applied developmental psychology has four components: a year-long, two-credit seminar, eight credits of core developmental coursework, six credits of electives approved by training director(s), and five credits or 188 hours of field experience in an applied setting and scheduled group meetings between interns and training director(s).
CPSY 8360 Section 7—Seminar in Applied Developmental Science
(2 credits)dits)
This course is designed to provide an overview of applied developmental
science problems and will provide students with a framework for the
second two components of the program.
CPSY 8301—Cognitive Development
(4 credits) and CPSY 8302—Social Development (4 credits)
These are the Institute of Child Development's core courses in
developmental psychology, covering biological, cognitive, and social
aspects of development. They are fundamental to understanding the
developmental perspective.
CPSY 8996—Directed Field Experience in Child Psychology
(5 credits)
This component allows students to integrate and apply the information
they have learned in coursework. The experience will be individually
designed based on each student's prior experience and interests.
Students will focus on practical and/or public policy applications of
developmental research in settings such as the Search Institute, the
Minnesota Children's Museum, the guardian ad litem program in the
local courts, the Center for 4-H Youth Development, and the National
Institute on Media and the Family. The field experience may be taken in
one to three semesters or a summer session, but must be at least five
credits and total 188 hours. Field experience directors expect a major
paper describing the experience and integrating relevant basic research
literature with practical activity taking place in the field setting.
Electives (6 credits)
Electives may include 5000 or 8000 level courses approved by the
training directors and chosen to complement the student's area of
interest.
Related programs
Undergraduate and graduate programs in child psychology
Revised March 2007