Child Study and Human Development

M.A. in Child Study and Human Development

Eliot-Pearson's master's in Applied Child Development program provides students with a strong theoretical foundation in child development, coursework in an area of specialization, research skills, and applied opportunities and fieldwork that prepare students for a career that directly impacts the lives of children, youth and families. Our goal is to train students to use applied work to understand theory and research and to understand how theory and research should impact the lives of children and families.

After the first semester in the program, students choose whether they want to pursue the applied track or the thesis track, and whether they wish to concentrate in a specific area:

• Clinical Developmental Health and Psychology
• Early Childhood
• Child and Family Policy Programs
• Arts and Child Development
• New Technologies and Human Development
• Language and Literacy

Ph.D. in Child Study and Human Development

Our faculty have collaboratively built a doctoral experience that provides individually designed programs of study in the context of common milestones and shared training objectives. We subscribe to a primary-mentor-mentee model of doctoral preparation; however, doctoral students are supported by our community of scholars in various ways. Through a rigorous combination of research training, coursework and other mentored experiences, and an applied internship, students develop substantive expertise in an area of scholarship, and develop competencies in ten other areas, including foundational knowledge of the field, methods and statistics, research, professionalism, grantsmanship, publication, applied work, teaching and mentoring, dissemination, and cultural processes.

Ph.D. Program in Human Developmental Economics

The Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Study and Human Development (CSHD) and the Department of Economics are pleased to offer a joint Ph.D. program in Human Developmental Economics (HDE) drawing on the strengths of the two departments and recent trends and complementary advances in both disciplines.  This interdisciplinary doctoral program aims to better understand human development through the study of cultural, social, emotional, economic and behavioral interactions as they contribute to socialization and decision-making.

Visit the Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Study and Human Development

The application deadline for fall enrollment is December 1 (Ph.D.) and January 15 (M.A.).

GRE General Test scores required of all applicants. Exception: Not required for current Tufts undergraduates.

For more information, visit the Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Study and Human Development.

For questions about this program, including scholarships and assistantships, please contact the graduate program directors:

M.A. Program
Senior Lecturer Martha Pott, Ph.D.

Ph.D. Program
Associate Professor Ellen E. Pinderhughes

Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Study and Human Development
105 College Avenue
Medford, MA 02155

Office: 617.627.3355 
Fax: 617.627.3503
Email