The Tufts MA in Child Study and Human Development will provide you with a strong theoretical foundation in child development; coursework in an area of specialization; mentorship; research skills; and applied opportunities and fieldwork. Graduates of the program go on to become scholars and practitioners who are making a difference in the lives of children and adolescents.

Program Outcomes

Graduates of the Child Study and Human Development MA Program understand how to use theory and research to positively impact the lives of children and families. Many graduates do direct service work in the field of education, while others enter doctoral or other degree or licensure programs, and some work for a few years before going on to pursue further advanced study. Recent graduates of the MA program have secured positions such as:

Developmental specialist in an early intervention program
Child development specialist in a community-based nonprofit
Child advocate in juvenile and family courts
Family therapist in a therapeutic school
Mental health specialist in a psychiatric hospital
Research coordinator in a pediatric unit of a hospital
Curriculum specialist in a public school
Technology consultant in an after-school program
Assistant to the director of a children's television program
Director of summer camp programs
Bilingual intensive care coordinator in a community-based nonprofit
Assistant program coordinator in a hospital-based nonprofit working with individuals with autism
Transition specialist in an autism program

Application Requirements

Application fee
Resume/CV
Personal statement
Official TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test scores, if applicable
Transcripts
Three letters of recommendation
A supplemental essay answering the prompt: How does the mission of the Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Study and Human Development resonate with your interest in the program and your career? (The mission of the Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Study and Human Development is to: (1) Enhance the lives of children and families in diverse communities and contexts of the 21st century; (2) Use collaborative, multidisciplinary approaches; (3) Conduct research that informs practice and utilize practice that informs theory and research; and (4) promote civic engagement.) In 500 words or less, write about the first theme and at least one other. Your essay should seek to answer: How do your prior experiences (or lack thereof) lead you to connect with each of these themes? How do you envision learning to carry out these themes during your time in the MA program? What challenges do you see in your ability to implement each of these themes?
On your application, please indicate which faculty members you might like to work with if you are admitted to the program. These faculty must have one of the following titles: Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Professor, Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, or Distinguished Senior Lecturer. Please do not list Research Assistant Professors, Research Associate Professors, Part-Time and Adjunct Faculty, or Affiliated Faculty Members, as they cannot be advisors for master’s students.

Tuition and Financial Aid

See Tuition and Financial Aid information for GSAS Programs. Note: This program is eligible for federal loans and Tufts tuition scholarships.

Tracks

After their first semester, students determine whether they want to pursue the applied track or the thesis track of the master's program. In the applied track , students work in field placements, such as after school programs, juvenile justice facilities, and hospitals, while receiving support and guidance from Tufts faculty. In the thesis track, students participate in faculty research labs and projects. They attend meetings, conduct literature reviews, locate subjects, collect data, analyze data, and draft research reports, articles, and books for publication.

In addition, students are able to concentrate in one of two specific areas or follow an individualized program of study:

Clinical-Developmental Health and Psychology;
21st Century Literacies: Media and Technology;
Identity in Global Context;
Individualized Program of Study

Spotlights

View our Alumni Spotlights.

Commencement Spotlights: Elena Sanchez de Varona, AG23

Elena Sanchez de Varona, AG23, is earning an MA in Child Study and Human Development at Tufts.

The Power of Research

Vi Nguyen, AG’23, MA in Child Study and Human Development, hopes to use research as a tool to create systemic change that positively impacts the lives of children and families.