MA in Child Development

The Master of Arts in Child Development is a 36-unit graduate program designed to provide students an in-depth background in child development and learning. The M.A. in Child Development will provide professional educators in early childhood a deep, interdisciplinary understanding of the theories of the intellectual, social, emotional, and biological development of young children. The program prepares graduate students for a wide range of professional objectives by offering an advanced study of developmental theory, research, and application. Graduates of the program are expected to be lifelong learners and advocates for young children, with excellent research, theory, and practice in diverse, multicultural settings.

This program is targeted for students wishing to continue their studies at the graduate level in child development, for professionals currently in careers relating to children and families (e.g., early childhood education, elementary education, special education, or social service professionals), for those wishing to teach early childhood courses at a community college, and for those who plan to pursue doctoral-level studies in related fields such as child/human development, child and family studies, child/adolescent developmental psychology, and clinical/counseling psychology.