Twin Cities campus

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Twin Cities Campus

Developmental Psychology PhD

Institute of Child Development
College of Education and Human Development
Link to a list of faculty for this program.
Contact Information
Website: https://icd.umn.edu/academics/developmental-psychology-graduate/
  • Program Type: Doctorate
  • Requirements for this program are current for Fall 2020
  • Length of program in credits: 68 to 97
  • This program does not require summer semesters for timely completion.
  • Degree: Doctor of Philosophy
Along with the program-specific requirements listed below, please read the General Information section of this website for requirements that apply to all major fields.
The PhD in developmental psychology focuses primarily on training for research in normal human development. The goal of the program is to train all students for careers in research and college teaching in developmental psychology, and to prepare students in the developmental psychopathology and clinical science program options for careers in applied areas of child psychology as well. Students are admitted to either the developmental science track or the developmental psychopathology and clinical science track. Developmental science track students may choose to specialize in an area such as cognitive neuroscience, language, learning, personality, memory, perception, psychobiology, or social development. Students interested in clinical research may specialize in developmental psychopathology and clinical science through participation in the developmental psychopathology and clinical science (DPCS) training program. DPCS training is a cooperative effort between the Institute of Child Development and the Department of Psychology to instruct leaders in research and teaching. DPCS training draws on the unique strengths of each program. Students in this track complete a required clinical internship, which adds an additional year to program completion.
Program Delivery
  • via classroom (the majority of instruction is face-to-face)
Prerequisites for Admission
The preferred undergraduate GPA for admittance to the program is 3.00.
Most students admitted have a substantial academic background in psychology and undergraduate research experience.
Graduate education is not a pre-requisite for admission to the PhD program. Many students apply after earning their bachelor's degree, provided they have sufficient research experience.
Special Application Requirements:
For full application instructions, please see: http://icd.umn.edu/academics/child-psychology-graduate/apply/ Applications are accepted for fall semester entry only and due by December 1 of the previous year. Late applications are not accepted.
Applicants must submit their test score(s) from the following:
  • GRE
International applicants must submit score(s) from one of the following tests:
  • TOEFL
    • Internet Based - Total Score: 79
    • Internet Based - Writing Score: 21
    • Internet Based - Reading Score: 19
    • Internet Based - Speaking Score: 27
The preferred English language test is Test of English as Foreign Language.
Key to test abbreviations (GRE, TOEFL).
For an online application or for more information about graduate education admissions, see the General Information section of this website.
Program Requirements
44 to 48 credits are required in the major.
0 to 25 credits are required outside the major.
24 thesis credits are required.
This program may be completed with a minor.
Use of 4xxx courses towards program requirements is not permitted.
A minimum GPA of 3.00 is required for students to remain in good standing.
At least 4 semesters must be completed before filing a Degree Program Form.
Core Courses
CPSY 8301 - Developmental Psychology: Cognitive Processes (4.0 cr)
CPSY 8302 - Developmental Psychology: Social and Emotional Processes (4.0 cr)
CPSY 8304 - Developmental Research Methods (3.0 cr)
CPSY 8307 - Prelim Seminar (1.0 cr)
CPSY 8321 - Seminar in Teaching Developmental Psychology (1.0 cr)
CPSY 8322 - Apprenticeship in Teaching Developmental Psychology (1.0-3.0 cr)
Statistical Analysis Sequence
EPSY 8251 - Statistical Methods in Education I (3.0 cr)
EPSY 8252 - Statistical Methods in Education II (3.0 cr)
Research Credits
Take 14 or more credit(s) from the following:
· CPSY 8994 - Research Problems in Child Psychology (1.0-6.0 cr)
Thesis Credits
Students are eligible to take research credits once they have successfully defended their dissertation prospectus.
Take exactly 24 credit(s) from the following:
· CPSY 8888 - Thesis Credit: Doctoral (1.0-24.0 cr)
Program Sub-plans
Students are required to complete one of the following sub-plans.
Students may not complete the program with more than one sub-plan.
Developmental Science Track
Our program is designed to prepare tomorrow's leaders in the field of developmental science. Study human development across the lifespan and prepare for a career in academics or research. Choose to conduct research in areas including cognitive development, language, learning, executive function, social development, or developmental psychobiology and neuroscience. You also can choose to combine your interests and work alongside multiple ICD faculty members to define a research area that's unique to you.
Students will take an additional five credit hours of child psychology special topics and advanced seminar courses, along with an additional five credit hours of child psychology or outside elective courses, to fulfill degree requirements.
Special Topics and Advanced Seminars
5 credits of CPSY 8360/CPSY 86xx, of which one course must be at least 3 credits.
Take 2 or more course(s) totaling 5 or more credit(s) from the following:
· CPSY 8360 - Special Topics in Developmental Psychology (1.0-3.0 cr)
· CPSY 8606 - Advanced Developmental Psychopathology (3.0 cr)
· CPSY 8607 - Developmental Neurobiology of Stress and Emotion (3.0 cr)
· CPSY 8608 - Clinical Interventions Across the Lifespan (3.0 cr)
Elective Credits
5 credits of CPSY or outside elective coursework, planned in consultation with adviser.
CPSY 8xxx
or Graduate-level courses (5000-8000 level) to be chosen in consultation with your faculty advisor.
Developmental Psychopathology and Clinical Science
We offer a joint track in collaboration with the Department of Psychology focused on the study of psychopathology in the context of development. To prepare you to become a leader in the science and profession of clinical child psychology, you'll take developmental psychology courses with your cohort at the Institute of Child Development, as well as clinical-based courses in the Department of Psychology.
As a student in the clinical science track, you'll complete coursework in clinical psychology, practicums, and a year-long internship. You'll also receive APA-accredited clinical training through the psychology doctoral program. The joint track takes six years to complete, including the internship. DPCS students must take an additional 31 course credits, in addition to successfully completing an internship, to graduate.
DPCS Courses
PSY 8960 should be taken once for one credit. PSY 8620 must be taken 4 times with a minimum of 4 credits, it is recommended that it be taken for four semesters, one credit each semester.
CPSY 8606 - Advanced Developmental Psychopathology (3.0 cr)
CPSY 8608 - Clinical Interventions Across the Lifespan (3.0 cr)
PSY 8602 - Psychopathology & Personality (3.0 cr)
PSY 8617 - Ethical and Equitable Decisions in Clinical Science and Counseling Psychology (3.0 cr)
PSY 8611 {Inactive} (5.0 cr)
PSY 8616 - Applied Assessment II, Personality and Psychopathology (3.0 cr)
PSY 8620 - Clinical Practicum: Consultation, Supervision, Professional Standards, and Lifelong Learning (1.0-6.0 cr)
PSY 8619 - Foundations in Therapeutic Intervention Applying Theory to Clinical Practice (3.0 cr)
PSY 8960 - Graduate Seminar in Psychology (1.0-4.0 cr)
 
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· College of Education and Human Development

View future requirement(s):
· Fall 2022

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CPSY 8301 - Developmental Psychology: Cognitive Processes
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Typically offered: Every Fall
Perceptual, motor, cognitive, and language development, and biological bases of each. Conceptual framework of research issues. prereq: Doctoral student, instr consent
CPSY 8302 - Developmental Psychology: Social and Emotional Processes
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Typically offered: Every Spring
Normative issues and individual differences in social development from infancy through adolescence. Emphasizes developmental psychopathology, life span considerations. prereq: Doctoral student, instr consent
CPSY 8304 - Developmental Research Methods
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Typically offered: Every Spring
Review of research strategies and designs for conducting research in developmental psychology, as well as strengths and weaknesses of each. Students will learn to (a) communicate about empirical research, (b) critically review methods used in empirical studies, and (c) design research to maximize knowledge gained, while recognizing its limitations.
CPSY 8307 - Prelim Seminar
Credits: 1.0 [max 1.0]
Grading Basis: S-N only
Typically offered: Every Spring
Prepare for written preliminary examination during summer of second year of doctoral study. Critically discuss issues/ themes in field using key readings suggested by faculty/past readings from core child development doctoral courses. prereq: Developmental Psychology PhD student in second year of study
CPSY 8321 - Seminar in Teaching Developmental Psychology
Credits: 1.0 [max 1.0]
Typically offered: Every Fall
Apprentices attend weekly seminar meetings covering all aspects of university teaching. Planning course coverage, teaching techniques, developing learning activities and examinations. Preparation for CPSY 8322. prereq: Developmental psychology doctoral student or instr consent
CPSY 8322 - Apprenticeship in Teaching Developmental Psychology
Credits: 1.0 -3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: S-N only
Typically offered: Every Spring
Co-instruct a section of a CPSY undergraduate course. Plan syllabus, prepare/deliver lectures, devise active learning activities, prepare exams/assignments, and grade. Meet with apprenticeship supervisor to discuss teaching progress/issues. prereq: Developmental psychology doctoral student, CPSY 8321
EPSY 8251 - Statistical Methods in Education I
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Course Equivalencies: EPsy 8251/EPsy 8261
Prerequisites: [EPSY 5261 or equiv] or undergrad statistics course
Typically offered: Every Fall, Spring & Summer
Statistical Methods in Education I is the first course in an entry-level, doctoral sequence for students in education. This course covers estimation and hypothesis testing with a particular focus on ANOVA and an introduction to multiple linear regression. Prepares students for EPSY 8252/8262. prereq: [EPSY 5261 or equiv] or undergrad statistics course
EPSY 8252 - Statistical Methods in Education II
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Course Equivalencies: EPsy 8252/EPsy 8262
Prerequisites: [8251, 8261 or equiv]
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
Statistical Methods in Education II is the second course in an entry-level, doctoral sequence for students in education. This course focuses on multiple linear regression and provides an introduction to linear mixed models. prereq: [8251, 8261 or equiv]
CPSY 8994 - Research Problems in Child Psychology
Credits: 1.0 -6.0 [max 24.0]
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
Individual empirical investigation. prereq: Doctoral student or instr consent
CPSY 8888 - Thesis Credit: Doctoral
Credits: 1.0 -24.0 [max 100.0]
Grading Basis: No Grade
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
24 total credits required, preferably 12 cr/semester in the student's fourth of fifth year. Students should enroll in their advisor(s) section(s).
CPSY 8360 - Special Topics in Developmental Psychology
Credits: 1.0 -3.0 [max 12.0]
Typically offered: Periodic Fall & Spring
Intensive study in specialized areas of developmental psychology. Topics/credits vary. prereq: Doctoral student
CPSY 8606 - Advanced Developmental Psychopathology
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Typically offered: Every Fall
Alternative formulation of childhood disorders, emphasizing competency training rather than medical nosology. prereq: Doctoral student or instr consent
CPSY 8607 - Developmental Neurobiology of Stress and Emotion
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Typically offered: Periodic Fall
Maladaptive responses to stress are components of both the etiology and expression of many psychiatric disorders. In addition, individuals differ in their stress vulnerability, with some seeming to thrive despite the odds, and others succumbing to even relatively mild adversity. These individual differences are likely the interactions of genes and experiences; early experiences may be particularly noteworthy.
CPSY 8608 - Clinical Interventions Across the Lifespan
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Spring Even Year
This course is designed to provide an overview of the historical foundations and contemporary applications of clinical interventions and psychotherapy; the design, conduct, and evaluation of clinical intervention research; fundamental elements of psychotherapy and the therapeutic process; the distal/proximal contexts in which clinical intervention research and psychotherapy practice is conducted; and common practical and ethical issues in clinical intervention research and psychotherapy practice. Although students who complete this course become familiar with major theoretical and applied approaches to clinical interventions and psychotherapy practice, the focus is not on gaining mastery in any particular psychotherapy approach. Instead, this course focuses on developing an understanding of fundamental principles of clinical interventions, therapeutic techniques, and psychotherapy practice, including the nature and underlying mechanisms of therapeutic change, research methods for evaluating the efficacy and effectiveness of clinical interventions and psychotherapy at the group and individual levels, a critical evaluation of contemporary psychotherapy approaches, and limitations in the current evidence base. In addition to readings and in-class discussions, students participate in in-person, group applications of basic clinical skills, including activities to help prepare them for beginning psychotherapy practice. This course thus provides a framework for understanding and applying the theories, principles, and methods of effective clinical interventions for students who will subsequently train in intervention-focused, in-person psychotherapy practica.
CPSY 8606 - Advanced Developmental Psychopathology
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Typically offered: Every Fall
Alternative formulation of childhood disorders, emphasizing competency training rather than medical nosology. prereq: Doctoral student or instr consent
CPSY 8608 - Clinical Interventions Across the Lifespan
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Spring Even Year
This course is designed to provide an overview of the historical foundations and contemporary applications of clinical interventions and psychotherapy; the design, conduct, and evaluation of clinical intervention research; fundamental elements of psychotherapy and the therapeutic process; the distal/proximal contexts in which clinical intervention research and psychotherapy practice is conducted; and common practical and ethical issues in clinical intervention research and psychotherapy practice. Although students who complete this course become familiar with major theoretical and applied approaches to clinical interventions and psychotherapy practice, the focus is not on gaining mastery in any particular psychotherapy approach. Instead, this course focuses on developing an understanding of fundamental principles of clinical interventions, therapeutic techniques, and psychotherapy practice, including the nature and underlying mechanisms of therapeutic change, research methods for evaluating the efficacy and effectiveness of clinical interventions and psychotherapy at the group and individual levels, a critical evaluation of contemporary psychotherapy approaches, and limitations in the current evidence base. In addition to readings and in-class discussions, students participate in in-person, group applications of basic clinical skills, including activities to help prepare them for beginning psychotherapy practice. This course thus provides a framework for understanding and applying the theories, principles, and methods of effective clinical interventions for students who will subsequently train in intervention-focused, in-person psychotherapy practica.
PSY 8602 - Psychopathology & Personality
Credits: 3.0 [max 4.0]
Course Equivalencies: Psy 8602 / Psy 8111
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall
Psychopathology and Personality. Theory/research. Evaluation of current experimentation in various behavior disorders. prereq: Clinical psych grad student, instr consent
PSY 8617 - Ethical and Equitable Decisions in Clinical Science and Counseling Psychology
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Fall
Ethical principles/codes of conduct for psychologists. Ethical dilemmas faced by researchers, practitioners, teachers. prereq: Counseling or clinical psych grad student or instr consent
PSY 8616 - Applied Assessment II, Personality and Psychopathology
Credits: 3.0 [max 5.0]
Course Equivalencies: Psy 8612 / Psy 8616
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Spring
Theory/practice in clinical application of assessment techniques/interviewing. Lab observations, administration, scoring, interpretation. prereq: 8611/8615, clinical psych grad student
PSY 8620 - Clinical Practicum: Consultation, Supervision, Professional Standards, and Lifelong Learning
Credits: 1.0 -6.0 [max 36.0]
Grading Basis: S-N or Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall, Spring & Summer
Field experience in professional work in clinical settings. prereq: instr consent
PSY 8619 - Foundations in Therapeutic Intervention Applying Theory to Clinical Practice
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall
Professional methods in clinical psychology. Individual and group treatment techniques. Lectures and demonstrations of contemporary theories of methods of intervention with adults and or children. prereq: Clinical psych grad student
PSY 8960 - Graduate Seminar in Psychology
Credits: 1.0 -4.0 [max 36.0]
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
Graduate seminar in subject of current interest in psychology. prereq: Psychology grad student or instr consent