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Developmental Psychology.

Program Outline | Course of Study | Research | Faculty | Current Student Work | Recent Dissertations | Student Handbook|
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The subprogram in Developmental Psychology is one of the three subprograms housed at the Graduate Center at 365 Fifth Avenue. The central focus of the program is on development as a process embedded in socio-cultural contexts. This means, for example, that we strive to practice research in a way that reflects how interactions between individuals as well as their experiences/activities within real life settings matter in the development of their cognition, language, moral reasoning, self, and gender identity. In addition, as a scan of faculty interests will show, we have a strong representation in infancy and memory research as well as health, environmental, and social personality development.

Faculty and student research is broad and interdisciplinary, encompassing both qualitative and quantitative approaches in basic and applied domains of inquiry. Our training is directed toward research and theory, and our students have entered both academic and applied research settings. Our graduates move to academic careers, research institutes, hospitals and clinics (as researchers) etc.

Each of the subprograms of psychology is autonomous in terms of admission standards, curricula, and qualifying examinations, but there is overlap of interests across programs, and many of our students take courses and work with faculty in other programs. Because our program focuses solely on doctoral education, we are able to offer a special environment for students pursuing scholarship in this field. Our seminars, for the most part, are small and allow for intensive discussions, and faculty closely mentor doctoral students. Much of the learning takes place outside the formal context of courses and seminars and in more informal contexts of faculty-student and student-student interactions around research and shared scholarly interests.