Developmental Psychology is a popular sub-field within the broader field of psychology. Those students who plan to pursue a career in this specialty area would strongly benefit from a degree from of the nations leading programs, such as those listed below.
What is Developmental Psychology?
Most people are familiar with the general field of psychology, however many are not familiar with the many specialty fields that make up this larger field. One of the most popular sub-fields is Developmental Psychology. Developmental psychology is the empirically based investigation of how and why humans mature and develop over the course of their lifetime and how this course of development affects each person individually. The field was originally developed to study infants and children, but since the fields creation it has grown to include adolescence, adult development, aging, end of life issues and the lifespan in its entirety. This field involves transformation across a broad range of topics including: motor skills, cognitive development, executive functions, moral understanding, language acquisition, social change, personality, emotional development, self-concept and identity formation.
What are the Best Developmental Psychology Degree Programs?
According to the US News and World Report list of the best Developmental Psychology Graduate Programs, there are ten educational leaders in this field.
- #1 – University of Minnesota – Twin Cities – Located in Minneapolis, Minnesota
- #2 – University of Michigan – Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan
- #3 – Stanford University – Located in Stanford, California
- #4 – Harvard University – Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Tied for #5 – Pennsylvania State University – Located in University Park, Pennsylvania
- Tied for #5 – University of California – Located in Berkeley, California
- Tied for #5 – University of California – Located in Los Angeles, California
- Tied for #5 – University of North Carolina– Located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Tied for #5 – University of Virginia – Located in Charlottesville, Virginia
- Tied for #5 – University of Wisconsin – Located in Madison, Wisconsin
How Much Will a Graduate Degree in Developmental Psychology Cost?
The cost of a graduate degree in developmental psychology depends largely on several relevant factors. These include the school you choose, what specialty area you are working toward and what region of the country you pursue your degree. One of the most impacting factors is what level of degree you choose to pursue. A master’s degree in this field will cost considerably less than a doctoral degree. According to the American Psychological Association (APA) the median annual tuition for state residents enrolled in a public master’s degree program was $5,343 in 2008-2009, which was an increase from tuition data reported in 2007-2008 ($4,590). The annual tuition rates for nonresidents were approximately three times the resident amount, at $13,088. For students enrolled in doctoral programs the APA stated that the median annual tuition for state residents enrolled in a public doctoral departments was $7,104 in 2008-2009, which was an increase from tuition data reported in 2007-2008 ($6,819). Annual tuition rates for nonresidents were $16,966.
By choosing a program that has received praise for excellence, students pursuing a graduate degree in Developmental Psychology increase their chances of securing an excellent position in the field. These are ten of the best programs in the country. For more information on the best Developmental Psychology graduate programs check out the US News and World Report list of top programs.