School of Arts and Sciences
Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Study & Human Development

Graduate Admissions and Aid

Students can apply to the Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Study and Human Development (EPCSHD) master's and doctoral programs through the Office of Graduate Admissions online application portal. Please see the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences website for information about application deadlines.

Master's Application Requirements

  • Completed online application, including an $85 application fee.
  • Academic records/official transcripts: We give consideration to the undergraduate experience, the course of study undertaken, and GPA at the respective institution where the applicant studied.
  • Resume/CV: We look for experience in research and/or applied settings. We admit students who have diverse experiences and have demonstrated an interest in working with or on behalf of children, youth, and families
  • Personal statement: The personal statement is extremely important as it provides an indication of how the applicant has thought about the match between his/her interests and what Eliot-Pearson has to offer. The personal statement is also used as a demonstration of the applicant's writing ability.
  • Letters of reference from 3 individuals who have taught or advised the applicant are very important, because they typically address the applicant's ability to thrive in an academic setting. We also look for letters from references who supervised the applicant, because they can provide important information about the applicant's intellectual skills, nature of their responsibilities, ability to work with others, perseverance, etc.
  • Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores are not required

  • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is required for applicants who are not native English speakers, or those who did not attend an institution of which English is the primary language of instruction.

    A supplemental essay is required for all MA applicants: 

  • 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?  Mission Statement: The Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Study and Human Development is an inclusive and interdisciplinary community dedicated to: (1) integrating strengths-based theory, research, and practice to enhance the well-being of children, youth, families, and communities through systems change; (2) adopting learner-centered teaching and applied research; and (3) striving to inspire, educate and hold accountable ourselves and others to become active citizens, practitioners, scholars and change makers, in order to (4) promote an accessible, equitable, and just world.  
     
  • In 500 words or less, write about the first theme and at least one other. Your essay should seek to answer:
    • How do you envision learning to carry out these themes during your time in the MA program?
    • What do you find in our program that will help you implement these themes?
    • What challenges do you see in your ability to implement each of these themes?  

Tuition and Aid for Master's Students

For graduate students, there are several types of financial aid available through the university and through the department including:

The majority of GSAS students receive at least some merit-based financial aid. Please see the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences website for more information about tuition and aid.

The faculty who can serve as primary mentors for MA students include:

  • Emma Armstrong-Carter
  • Mary Casey
  • Eileen Crehan
  • Julie Dobrow
  • Calvin Gidney
  • Sara Johnson
  • Jordon Jurinsky
  • Theo Klimstra
  • Richard Lerner
  • Tama Leventhal
  • Christine McWayne
  • Jayanthi Mistry
  • Kerri Modry-Mandell
  • Ellen Pinderhughes
  • Fernando Salinas-Quiroz
  • W. George Scarlett

General Information for PhD Applicants

Our admissions process looks at each student as an individual and review the complete application for strengths and indications of ability to be successful in our program.

We make our final decisions about offers of admission based on whether a student's interests are a match for one of the faculty who has decided to admit a student for the coming year. Applicants should read faculty profiles and learn about the various department sponsored labs and research projects.

The faculty who can serve as primary mentors for PhD students include:

Doctoral Application Requirements

As part of the application procedure, students are expected to submit:

  • Completed online application including an $85 application fee.
  • Academic records/official transcripts: We give consideration to the undergraduate experience, graduate experience, the course of study undertaken, and GPA at the respective institution where the applicant studied.
  • Resume/CV: We look for experience in research and/or applied settings. We admit students who have diverse combinations of research and applied experiences.
  • Personal statement: A statement of career goals and research interests, citing particular reasons why the student is interested in a PhD and the nature of the "match" between the program faculty and student interests. The personal statement is also used as an indication of the applicant's writing ability.
  • Letters of reference from 3 individuals, at least two of which can attest to the applicant's academic and research potentials. We also look for letters from references who supervised the applicant as they can provide important information about the applicant's intellectual work, ability to work with others, perseverance, etc.
  • Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores are not required
  • Sample of scholarly writing: A writing sample of your work allows the committee to review academic work you have done.
  • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is required for applicants who are not native English speakers, or those who did not attend an institution of which English is the primary language of instruction.
  • A supplemental essay is required for all PhD applicants (maximum 500 words):
    How do differences in cultural and/or contextual processes impact theory, research or practice in your area of scholarly interest?

Applications are not forwarded to the department until they are complete with all required documents submitted. Applicants being considered for admission will be asked to attend an on-campus or video interview with program faculty. Attendance at this interview is a required part of the application process. The department review committee makes recommendations for acceptance of students to the department faculty. Typically, each year four to five students are admitted into the PhD in Child Study and Human Development.

In addition to the applicants' portfolio, the decision to admit students is based on several program factors: the number of students currently enrolled; availability of resources and financial assistance; availability of advisors to supervise the training of incoming students; and match among applicants' interests, faculty interests, and resources in the program.

Applicants with the best chance for acceptance are those who have a strong academic background and clear and thoughtful goals that align with the scholarly interests of one or more eligible faculty. Early review and notification may occur in the case of extremely promising candidates. Students accepted into the program will be required to respond to their offer of admittance by April 15th. If the department has not been notified of a student's intention by that date, the position will be made available to the applicant next on the waiting list. All acceptances and offers of scholarship aid are official only when confirmed in writing by the Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.