Psychology and Human Development

Our scholars explore learning, development, and mental health from basic research to applications of psychological science and quantitative methods to address pressing clinical, social and educational needs.

Department Overview

The Department of Psychology and Human Development is committed to building a diverse and inclusive department in which each student, faculty member, and staff person can thrive and contribute to the university and their respective disciplines. We come from a variety of backgrounds, current circumstances, and personal and social identities and celebrate our various strengths. 

Researchers use and develop state-of-the-art methods to examine biological, behavioral, and psychological processes and the contexts in which they occur. Faculty direct several specialized research labs.

A collaborative and interactive group, department members work together with each other, with faculty across the Vanderbilt campus and at other universities to answer research questions. Collaborators include other departments at Peabody College, in the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, in the College of Arts and Science, as well as at other universities nationally and internationally.

 

Megan Saylor

"We are a group of faculty, staff, and students who are committed to scholarship in basic and applied psychological science and who work to mutually support each other."

Megan Saylor
Chair

Undergraduate Programs

  • Child Development

    Focusing on children from infancy through adolescence and the contexts in which they live--including family, peer, school, community, and cultural influences--this program offers excellent preparation for graduate work in psychology, medicine, nursing, social work, education, or public policy.

    Learn more about Child Development

  • Child Studies

    An interdisciplinary major with a broader focus than child development, child studies enables you to work with children outside formal educational settings.

    Learn more about Child Studies

  • Cognitive Studies

    If you are intrigued with the process of learning itself, this major will shed light on how people think, solve problems, and reason. The program frequently sends students on to graduate work in the social and behavioral sciences or areas such as medicine and law that stress inquiry and clear thinking.

    Learn more about Cognitive Studies

Master’s Programs

  • Child Studies

    Solve the most pressing challenges facing children and families today by connecting scholarship and practice through the M.Ed. in Child Studies.

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  • Quantitative Methods

    This program provides students with strong quantitative methods training for applied research settings. Alumni work in school systems, government, industry, dedicated research institutes, academic settings, and medical school research settings.

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  • Cognitive Psychology in Context

    The program focuses on how cognitive processes unfold in everyday contexts. You'll have the opportunity to design a master's thesis that reports the results of your student-directed research project. You will develop this independent research project working in close collaboration with our internationally renowned faculty, acquiring the critical skills for master's students to successfully pursue future advanced research in a Ph.D. program or enter the job market.

    Learn More About Cognitive Psychology in Context

Doctoral Program

  • Psychological Sciences (Ph.D.)

    This program is a joint offering of the College of Arts and Science and Peabody College. Candidates choose from six specializations: Clinical Science, Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience, Cognition in Context, Developmental Science, Neuroscience, and Quantitative Methods. Students benefit from access to several world-class research centers, such as the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center and the Vanderbilt Vision Research Center.

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Psychology and Human Development News

Department Diversity Statement

Vanderbilt University’s Psychological Sciences programs are committed to creating and nurturing an environment in which each student, faculty member, and staff person can thrive and contribute to the university and their respective disciplines. Our goal is to facilitate scholarship and contributions to theory across the broad range of disciplines. Diversity enhances the learning potential in our classrooms, inspires and enriches our research, and improves the social climate of our classes, the department, and the University. Our students, faculty and staff come from a variety of backgrounds, current circumstances, and personal and social identities and they have diverse strengths. We recognize and respect differences across these dimensions, realizing that our concept of diversity and our attempts to create an inclusive climate will evolve as we welcome new members to our group. To meet this challenge we are committed to adapting practices in our scholarship and our classrooms to increase the participation and hence the contributions of persons who bring diverse perspectives and experiences to the pursuit of knowledge. Our departmental Equity Diversity and Inclusion committee has the objective of facilitating our commitment to promoting diversity and fostering a positive climate.

Faculty

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