Child Studies (M.Ed.)

Department of Psychology and Human Development

Program Overview

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

There are two tracks in this program — an Applied Professional Track if you plan to work directly with children and families and a Clinical and Developmental Research Track if you plan to apply to a doctoral degree program later. Both tracks prepare you to work as a practitioner or researcher with expertise in skillfully applying developmental research to real-world problems.

With about 20 students, cohorts are small. The students who succeed in the two-year Child Studies graduate program are passionate about improving the lives of children and families through professional and research roles in schools, community service organizations, nonprofit and research institutions, and universities.

The program combines traditional classroom preparation with practicum experiences or clinical or developmental research mentorships, depending on your chosen career path. It will prepare you for applied careers or strengthen your training for doctoral study in clinical, developmental, or other areas of psychology.

Through the program, you’ll select a primary focus between one of two tracks:

Applied Professional Track—for students interested in careers working directly with children and families. Through this track, you’ll be matched with relevant agencies and and community organizations to gain hands-on field experience in applying current research toward improving outcomes for children and families.
Clinical and Developmental Research Track —for students interested in pursuing doctoral study in clinical, developmental, educational, cognitive, or other areas of psychology. Through this track, you’ll be matched with a faculty mentor and provided opportunities to participate on a clinical or developmental research team and develop your own interests and publication record to prepare for doctoral study or a career in research.

You’ll pursue a range of interests through either track that includes the study of the intellectual, emotional, social, and physical development of children and adolescents.

The M.Ed. in Child Studies program does not result in licensure as a counselor, therapist, or teacher. However, you may wish to use the program as a foundation for pursuing such licensure or preparing for related doctoral studies.

Areas of Concentration

Through either track, you’ll complete elective coursework according to the program guidelines and your selected area of concentration. This list of courses is flexibly developed with your advisor based on your professional and academic goals.

Some areas of concentration are interdepartmental and may have specific additional requirements as determined by the respective departments.

Program at a Glance

Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Child Studies

Department of Psychology and Human Development

Program Directors:
Vicki Harris, Ph.D. (Applied Professional Track)
Nina Martin, Ed.D. (Clinical and Developmental Research Track)
Admissions Coordinator:
Ally Jacobs, 615-343-4963
Admission Term: Summer
Credit Hours: 36
Priority Application Deadline: December 31
Two Track Options: Applied Professional Track; Clinical and Developmental Research Track

Application Checklist Scholarships and Financial Aid Request More Information Apply Nowhttps://apply.vanderbilt.edu/apply/

Our Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

The Child Studies M.Ed. recognizes and respects differences across students’ backgrounds, circumstances, and personal and social identities, and understands that our concept of diversity and what constitutes an inclusive climate will evolve as we welcome new students. We are committed to creating academic experiences that address issues of justice and equity, working within our classrooms and program to increase the participation and contributions of persons who bring diverse perspectives and experiences to the pursuit of knowledge.

Selected Courses Related to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

Psychology-PC 6010: Applied Child Studies – This course provides a survey of theories and research advances in child development from birth through adolescence. It emphasizes application of developmental science and knowledge to practical situations such as parenting, teaching and learning, youth development programs, divorce, or children in hospitals.

Psychology-PC 6020: Advanced Applied Child Studies - This seminar offers students the opportunity to develop a greater understanding of the role of the academic community in the promotion of positive youth and family development. Drawing on relevant theory, research, and applications, students learn how community agencies and scholars integrate science and practice in service delivery, program innovation, and policy making.

Success Stories

Johanna BernardM.Ed. '20PhD Student, Education Policy,
University of Pennsylvania“Completing this program was one of the best decisions I have made in my professional life.”

Shelby JacobsenM.Ed. '20Preschool Teacher,
Ivybrook Academy “Peabody is home to some of the best educational research and is a source of continual professional development.”

Brooke BergerM.Ed. '19Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Student,
VUSN Class of 2021“My time at Peabody changed my life. I was embraced by professors, challenged, and encouraged to find my calling.”

Practicum Experience

As a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Child Studies student, you’ll apply what you learn in the classroom to either a field-based placement or as a member of a clinical or developmental research team, engaging in hands-on work with children, adolescents, and families.

Applied Professional Track

Through the Applied Professional Track, you’ll be matched with a community site based on your interests and career goals, a process facilitated by program advisors in the semester before your placement. Placements may last one or more semesters, based on your progress and objectives.

The nature of the 10 hour/week commitment varies significantly depending on your specific site. You may work in such endeavors as developing community programs, providing developmental interventions, or writing educational curricula. Regardless of site, your work will be informed by evidence-based practice.

In conjunction with your field placement position, you will take two semesters of PSY-PC 7950: Child Development Practicum: Applied Professional Track.

What Students Say

"My field placements have given me exposure to what it is like to work in various educational settings, helping me to narrow and refine my own career goals."

Clinical and Developmental Research Track

Through the Clinical and Developmental Research Track, you’ll be matched with a research lab and faculty mentor based on your interests and lab availability. Program advisors facilitate this process during the summer session before your first fall semester. The research lab placement is intended to last for the full duration the program to allow you to develop in your chosen area of clinical or developmental research.

The 10 hour/week commitment typically requires you to attend research lab meetings, participate in ongoing research projects, conduct reviews of relevant literature, engage in general professional development activities, and prepare conference-ready posters or presentations and/or publication-ready articles and manuscripts.

In conjunction with your research lab position, you’ll be required to take two semesters of PSY-PC 7951: Child Development Practicum: Clinical & Developmental Research Track.

What Students Say

“Because of this program, I have now gotten clinical research experience and found a topic that truly interests me that I would like to study in a doctoral program in clinical psychology.”

Program Curriculum

The 36-hour program consists of 12-18 credit hours of Core Curriculum Coursework and 18-24 credit hours of Elective Coursework that are individually tailored to your personal interests and professional goals.

In addition to the required courses, you’ll integrate child development research and theory with effective practice through a range of field experiences. Through these experiences, you will develop expertise as consumers and producers of scholarly research.

Prerequisite Coursework

Applicants to the M.Ed. program should have taken these courses or their equivalents during their undergraduate program or before applying for the M.Ed. in Child Studies.

Developmental Psychology, or equivalent (3)
Introduction to Statistical Analysis, or equivalent (3)

Core Curriculum Coursework

You will be required to complete 12-18 credit hours of core curriculum classes for the M.Ed. in Child Studies. The exact sequence varies depending on the track you select. Graduate course requirements for Vanderbilt 5th-year students and external master's applicants are identical.

Applied Professional Track: 12 hours

PSY-PC 6010: Applied Child Studies (3)
PSY-PC 6020: Advanced Applied Child Studies (3)
PSY-PC 7950: Child Development Practicum (6)

Clinical and Developmental Research Track: 18 hours

PSY-PC 6010: Applied Child Studies (3)
PSY-PC 6020: Advanced Applied Child Studies (3)
PSY-PC 7951: Child Development Practicum (6)
PSY-PC 7850: Developmental Research Methods (3)
PSY-GS 8861: Statistical Inference (3)

Elective Coursework

You are required to complete 12 credit hours of elective classes.

Applied Professional Track: 12 hours

Two Advanced Developmental Seminars (6) such as, but not limited to, the following:

PSY-GS 8400: Developmental Psychology (3)
PSY-PC 8600: Seminar in Social and Personality Development (3)
EDUC 7500: Special Topics in Education - Cognitive Development and Learning
HOD 7120: Human Development and Prevention Science (3)

Two advanced courses in Research Methodology or Statistics (6) such as, but not limited to, the following:

HOD 6200: Program Evaluation (3)
PSY-PC 7940: Directed Research in Child Studies (3-6)
LPO 7200: Grants, Policy, & Administration (3)
SPED 7810: Research Methods in Special Education (3)

An additional 12 credits are completed through individualized elective courses that are consistent with your professional and academic goals. These are selected according to your interests and area of concentration.

Clinical and Developmental Research Track: 12 hours

Two Advanced Developmental Seminars (6) such as, but not limited to, the following:

PSY-PC 8400: Developmental Psychology (3)
PSY-PC 8600: Seminar in Social and Personality Development (3)
EDUC 7500: Special Topics in Education - Cognitive Development and Learning (3)
HOD 7120: Human Development and Prevention Science (3)
PSY-GS 8420: Advanced Seminar in Clinical Psychology - Developmental Psychopathology (3)

Two additional advanced courses in Research Methodology or Statistics (6) such as, but not limited to, the following:

PSY-GS 8864: Experimental Design (3)
PSY-GS 8870: Correlation and Regression (3)
PSY-GS 8876: Psychological Measurement (3)
PSY-GS 8882: Multilevel Modeling (3)
PSY-GS 8850: Advanced Seminar in Measurement Statistics and Evaluation (3)
PSY-PC 7940: Directed Research in Child Studies (3-6)
PSY-GS 8873-01:Structural Equation Modeling
PSY 8310-01: Research Methods in Clinical Psychology

An additional 6 credits are completed through individualized elective courses that are consistent with your professional and academic goals. These are selected according to your interests and areas of concentration.

Areas of Concentration may include:

Applied Professional Track:

Clinical and Developmental Research Track:

Faculty

Vicki Harris

Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychology, Department of Psychology and Human Development
Director, Applied Professional Track, Child Studies
Program Coordinator, Specialty in Poverty and Intervention

Nina Martin

Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Psychology and Human Development
Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Human and Organizational Development
Director, Clinical and Developmental Research Track, Child Studies