M.A./Ph.D. and Ph.D. Programs

Doctoral Course of Study

Degrees are conferred at several times during the year. Students should refer to the Graduate School Calendar for information on due dates for submission of final materials for graduation. Graduation ceremonies are held in May of each year. At this time, the student, accompanied to the stage by his/her Dissertation Adviser, will receive the doctoral hood, which is part of the academic regalia, as the degree of Doctorate of Philosophy in Child Development is conferred. A concentration will appear on the student's transcript as a “Major Option;” the major is Child Development.

Note:
These guidelines are intended to apply to all doctoral students in the Department of Child Development. As with other aspects of the program, there is flexibility in the implementation of each student's plan of study. In cases where a student wishes to organize parts of his/her program in ways which vary from those described, the student may petition the Director of Graduate Studies and the Department Graduate Programs Committee for approval. Any petitions for change should be made in consultation with the student's Program Advisers and/or Dissertation Adviser.
Addendum

We have received a large number of inquiries from prospective students interested in becoming licensed psychologists qualified to provide mental health services and receive third party payments. Our program is not specifically designed to serve that goal. The following general statement attempts to lend clarity to this complex matter. We encourage students to discuss with faculty the circumstances surrounding their particular case after having familiarized themselves with this statement.

Students with clinical interests are encouraged to apply to our Ph.D. program if and only if they intend to combine academic and service pursuits involving children. By academic, we refer to work of a scholarly nature, involving research and/or theory. In contrast to traditional clinical training programs, our students are encouraged to integrate their clinical interests with an understanding of family, educational and policy implications for child development. All facets of the program, including field work courses and internship experiences, are designed to reflect this program orientation. Students graduating from the program will be best prepared to assume positions in universities, schools, health care agencies, media and museum centers, government and human service agencies, and child advocacy centers. It is expected that graduates will function as scholar-researchers, as administrators, and as consultants in these varied settings. The student interested primarily in a traditional direct-service clinical career would not be well matched with the goals of this department.

Many students interested in our program have asked whether they will be eligible for state licensing upon completion of the degree. Because each state has different eligibility requirements, we encourage prospective students to write to the State Board of Licensing in the state or states in which they intend to reside.

In Massachusetts the address is:

To reiterate, preparation for state licensure is not a primary goal of the program. Because we believe that licensure can be a valuable asset for professionals in child development and psychology, we will offer guidance to students in selecting courses and structuring internship experiences that might meet licensure requirements. Towards that end, the concentration in Clinical Developmental Psychology was developed to begin to prepare students to apply to sit for the licensure exam, but it does not offer students the opportunity to complete clinical work requirements towards licensure.

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