Master's Program Information

Concentration in Family Studies

The Family Studies concentration is designed to incorporate knowledge from a variety of disciplines; students are encouraged to enroll in courses representing allied disciplines. Some course work may be in other departments at Tufts or other schools within the Boston Consortium (Boston College, Boston University, and Brandeis University).

The M.A. concentration prepares students for careers or further academic work requiring knowledge of family processes. These include careers focusing on families (e.g., careers in public policy for families, family counseling, parent education, research on families) as well as careers focusing on children but requiring knowledge of families (e.g., early intervention, child therapy, school psychology).

The course requirements for the M.A. concentration in Family Studies are as follows:

1. Theory: One of the Following:
   • CD 151 Advanced Intellectual Development or
   • CD 155 The Young Child's Development of Language
2. Theory: CD 161 Advanced Personal-Social Development
3. Research Methods: One of the following*:
   • CD 142 Problems of Research: Methods and Design
   • CD 144 Qualitative and Ethnographic Methods
   • CD 247 Program Evaluation may count as a Research Methods course, if the student's interests are in social policy.
   *Note: All students must check with their Program Advisers to determine which of the three Research Methods courses best fits their program goals.
   
4. Family Theory Course: One of the following
   • CD 243 Theories of the Family
   • CD 162 Child, Family & Society
   • CD 143 EP Child Development Diverse Family Settings
   • CD 260 Seminar in Research on the Family, or
   • Other approved theory course
5. "Applied" Family Course: One of the following:
   • CD 164 Cultural Diversity in Child and Family Services
   • CD 182 Social Policy for Children and Families
   • CD 199 Community Field Placement
   • CD 263 Cultural Sensitivity in Child and Family Research
6. One Concentration Elective
7. Three Open Electives (CD 140 Statistics required for M.A. Thesis)
8. Thesis or Internship related to family studies

M.A. Family Studies Concentration Electives:

Child Development

• CD 162 Child, Family and Society
• CD 164 Cultural Diversity in Child and Family Services
• CD 182 Social Policy for Children and Families
• CD 188 Seminar in Government Policy and the Family
• CD 260 Seminar in Research on the Family

Psychology

• PY 119 Family Dynamics and Therapy
• PY 138 Family Interaction

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