Web site: http://www.education.pitt.edu/pie/pie.html
Admission to CD&CC Program
Admission to the program in Child Development and Child Care is available for the Fall and Spring Terms for both full-time and part-time study. Applicants seeking admission to the master's degree program must exhibit the qualities essential to function successfully in child and youth work and meet the following minimum requirements:
- A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. A baccalaureate in a social science (e.g., child development, education, sociology, psychology, anthropology) provides relevant preparation. Students holding degrees in natural sciences, liberal arts, and health-care fields are also encouraged to apply.
- For admission to full graduate status, a quality point average of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale is required. Applicants who fall below this standard may be considered for provisional graduate status if strong supporting evidence of their ability to complete a graduate program is provided.
- Applicants must have taken courses related to children, youth, and families; have familiarity with social science research methods; and have had direct experience with children, youth, or families.
- The application form, the application fee, and all materials and credentials must be received by February 1 for admission for the Fall Term. If places remain unfilled, applications will continue to be considered until June 1. November 15 is the deadline for application for admission for the Spring Term.
Admission Application Process
Admission application forms are available in the Office of Student Personnel Services. Applicants should follow the directions in the packet to complete and submit the application.
In addition to completing the application, applicants must submit the following materials:
Application Fee
An application fee of $40.00 is required with each application for the MS Program. This fee is not refundable.
Written Statement
Each applicant is required to include with the application a four-part written statement discussing the following concerns in depth:
- Influences in the applicant's life leading to the decision to study child development and child care
- Special skills and abilities that will facilitate the applicant's ability to work with children, youth, and families
- How study in child development and child care will help the applicant achieve career goals
- A contemporary social issue of concern to the applicant
This statement should be typewritten and should not exceed eight pages.
Transcripts
It is the responsibility of the applicant to request the registrar of each college attended to send a complete official transcript to the Office of Student Personnel Services. These arrangements should be made immediately. If work is still in progress at the time of filing an application, the student should request a supplemental transcript at the end of each term. While a decision for acceptance may be made while academic work is still in progress, an up-to-date transcript must be received before the applicant can register for course work. Credentials submitted in support of an application are not returned.
References
The application materials include five letter-of-reference forms. Required references include college advisors, an instructor at the college level, and current (or last) employer/volunteer supervisor. The other references might include persons who can testify to the applicant's aptitude for working with children and youth. The applicant takes the responsibility of providing these references. One of the blank reference forms the applicant receives should be sent to each of the reference persons.
Applicants should remember to write their names on top of the reference forms prior to forwarding the forms to the people providing references. Also, applicants should read the top section (relative to Public Law 90-247) and respond according to their wishes. An applicant's signature in this section means that the applicant waives the right (as specified in the law) to access to the content of the reference letter. If the applicant does not sign, the applicant maintains the right to access as specified in the law.
The Child Development and Child Care Admissions Coordinator will periodically notify applicants of the status of their application materials, and the applicant will be expected to follow through with each reference to insure receipt of the letter. Reference persons should mail the completed form directly to the Office of Student Personnel Services.
Other Supporting Materials
The School of Education does not require the submission of scores from an examination for admission consideration. However, applicants wishing to submit such examination scores or other materials (publications, major papers, etc.) in support of their application may do so. In no instance will an applicant not submitting these be penalized in determining acceptance for the program.
Special circumstances surrounding individual applicants may indicate the need for additional materials (e.g., references) to be submitted in support of the application. The program reserves the right to require selected additional materials as it deems appropriate.
Applications are reviewed upon receipt of all required materials.
Admission Interviews
Usually, a decision on an application for admission is made without an interview. Occasionally, an interview may be requested by the Child Development and Child Care admissions coordinator. Also, applicants who feel they would like to discuss special circumstances surrounding their applications are encouraged to arrange admission interviews by contacting the admissions coordinator. These interviews are scheduled after all application materials have been received by the program.
Financial Assistance
Students wishing to apply for financial assistance through the School of Education may request a Financial Aid application form from the Department of Psychology in Education. Completed forms are to be returned to the Department of Psychology in Education. Decisions on applications are made after an offer of admission has been extended. Applicants may also apply directly to their local bank for Higher Education Loans. See section on Financial Aid at the front of this bulletin.
Advising and Placement
Each student is assigned an academic advisor who is available to meet with the student on matters including course selection and registration, internship planning, and career goals.
The program receives frequent notices of position openings in a wide variety of human services agencies, as well as for home-based child care openings. These notices are posted on the program's bulletin board in the main office of the Department of Psychology in Education. Also available are a job opening notebook and a compendium of alumni biographies which can be useful to students in career planning and seeking employment.
CD&CC Program Requirements
The master's program consists of a minimum of 36 credits of course work including an internship and a comprehensive examination.
Each student selects a specialization that allows for a focus on particular career goals.
CD&CC Curriculum
The 36 credits are spread over the following requirements. (These requirements detail the Non-Thesis Option. A Thesis Option is also available.):
- Developmental Core (9 credits)
- PSYED 2303 Development: Conception Through Early Childhood in Social Context 3 cr.
- PSYED 2304 Development: Middle Childhood and Adolescence in Social Context 3 cr.
- PSYED 2305 Developmental Pathways: A Service Model 3 cr.
- Practice Skills (6 credits)
- PSYED 2319 Qualitative Methods of Research and Assessment 3 cr.
- PSYED 2120 Counseling 1 — Skills 3 cr.
- Professional Leadership (3 credits)
- PSYED 2367 Professional Leadership 3 cr.
- Planned Electives (9 credits; increased if internship is waived)
- Internship (6 credits; waiver may be requested based on experience)
- Program Design (3 credits)
- PSYED 2365 Program Design and Evaluation 3 cr.
A written comprehensive examination (based on the program design paper) is required and is the basis for an oral examination.
Specializations
The specialization consists of focused course work. An internship may be required for some. Specializations make use of courses in many areas of the University. Specialization study is currently available in the following areas:
Developmental Specializations
Children's literature and literacy
Early care, day care, and preschool: practice, management, training, and education
Early childhood education teacher certification
Family support
Youth development (community work such as Boys' and Girls' clubs, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, church programs): practice and management
Interventive Specializations
Child-life
Family intervention
Group care, residential and day programs: practice, management, training, and education
Play therapy
Individually Designed Study
Research in Child and Youth Care
Child Development and Child Care Courses
In the School of Education, Child Development and Child Care courses are listed with the PSYED prefix and are numbered in the 2300s.
School Counseling Program
School Counseling is a CACREP-accredited master's program. Students in the School Counseling Program are prepared for careers as elementary and/or secondary school counselors. The program offers the Master of Education degree, which may be earned after the successful completion of two years of full-time study or three years plus summer study on a part-time basis. Students may also earn the Master of Arts degree upon successful completion of the basic program of study and additional courses in research methodology. Candidates for the degree of Master of Arts must also complete a master's thesis.
One major goal of the School Counseling Program is to provide high-quality professional preparation of counselors so that they may be sensitive to the multifaceted demands placed upon students by the complexities and problems that are faced by educational institutions in contemporary society. Another goal of the program is to prepare counselors to provide the highest quality counseling services to meet the diverse needs of students in elementary and secondary schools.
Students in the program pursue a common set of academic experiences in psychology, research methodology, counseling theory and practice, and those that are of crucial importance for the preparation of school counselors. They also must complete required practicum and internship experiences at the elementary or secondary educational level where they wish to pursue their careers as counselors. The program is fully approved by the Department of Education of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and graduates are eligible for certification as elementary school counselors and/or secondary school counselors in the public schools of the Commonwealth.
- For additional information, contact:
- School Counseling Admissions Coordinator
- Department of Psychology in Education
- 5C Posvar Hall
- University of Pittsburgh
- Pittsburgh, PA 15260
- Phone: (412) 624-7230
- Fax: (412) 624-7231
- E-mail: psyed@pitt.edu
- Web site: http://www.education.pitt.edu/pie/pie.html
Admission to School Counseling Program
In addition to submitting the materials specified earlier for all master's degree programs under Admission Application Requirements for Master's Degree Programs and Advanced Certification Programs, applicants for admission to the School Counseling master's program must participate in a group admissions interview conducted by members of the School Counseling faculty. Three letters of recommendation are also required.
School Counseling Degree and Certification Options
The following are the degrees and certifications offered within the School Counseling Program:
- Master of Education (MEd) Degree in Psychology in Education
- Master of Arts (MA) Degree in Psychology in Education
- Elementary School Counselor Certification
- Secondary School Counselor Certification
- Supervisor of Pupil Services Certification
Developmental and Educational Psychology Program
The Developmental and Educational Psychology Program provides a bridge between the academic fields of developmental psychology, educational psychology, and the applied human service professions. A primary goal in this doctoral program is to develop students' abilities to understand the cognitive, socio-emotional, and interpersonal development of individuals as they learn in school, perform in the workplace, and interact and function in peer, family, and cultural contexts. A second goal is to enable graduates to apply their knowledge to research and practice that focuses on issues of current educational concern. These include cooperative learning, cultural variations in language and thought, cognitive and motivational differences, and patterns of family functioning and influence. The program prepares students for academic positions in colleges and universities and for positions as psychological specialists and research specialists in a variety of organizations concerned with education, health, and other human services. Students who complete the program earn a PhD in Psychology in Education.
- For additional information, contact:
- Developmental and Educational Psychology Admissions Coordinator
- Department of Psychology in Education
- 5C Posvar Hall
- University of Pittsburgh
- Pittsburgh, PA 15260
- Phone: (412) 624-7230
- Fax: (412) 624-7231
- E-mail: psyed@pitt.edu
- Web site: http://www.education.pitt.edu/pie/pie.html
Admission to Developmental and Educational Psychology Program
Applicants to the program must submit materials specified under Admission Application Requirements for Doctoral Degree Programs. In addition, applicants must submit:
- Verbal, quantitative, analytical reasoning, and advanced psychology scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
- A writing sample in the form of a previously written term paper, master's thesis, or article
- Evidence of 12 previous credits in psychology
Minor in Developmental and Educational Psychology
A minor in Developmental and Educational Psychology is granted when a student completes a minimum of 18 credits in course work in the Department of Psychology in Education with a minimum grade point average of 3.25. A comprehensive examination for the minor is not required. The course work must be distributed as follows:
Core Courses (minimum of nine credits)
Includes survey courses in learning and life-span development, theories of cognitive development, cognitive development and schooling, and socio-emotional development and schooling.
Other Courses (minimum of nine credits)
Advanced course work in either human development and family studies or educational psychology. Courses may include adult learning, psychology of teaching, family influences on development, culture and cognition, and psychological development of adolescents, older adults, or exceptional children.
Research Methodology Program
The Research Methodology Program prepares professional practitioners in psychometrics and test development, and prepares scholars who make contributions to the study of the methods researchers use when they conduct empirical studies of educational phenomena. The degree programs train students in measurement, research design, and statistical methods. Graduates are prepared for positions in colleges, universities, research centers, testing agencies, school systems, ministries of education and other government agencies, and industry.
Students completing the master's degree are capable of participating in applied research projects, translating research findings for application to educational settings, designing and building assessment instruments, and assisting professional educators with analyses and interpretations of data. The master's curriculum emphasizes competencies in measurement, research design, and statistical methods. Because of this, the master's degree is also a program for students who wish to explore the field of research methodology or who wish to acquire research competence as a prerequisite to more advanced study in another field.
Students completing the doctoral degree are capable of independently conducting research, constructing measurement instruments, translating sophisticated research findings, replicating research studies, contributing to the theory of research methodology, and teaching basic courses in research methodology.
Both master's and doctoral programs place a premium on involving students in research activities, ranging, for example, from collaborating with one another on course-related research to engaging in supervised research under the direction of faculty researchers. Doctoral students are encouraged to collaborate with faculty on research projects of mutual interest. Involvement in actual research not only complements a student's course work but also provides an opportunity to contribute to the profession by allowing students to present research papers at colloquia and conferences and to publish them in professional journals.
For additional information, contact:
- Research Methodology Admissions Coordinator
- Department of Psychology in Education
- 5C Posvar Hall
- University of Pittsburgh
- Pittsburgh, PA 15260
- Phone: (412) 624-7230
- Fax: (412) 624-7231
- E-mail: psyed@pitt.edu
- Web site: http://www.education.pitt.edu/pie/pie.html
Admission to Research Methodology Program
Applicants for admission to master's study in Research Methodology must meet all the requirements specified under Admission Application Requirements for Master's Degree Programs and Advanced Certification Programs. In addition, master's applicants should arrange a personal interview with a faculty member. If a personal interview is difficult because the applicant lives a great distance from the University, a short telephone interview may be substituted.
Applicants for admission to doctoral study in Research Methodology must meet all the requirements specified under Admission Application Requirements for Doctoral Degree Programs and should submit a writing sample in the form of a previously completed term paper, master's thesis, or article. Applicants are requested to arrange for a personal interview with a faculty member in Research Methodology. If a personal interview is difficult because the applicant lives a great distance from the University, a short telephone interview may be substituted.
Research Methodology Program Degree Options
The following degrees are offered by the Research Methodology Program:
- Master of Education (MEd) in Psychology in Education
- Master of Arts (MA) in Psychology in Education
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Psychology in Education
Minor in Quantitative Research Methodology
A minor in Quantitative Research Methodology is awarded to students who successfully complete a minimum of 18 credits in intermediate and advanced quantitative research methodology course work in the Department of Psychology in Education with a minimum grade point average of 3.25. A comprehensive examination for the minor is not required. The course work must be distributed as follows:
Statistical Methods Courses (minimum of six credits)
Includes intermediate statistics, data analysis by computer, regression analysis, analysis of variance, non-parametric and multivariate statistics, and meta-analysis.
Measurement Courses (minimum of three credits)
Course work on test and questionnaire construction, and psychometric, generalizability, and item response theories.
Research Design Courses (minimum of three credits)
Course work in experimental and quasi-experimental design and evaluation.
Department of Psychology in Education Courses
- PSYED 2001 Introduction to Research Methodology (Cross-listed with EDUC 2201)
- PSYED 2002 Psychology of Cross-Cultural Development and Learning (Cross-listed with EDUC 2005)
- PSYED 2004 Educational Psychology for Instruction (Cross-listed with EDUC 2001)
- PSYED 2005 Individual Differences in Instruction (Cross-listed with EDUC 2004)
- PSYED 2010 Group Dynamics
- PSYED 2014 Statistical Methods 1
- PSYED 2015 Statistical Methods 2
- PSYED 2016 Statistical Methods 3
- PSYED 2017 Statistical Methods 4
- PSYED 2030 Experimental Design
- PSYED 2072 Educational and Psychological Measurement (Cross-listed with EDUC 2202)
- PSYED 2073 Constructing Achievement and Ability Tests
- PSYED 2105 Physiological Bases of Behavior
- PSYED 2106 Psychology of Learning
- PSYED 2107 Survey of Developmental Psychology (Cross-listed with EDUC 2002)
- PSYED 2108 Survey of Social Psychology
- PSYED 2109 Survey of Personality
- PSYED 2110 Introduction to Group Counseling
- PSYED 2111 Family Systems and Therapy 1
- PSYED 2112 Development of Exceptional Children
- PSYED 2113 Emotional Disorders in Children
- PSYED 2120 Counseling 1 — Skills
- PSYED 2121 Counseling 2 — Theory
- PSYED 2122 Counseling 3 — Interventions
- PSYED 2123 Ethical Issues in Counseling
- PSYED 2124 Multi-Cultural Counseling
- PSYED 2127 Human Learning
- PSYED 2190 Research Seminar in Psychology in Education
- PSYED 2197 Independent Study
- PSYED 2198 Directed Study
- PSYED 2201 Seminar in Elementary and Secondary Counseling
- PSYED 2202 Seminar in Post-Secondary Counseling
- PSYED 2203 Organizational Intervention in Educational Settings
- PSYED 2204 Advanced Study of Group Interventions in Educational Settings
- PSYED 2205 Career Development
- PSYED 2289 Special Topics in School Counseling
- PSYED 2290 Research Seminar in School Counseling
- PSYED 2291 Supervised Research in School Counseling
- PSYED 2292 Counseling Practicum
- PSYED 2295 Individual Counseling Supervision
- PSYED 2296 Internship in School Counseling
- PSYED 2298 Directed Study in School Counseling
- PSYED 2299 Thesis Research in School Counseling
- PSYED 2303 Development: Conception Through Early Childhood in Social Context
- PSYED 2304 Development: Middle Childhood and Adolescence in Social Context
- PSYED 2305 Developmental Pathways: A Service Model
- PSYED 2319 Qualitative Research
- PSYED 2321 Theory and Meaning of Play
- PSYED 2332 Psychosocial Aspects of Illness
- PSYED 2338 Advanced Counseling Skills
- PSYED 2350 Human Diversity in the Professional Environment
- PSYED 2362 Play Therapy
- PSYED 2365 Program Design and Evaluation
- PSYED 2367 Professional Leadership
- PSYED 2396 Internship in CD&CC
- PSYED 2398 Directed Study in CD&CC
- PSYED 2399 Thesis Research in CD&CC
- PSYED 2422 Data Analysis Using Computer Packages
- PSYED 2491 Supervised Research in Research Methodology
- PSYED 2494 MA Project in Research Methodology
- PSYED 2498 Directed Study in Research Methodology
- PSYED 2499 Thesis Research in Research Methodology
- PSYED 3030 Quasi-Experimental Design
- PSYED 3031 Educational Inquiry
- PSYED 3099 Dissertation Research
- PSYED 3190 Research Seminar in Psychology in Education
- PSYED 3197 Independent Study
- PSYED 3410 Applied Regression Analysis
- PSYED 3413 Nonparametric Statistics
- PSYED 3414 Qualitative Data Analysis
- PSYED 3416 Applied Multivariate Statistics
- PSYED 3418 Meta-Analysis in Educational Quantitative Research
- PSYED 3420 Computer Applications to Research Methodology
- PSYED 3430 Case Study and Single Subject Research
- PSYED 3450 Introduction to Educational Evaluation
- PSYED 3460 Theoretical Foundations of Educational Research
- PSYED 3470 Criterion-Referenced Testing Techniques
- PSYED 3471 Constructing Questionnaires and Conducting Surveys
- PSYED 3474 Computer Assisted Testing
- PSYED 3475 Psychometric Theory
- PSYED 3476 Generalizability Theory
- PSYED 3477 Item Response Theory
- PSYED 3478 Test Design Strategies
- PSYED 3484 Advanced Topics in Measurement
- PSYED 3485 Advanced Topics in Research Design
- PSYED 3486 Advanced Topics in Statistical Methods
- PSYED 3489 Special Topics in Research Methodology
- PSYED 3490 Seminar in Research Methods
- PSYED 3491 Supervised Research in Research Methodology
- PSYED 3495 Teaching Internship in Research Methodology
- PSYED 3498 Directed Study in Research Methodology
- PSYED 3499 Dissertation Research in Research Methodology
- PSYED 3503 Psychology of Adolescence and Youth
- PSYED 3516 Seminar in Cognition and Instruction
- PSYED 3518 Seminar in Instructional Psychology
- PSYED 3519 Theories of Cognitive Development
- PSYED 3520 Psychology of Teaching
- PSYED 3522 Adult Learning (Cross-listed with EDUC 2003)
- PSYED 3524 Behavior Management in Education
- PSYED 3526 Seminar in Cross-Cultural Family Patterns and Human Development
- PSYED 3528 Psychological Development in Maturity and Old Age
- PSYED 3530 Family Issues and Children's Schooling
- PSYED 3531 Family Influences on Child Development
- PSYED 3532 Family Research Methods and Issues
- PSYED 3534 Socioemotional Development and Schooling
- PSYED 3535 Culture and Cognition
- PSYED 3536 Cognitive Development and Schooling
- PSYED 3537 Childhood and Adolescence
- PSYED 3588 Research Practicum
- PSYED 3589 Special Topics in Developmental Psychology
- PSYED 3590 Research Seminar in Developmental Psychology
- PSYED 3591 Supervised Research in Developmental Psychology
- PSYED 3592 Practicum in Developmental Psychology
- PSYED 3598 Directed Study in Developmental Psychology
- PSYED 3599 Dissertation Research in Developmental Psychology
- PSYED 3602 Intervention with Children
- PSYED 3708 Systems and Therapy 2
- PSYED 3709 Advanced Seminar in the Family and Disability
