Graduate Certificate in Lifespan Development
Developmental psychology and lifespan developmental studies include the scientific study of psychological changes that occur over the life course. Therefore, developmental studies are inherently interested in many of the same questions of other areas of psychology, education, family studies, etc., but by investigating the ways in which particular psychological processes change and develop from infancy to adolescence, and through to adulthood. The purpose of the graduate certificate in lifespan development is to provide students in other areas of psychological study, or human behavior broadly defined, a better understanding of the ways in which psychological functions change with age, as well as the challenges and special considerations that are a part of research with children and adolescents and how they may be different from those of working with adults.
Requirements
The requirements for acceptance and completion of work for the certificate are as follows:
- The student must be enrolled and in good standing in an on-campus doctoral-level program at MU (available to degree-seeking students only).
- A request to be included in the certificate program must be made in advance of final completion of courses to the certificate coordinator, (contact information below).
- A formal plan of study must be submitted to the Graduate School no later than the semester prior to graduation. This must be signed by the certificate coordinator and the director of graduate studies of the student’s major department.
- Students must complete a minimum of 15 credit hours to be awarded the certificate, following the below guidelines:
| Core Courses (9 credit hours): students are required to take one of two 3-course sequences. | ||
| PSYCH 8410 & PSYCH 8420 & PSYCH 8440 | Psychology of Development and Cognitive Development and Social and Emotional Development | 9 |
| or H_D_FS 8410 & H_D_FS 8450 & H_D_FS 7252 | Infancy and Childhood and Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood and Adult Development | |
| Electives* | 6 | |
| (6 credit hours): students must complete 6 additional credit hours in developmental studies through several possible options or combinations of these options. | ||
| PSYCH 9470 | Women's Professional Development | 3 |
| PSYCH 8410 | Psychology of Development | 3 |
| PSYCH 8420 | Cognitive Development | 3 |
| PSYCH 8440 | Social and Emotional Development | 3 |
| PSYCH 8510 | Developmental Psychopathology | 3 |
| PSYCH 9440 | Studies in Developmental Psychology | 1-99 |
| PSYCH 8050 | Research in Psychology - Non-Thesis | 1-99 |
| PSYCH 9050 | Research in Psychology - Non-Dissertation | 1-99 |
| Black Families | ||
| H_D_FS 8001 | Topics in Human Development and Family Science | 1-6 |
| H_D_FS 7640 | Interpersonal Relationships | 3 |
| H_D_FS 8640 | Family Interaction | 3 |
| H_D_FS 8087 | Seminar in Human Development and Family Science | 1-6 |
| H_D_FS 8410 | Infancy and Childhood | 3 |
| H_D_FS 8450 | Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood | 3 |
| H_D_FS 7252 | Adult Development | 3 |
| H_D_FS 8770 | Poverty | 3 |
| H_D_FS 8085 | Problems in Human Development and Family Science | 1-99 |
| H_D_FS 9210 | Research Practicum in Human Development and Family Science | 2-6 |
| H_D_FS 8090 | Research in Human Development and Family Science | 1-99 |
| Additional electives could include approved related courses in other departments: some other departments on campus offer graduate-level courses which are related to the study of lifespan development. Examples include courses taught Communication (Interpersonal Area), Educational, School and Counseling Psychology, Social Work, Special Education, Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, etc. In order to ensure that a will count as an appropriate elective, please obtain permission prior to taking the course. | ||
Need for Certificate Program
For students within the child clinical psychology Ph.D. program of study there is a need for some students to gain greater exposure to developmental studies. Currently, the department of Psychological Sciences offers a dual child clinical and developmental psychology degree program. This program is extremely rigorous, however, and students and faculty within the Department of Psychological Sciences have identified a need for more in-depth study in developmental science without the commitment of a second degree. In creating the certificate program, however, it was determined that graduate students in other related fields may also wish to pursue further study in lifespan development. In particular, students in education, social work, communication science and disorders, and additional areas within psychology may benefit from greater understanding of developmental processes which could be gained through the required and elective course work outlined in this certificate program.
Impact on Current Programs of Study
The impact to current programs of study is expected to be relatively minimal other than the inclusion of potentially a few more students enrolled in the aforementioned classes.
Advisory Committee Members
Debi Bell, Psychological Sciences
Nicole Campione-Barr, Psychological Sciences
Marilyn Coleman, Human Development & Family Studies
Larry Ganong, Human Development & Family Studies
Jean Ispa, Human Development & Family Studies
Amanda Rose, Psychological Sciences
Participating/Affiliated Faculty - Various faculty from the following departments:
Psychological Sciences
Human Development and Family Studies
Communication Science and Disorders
Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology
Special Education
Social Work
Contact
When needed, advising will be provided to students by lifespan development certificate coordinator (Nicole Campione-Barr), in conjunction with the student’s major advisor.
Dr. Nicole Campione-Barr, Coordinator
Lifespan Development Graduate Certificate Program
204D McAlester Hall
email: campionebarrn@missouri.edu
phone: (573) 884-1681