Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Applied Developmental and Educational Psychology
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Applied Developmental and Educational Psychology
We train graduate students to be leaders in the study, teaching, and use of applied developmental and educational psychology, preparing our graduates for successful careers at top research universities, teaching colleges, research and policy institutes, government agencies, and health and human services organizations.
At a Glance
Curriculum
The program focuses on development and learning in a sociocultural context. Areas of program expertise include cognitive and socioemotional development from early childhood through adolescence, family economic and social well-being, educational and community contexts, and social and educational policies. Development and learning are examined across multiple, interactive contexts.
Specific areas of program expertise are listed by developmental context.
Individual Functioning
- Basic Processes
- Individual Differences
- Self-Regulation
- Biological Bases of Behavior
Interpersonal Processes
- Family Relationships
- Peer Relationships
- Parenting
Community, Cultural, and Public Policy
- Schools & Learning Environments
- Poverty
- Race and Ethnicity
- Gender
Upon completion of the Ph.D. program, graduates should be able to:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the major concepts and theories in the fields of child development and learning, with a focus on socio-cultural context
- Critically evaluate existing research and integrate research findings across studies
- Analyze applied and theoretical issues related to child development and learning from different theoretical perspectives and based on prior research findings
- Develop research questions reflecting basic and applied issues in the areas of education, social policy and human/community development
- Use appropriate methodology to design empirical studies addressing research questions
- Use a variety of quantitative and qualitative techniques for analyzing data
- Communicate research findings clearly and accurately in publications and presentations for both professional and lay audiences
- Teach courses in the field at the college and graduate level
Requirements
- Courses: 18
- Credits: 54
- Comprehensive Exam
Courses
| Course | Course Title | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| APSY9920 | Proseminar in Current Issues in Applied Developmental and Educational Psychology Introduces students to a variety of current research topics, professional development issues, teaching preparation, and application in the fields of Applied Developmental and Educational Psychology. Includes colloquia by invited speakers and by students. | 3 |
| Course | Course Title | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| APSY8115 | Cultural Processes, Social, and Emotional Development This course reviews the theoretical and empirical literatures pertinent to the study of emotional and social development across the life span. Perspectives derived from the disciplines of biology, psychology, anthropology, sociology, and history are presented. The interrelations between social and affective processes, and their association with familial, societal, cultural, and historical context of development are discussed. Issues derived from social psychology, such as group processes, will also be discussed. Methodological problems present in these literatures and resultant conceptual and empirical challenges involved in developing a life span understanding of social and affective processes are reviewed. | 3 |
| APSY8917 | Cognitive and Affective Bases of Behavior This course discusses theories of human development and examines empirical research on cognitive and affective processes underlying behavior. In addressing the cognitive bases of behavior, it explores key mental processes (e.g., attention, memory, problem solving) and constructs (e.g., schemas, heuristics) that have been instrumental in understanding everyday functioning. The socio-affective bases of behavior addressed in the course include emotions, temperament, and self-concept. The students in this course explore fundamental theoretical questions, such as the role of biology and environment in development, and consider practical applications of current theoretical and empirical knowledge concerning the bases of human behavior. | 3 |
| APSY8813 | Sociocultural Contexts of Development Doctoral seminar which seeks to explore both theoretical and empirical scholarship on the primary sociocultural contexts within which human development is embedded, including families, schools, communities, and cultural environments; to consider the bidirectional relationships between such contexts and individuals' development; and to improve competencies in critically evaluating the methodological and theoretical strengths and weaknesses of research in the field. | 3 |
| APSY8919 | Advanced Topics in Applied Cognitive Psychology An advanced seminar for the scholar-pracitioner. | 3 |
Students will take the following 3 courses and choose an additional 2 statistics or methods courses with their advisor.
| Course | Course Title | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| APSY/MESA7469 | Intermediate Statistics Topics and computer exercises address tests of means, partial and part correlations, multiple regression, analysis of variance with planned and post hoc comparisons, analysis of covariance, repeated measures analysis, elements of experimental design, and power analysis. | 3 |
| APSY9841 | Quantitative Research Design in Counseling and Developmental Psychology In this year-long seminar, students examine quantitative research designs and application employed in the Counseling and Developmental Psychology literatures, including randomized, nonrandomized, cross-sectional, and longitudinal designs. Students present and critique published research exemplifying specific designs, propose empirical studies that could advance counseling and developmental psychology, and present findings from their own empirical work. | 2 |
| APSY8851 | Qualitative Research Methods Introduces the foundations and techniques of carrying out qualitative research. Topics include philosophical underpinnings, planning for a qualitative research project, negotiating entry, ethics of conducting research, data collection and analysis, and writing/presenting qualitative research. Requires a research project involving participant observation and/or interviewing. | 3 |
| Course | Course Title | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| APSY8714 | Advanced Research in Applied Developmental and Educational Psychology Students design and carry out an original empirical project on a defined area within developmental or educational psychology. Requires design, data collection and analysis, interpretation, and formal APA-style write-up. Students also required to complete two colloquium presentations of their work. | 3-6 (3/SEM) |
| APSY9941 | Dissertation Seminar in Counseling/Developmental Psychology This course is designed to assist students in the preparation of a formal doctoral dissertation intent. All aspects of dissertation development will be discussed. Students must present a series of draft proposals for faculty and student reaction. An acceptable dissertation intent is required for completion of the course. | 3 |
| APSY9988 | Dissertation Direction Dissertation related course work for advanced doctoral students. | 3 |
Students will take four electives (3 credits each) chosen with their advisor. A fifth elective is required if taking only 3 credits of APSY8714.
| Course | Course Title | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| APSY9901 | Doctoral Comprehensive Exam In order to ensure that all students graduating from the program have a fundamental understanding of the field which they are about to enter, they are required to complete a comprehensive examination covering the broad areas of the core courses. | 0 |
The program is OPT STEM extension eligible.
Tuition & Aid
Education should level the playing field. We feel the same way about financial aid.
100%
of full-time Ph.D. students receive a multi-year funding package that includes full tuition remission, a living stipend, and medical insurance coverage
Boston College’s financial support, quality instruction, and alumni network will impact your employment options, making a BC degree both affordable and invaluable.
Application & Deadlines
A non-refundable application fee of $75 is required. The fee is waived for select applicants.
Fall 2025:
- Deadline: December 1, 2024
This program does not offer rolling admission after the deadline.
Résumé
To be uploaded to your online application.
In addition to your academic history and relevant volunteer and/or work experience, please include any licenses currently held, any social justice-related experience, any language skills other than English, and any research experience or publications.
Personal Statement
To be uploaded to your online application.
- Describe how your academic/professional background and relevant life experiences have informed your interest in completing doctoral work in the Applied Developmental and Educational Psychology (ADEP) doctoral program.
- Describe your specific research interests and future research plans.
- Explain why you are a good match for the ADEP doctoral program at the Lynch School of Education and Human Development. A good statement of purpose will indicate 1-3 specific faculty whose program of research aligns with the research interests of the applicant and describe how specific faculty can support the applicant’s scholarly/research interests.
Letters of Recommendation
Three letters of recommendation are required with at least one required from an academic source. Applicants may submit one additional recommendation of their choice. Academic letters are a better indicator of your qualifications for doctoral work as compared to professional letters. Ideally, academic letters should be as recent as possible, and from faculty who are in related fields.
Transcripts
Transcripts from all college/university study are required.
Applicants who have received degrees from institutions outside the United States should view the "International Students" section for additional credential evaluation requirements.
Please begin your online application before submitting your transcripts. Details on how to submit transcripts and international credential evaluations can be found within the application. In order to ensure your transcript reaches our office, it is important to review and follow the instructions.
Standardized Tests
GRE scores are not required. If you wish to send GRE scores, the Lynch School GRE code is 3218.
Please view the "International Students" section for information on English Proficiency test requirements.
Writing Sample
To be uploaded to your online application.
All applicants to this program are required to submit one piece of work that demonstrates graduate-level writing ability. This document may be an academic term paper, a published work in which you are the primary author, a training manual or curriculum that you have created, a clinical case formulation, or another representative sample of your writing. The document should be approximately 15-25 pages.
International Students
Applicants who have completed a degree outside of the United States must have a course-by-course evaluation of their transcript(s) completed by an evaluation company approved by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). Submission of falsified documents is grounds for denial of admission or dismissal from the University.
Applicants who are not native speakers of English and who have not received a degree from an institution where English is the primary language of instruction must also submit a TOEFL or IELTS test result that meets the minimum score requirement.
Please click the link below for full details on these requirements.
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gsoe@bc.edu
617-552-4214