The one-year 30-credit Human Development Research and Policy (HDRP) MA equips you to explore the psychological, cultural, and socioecological factors that inform human development across the lifespan. You’ll learn to evaluate trends in the field and produce original research to shape the design, implementation, and evaluation of human development policies and programs.
As a graduate of the HDRP program, you will be prepared to pursue careers such as a program/research associate in a policy think tank or university, a research scientist/program officer in a non-profit/foundation, a consultant in a domestic or international organization, or an evaluation officer in the government, non-profit, or private sector.
Core Course Sequence
The MA in Human Development Research and Policy (HDRP) core curriculum features foundations in human development.
These foundations include theories, methods, and evidence from developmental psychology, as well as research methodology and statistics, including qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods research. Through a year-long seminar, you will also be introduced to professional development opportunities in human development research and policy.
Learn about the curriculum of our HDRP master's program in this video from Assistant Professor Lauren Mims.
Sample Electives
In consultation with program faculty, you will select two elective courses that will deepen your understanding of the two core curriculum areas. Some sample electives include The Development of Immigrant Youth, The Development of African American Children, Cross-Cultural Counseling, Data Science for Social Impact, and The Listening Guide Method of Psychological Inquiry.
Culminating Experience
HDRP offers you the opportunity to intern for a semester at a research lab; government, non-profit, or international organization; or policy advocacy/community-organizing setting while receiving scaffolding from faculty.
You will be expected to complete 135 hours at your internship site during the Spring semester. This experience is meant to offer you an opportunity to apply what you learn during the program to a real-world setting while receiving support from the program’s faculty, preparing you for a career of effectively applying research to policy.
Learn about the internship portion of the HDRP master's program this video from Associate Professor Natalie Brito. You can also explore our internship opportunities.