Make a difference in children's lives in developing countries!
The International Master of Arts Program in Child Development was established with the goal of improving the lives of children at risk in developing countries around the world by training and promoting professional leadership that will advance various agendas to achieve this objective. The program is offered through the Faculty of Social Sciences in conjunction with the Center for the Study of Child Development and the International School, University of Haifa. Taught in English, the full-time, one-year program is designed to train the next generation of international experts who will focus on pressing questions regarding the nature of child development and how it applies to the lives of children and their families in developing countries.
This unique program equips future professionals with a comprehensive theoretical basis and an applied skillset that will be effective in influencing the well-being of children and their families in a positive manner.
The program is made up of courses designed to equip students with a comprehensive understanding of child development from the vantage point of a number of different disciplines, so as to provide a holistic and encompassing understanding of the field in all its facets. Elements of study include developmental psychology, psychopathology, neuroscience, cognitive and language development, intervention and prevention, methodology and statistics, parenting, and child development in a cross-cultural environment. Workshops in clinical observation are also included.
There are also a series of guest lectures by leading scholars from various disciplines where topics covered have included early child care, child maltreatment; environment and genetics; orphanages, foster care, adoption, traumatic stress, drama therapy, sleep and child development; political violence and child soldiers; and children’s rights.
For full curriculum information please click here.
For more detailed program curriculum please click here.
Our broad and experienced faculty staff afford the department with a range of specializations. The department is headed by Professor Avi Sagi-Schwartz who is Professor of Psychology and Child Development, Academic Head of the International MA Program in Child Development, Director of the Center for the Study of Child Development, and former Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Haifa. A full list of faculty staff and their specializations can be viewed here.
Applicants from developing countries are eligible for scholarships to cover tuition, medical insurance, and living expense. Please email [email protected] to obtain further information.
This program is eligible for Masa scholarship.
The program upgrades significantly the status of professionals working with children and families and prepares students for leadership roles in the community, in educational, health and welfare settings, and NGOs. In addition, the program provides skills for conducting child and family assessments, designing prevention and intervention programs and evaluating the quality of ongoing programs.
The aim of the research master’s programme Developmental Psychopathology in Education and Child Studies is to promote the scientific development of young academics on the path to becoming independent researchers within education and child studies and related disciplines.
Graduates are able to design, conduct and evaluate applied scientific research, and in doing this can make the link between (clinical) practice and science.
The programme Developmental Psychopathology in Education and Child Studies is designed in such a way that it can explicitly serve as preparatory training for a PhD position. The programme also offers the opportunity to specialise in the field of social work and youth care, which meets society’s need for academics who are trained in evidence based clinical assessment and treatment for children and families with psychological problems
The research master is a small scale programme, with an average of fifteen students each year. This guarantees intensive interaction between students and staff.
At the beginning of the programme, you are allocated a supervisor – one of the professors – and a day-to-day mentor. While writing your thesis, you make a contribution to one of our research programmes, working closely with your supervisor and mentor within that research. This gives you the opportunity to both observe how the work is done and to ‘learn by doing’. You also receive immediate and intensive feedback on your research performance and academic progress.
The research master’s students have a room of their own: the Rommert Casimir Studio, equipped with PC workstations. This room is used intensively, not only for working individually on assignments, but also for working together with other students and engaging in discussions.
The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences is the location of the Ambulatorium, which offers families assistance with all kinds of problems relating to parenting and child development. Research master’s students who do their research internship in the Ambulatorium can, if they wish, obtain the NVO Registratie Basis-Orthopedagoog and the NVO Registratie Basisaantekening Diagnostiek and also conduct research in clinical practice.
How do children and adolescents develop? How do emotional and behavioural disorders emerge, and how can they be prevented? How can you use scientific knowledge to advise schools? In the Master’s programme Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, you will learn how to apply your knowledge of developmental psychology in clinical practice.
During this one-year Master’s programme, you will learn all about the psychological care, treatment and support of children and young people. We will also address how policies and institutions can contribute to child development.
As a child and youth psychologist, you will study:
You will also learn knowledge and skills for assessing (diagnostics), treating (intervention), and preventing problematic youth development.
In addition to these topics, you will also learn about relevant societal issues, such as:
This programme is offered by various chair groups, which conduct research into:
Researchers from these programmes teach courses and supervise the students’ theses. Students also have the opportunity to take part in their research projects as research assistants.
In order to prevent and alleviate psycho-social problems in children and young people, a variety of perspectives are needed: pedagogical, medical, educational and sometimes legal. Students in this Master's programme will therefore learn to consider these ‘non-psychological’ factors as well. You can also enrol in elective courses in other fields of study. If you do a clinical internship, you may work as part of a multi-disciplinary team together with child psychiatrists, social-psychiatric caregivers, social workers and internal mentors.
The Master’s programme is structured in such a way that you can begin your internship immediately in September. If you decide to enrol in our Master’s programme, it is therefore vital that you start looking for an internship position in time. It becomes progressively more difficult to find an internship position if you start applying later in the year. Check the study programme page for more about the internships.
For information about the internship and application procedures, please contact our internship coordinator at [email protected] as soon as possible after enrolling in the Master’s programme.
You will develop into a scientist-practitioner, who is able to make a difference in the practice of child and adolescent psychology by tying the knowledge gained in theoretical courses to practical experience obtained during your internship.This Master's programme prepares you for a career as a care provider, diagnostician or policy consultant. You may also choose to continue your studies, as this programme qualifies you (in the Netherlands) for post-academic education as a clinical psychologist, school psychologist and the registration process for NIP Child- and Youth Psychologist/NIP Registered Psychologist/Child and Youth.
If you are a Dutch-speaking student, this Master's programme offers you the possibility to earn your NIP Basic Psychodiagnostics Registration (BAPD) (in Dutch) during your Master’s or afterwards. You can also apply for different postgraduate programmes (Healthcare Psychologist; in Dutch: Gezondheidszorgpsycholoog, Child and Adolescent Psychologist NIP/SKJ or School Psychologist) or pursue a PhD position. For international students, formal accreditation needs to take place at an individual level by the national union of psychologists of your home country.
This MSc course provides a dynamic and current perspective across the various areas of clinical applications of psychology. Specifically, it covers theories of psychopathology from childhood to adulthood, and clinical applications of psychology in health and wellbeing. The course also covers basic counselling and cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) skills, as well as the professional issues relevant to clinical practitioners.
Please note that, although this course is anticipated to significantly enhance your knowledge of the clinical applications of psychology and therefore benefit your future career – be it in clinical training and practice, research or other related areas of psychology – it does not lead to a professional qualification as a clinical psychologist, nor does it guarantee entry to doctoral-level training in clinical psychology.
You will gain in-depth knowledge of theories of adult and child psychopathology, and will study the biopsychosocial aspects of health and illness. You will explore the evidence base for psychological and behavioural change interventions in mental and physical health, and will cover advanced research methodology and statistics. The course also provides opportunities for detailed and advanced study (via the dissertation) of a chosen area in clinical applications of psychology, enabling further development of your practical research skills. You will acquire basic counselling and cognitive behavioural skills, and will gain a comprehensive knowledge of the issues relevant to clinical practice, such as context and settings for clinical practitioners. You will also consider professional issues and current debates in ethics and diversity relevant to practitioners and researchers in mental health, and will learn how to apply ethical principles in both your research and via real or hypothetical clinical case studies.
Assessment methods include essays, in-class tests, presentations, unseen examinations, laboratory reports and dissertation.
Please note that this is an indicative list of modules and is not intended as a definitive list.
Core modules
The aim of the MSc Developmental Psychopathology is to provide advanced research training for students interested in pursuing careers in the field of research, child development and clinical or educational psychology. The subject-specific and generic postgraduate training provided by the course enables students to develop the knowledge, skills and understanding required of a professional conducting research in clinical, child development or other fields.
Research training forms a key focus of the MSc programme. In addition to providing training in basic research, the course aims to integrate research perspectives from clinical and educational psychology. This distinctive emphasis is reflected in the learning outcomes, structure and assessment of the course.
Teaching is generally organised into a number of 10 week course units involving 2 to 3 hours of lectures, seminars and workshops. Each 10 week unit is assessed by means of formative and summative assessments. The summative assessments count towards the final degree outcome. For the programme as a whole, the assessments include examinations, written assignments, oral presentations and the dissertation.
Core Modules
The programme is delivered predominantly through a mixture of lectures, seminars and workshop classes. Lectures provide key information on a particular topic, such as ‘autism spectrum disorder’ or ‘developing interventions’. Seminars are held in order that smaller group teaching can take place, with focused discussion on specific topics. Finally, practical workshop classes allow students to gain direct experience, particularly in Applied Statistics and in how to use statistical tools.
The balance of this type of activity varies as a function of the module. This is a one year course, with students having a summer term to work on their dissertation related activities. Students typically attend approximately 12 hours a week comprising lectures, tutorials and seminars. Outside timetabled contact hours, students are also expected to undertake their own independent study to prepare for their classes and broaden their subject knowledge, as well as completing their dissertation. Independent study is a key element to the course, with complex factors raised in lectures that do assume some prior knowledge of the topic area.
The programme is divided into three parts. One third, comprising three modules, is of subject specific topics related to developmental psychology and developmental psychopathology (with a specific focus on neurodevelopmental disorders). A further three modules focus on research skills such as critical thinking abilities and statistical knowledge that are necessary to understand developmental psychology and developmental psychopathology. The final third of the programme is the dissertation module, which reflects the culmination of learning and practical endeavours from throughout the course via the production of an independent and original body of research material. This is performed under supervision with a member of staff, with meetings varying in duration and frequency throughout the year as a function of the needs of the research project and the student.
This unique two-year international programme is offered in collaboration with Yale University. There is a focus on developmental psychopathology drawing on multidisciplinary perspectives, with a specific emphasis on neuroscience. Students spend year one in London, primarily based at the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families and year two at Yale.
The programme provides students with an excellent foundation in developmental psychopathology and neuroscience, with a focus on:
This two-year MRes has a total value of 330 credits. 135 credits of taught modules are taken in the first year and in the second year, the research portfolio, comprising an oral presentation, proposal, dissertation and research poster, comprises a total of 195 credits.
Year one core modules
Year two core modules
Dissertation/research project
The research portfolio comprises a project presentation – made up of an oral presentation, slides and a written proposal, a written dissertation and a research poster. All students undertake a research project supervised by a faculty member while at Yale, completing a dissertation of 15,000–17,000 words.
Teaching and learning
The programme comprises lectures, research classes, tutorials, small-group seminars, and computer-based practical classes. Assessment is predominantly through essays, statistical assignments, a piece of science communication and unseen examinations. In the second year assessment will be based on the research portfolio - comprising an oral presentation, written research proposal, the dissertation and a poster. Further information on modules and degree structure is available on the department website.
Further information on modules and degree structure is available on the department website: Developmental Neuroscience and Psychopathology MRes
Typically our students are interested in pursuing a research or clinical career. Of students who graduated within the last two years, 23% are now enrolled on PhD programmes; 38% are employed as research associates, 23% are undertaking further training and the remaining 16% are undertaking clinical work.
Employability
The two-year structure allows students to not only develop in-depth theoretical knowledge and research skills but also provides the opportunity to undertake a substantial piece of research under the mentorship of a leading Yale academic and their research lab. A grounding in quantitative analysis and fMRI/EEG skills combined with a focus on clinical disorders during childhood make students particularly attractive as prospective PhD candidates and doctoral Clinical Psychology applicants. Students are encouraged to publish their research where possible.
Some students seek voluntary clinically relevant experience across both years, which is particularly helpful for those considering applications to Clinical Psychology doctoral programmes.
Students acquire excellent research skills in statistical analysis and a grounding in neuroimaging methods, including fMRI and EEG, and expertise in critical evaluation of research.
The programme is based at the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families in London, a world-renowned centre for research, training and clinical practice in the field of child mental health. Please note: during the course of the academic year 2018/19, the centre will relocate from Hampstead to a new, purpose-built campus near King's Cross Station.
UCL Psychology & Language Sciences undertakes world-leading research and teaching in mind, behaviour, and language. The division has excellent links with other universities including Yale, providing unique research and networking opportunities for postgraduate students.
Our work attracts staff and students from around the world. Together they create an outstanding and vibrant environment, taking advantage of cutting-edge resources, including state-of-the art neuroimaging equipment.
The division offers an extremely supportive environment with opportunities to attend numerous specialist seminars, workshops, and guest lectures.
You can view video testimonials from previous students on The Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families webpage
The Research Excellence Framework, or REF, is the system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions. The 2014 REF was carried out by the UK's higher education funding bodies, and the results used to allocate research funding from 2015/16.
The following REF score was awarded to the department: Division of Psychology & Language Sciences
83% rated 4* (‘world-leading’) or 3* (‘internationally excellent’)
Learn more about the scope of UCL's research, and browse case studies, on our Research Impact website.
The MSc in Children's Psychological Disorders will equip you with a thorough theoretical understanding of the psychological factors that cause and maintain emotional and behavioural problems in children.
This MSc in Children's Psychological Disorders will equip you with a thorough theoretical understanding of the psychological factors that cause and maintain emotional and behavioural problems in children.
Taught by leading international experts, you will discover and research how both mental health difficulties and neurodevelopmental conditions, which include anxiety, depression, ADHD, autism and conduct disorder, emerge in childhood. You will gain an in-depth knowledge of how these conditions can be best assessed; enabling you to subsequently inform intervention and advise the best course of treatment.
Located at our dedicated Centre for Human Development Science (CUCHDS), this programme will also equip you with the skills, knowledge and experience to pursue a rewarding career in child neuro – development, clinical child psychology or educational psychology.
You will undergo a range of professional training in emotional, cognitive and neurodevelopmental assessments for children, classification systems of childhood disorders and in observational coding of child behaviour and parent-child interaction.
Research training also forms a key focus of this programme, and it is designed to strengthen your credentials for entry to a PhD in developmental psychopathology, or to doctoral training programmes in Clinical or Educational Psychology.
In addition to providing training in basic research, the course aims to integrate research perspectives from clinical and educational psychology.
Distinctive features
The School’s educational philosophy rests upon the precept that good research benefits good teaching. All teaching and learning is research-led. A diverse range of teaching and learning styles are used throughout the MSc. You will attend lectures, participate in seminars, journal clubs and tutorials, and gain experience in child assessment methods. You will play a leading role in your own training. The School facilitates learning by identifying appropriate reading and organising practical classes.
This programme, run in conjunction with, and based at the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, provides a unique foundation for individuals interested in pursuing a psychotherapy training or an academic career in childhood development. The programme combines psychoanalytic theory of development and inter-family relationships with a year-long observation of infants in a family setting, and a research project.
Students develop a theoretical grounding in psychoanalysis as related to child development and clinical practice. Observations of parents and children allow students to witness some of these theoretical constructs in real world contexts and help students develop the observational skills essential in clinical work. The research teaching covers qualitative and quantitative research methodologies and gives students the tools necessary for conducting reliable, valid and ethical research.
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits, with the research dissertation accounting for 60 of these credits.
The programme consists of seven core modules (105 credits), one elective module (15 credits), and a research disseration( 60 credits).
A Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits) is also offered on both a full-time and part-time basis.
Core modules
Optional modules
Students choose one of the following:
Dissertation/report
All MSc students undertake an independent research project, supported by a supervisor, which culminates in a dissertation of a maximum of 12,000 words.
Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, workshops, and theory and observation seminars. Seminar groups are small, often led by clinicians and allow plenty of opportunity for discussion and reflection. Research work is supported by an individual supervisor and by workshops throughout the year. Assessments include a variety of essays, examinations, observation papers and a research dissertation. Assessment occurs throughout the programme (usually at the end of the relevant module).
Further information on modules and degree structure is available on the department website: Psychoanalytic Developmental Psychology MSc
For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.
Students who successfully complete the MSc can apply their degree in a variety of settings. Our graduates have found work as psychology assistants or child mental health workers, taken up posts as research assistants and have been admitted to psychotherapy trainings in both adult and child programmes and to PhD positions.
Recent career destinations for this degree
Careers data is taken from the ‘Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education’ survey undertaken by HESA looking at the destinations of UK and EU students in the 2013–2015 graduating cohorts six months after graduation.
Teaching on the programme is based at the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families in London, a world-renowned centre for research, training and clinical practice in the field of child mental health.
Please note: during the course of the academic year 2018/19, the centre will relocate from Hampstead to a new, purpose-built campus near Kings Cross Station.
The MSc is based within UCL's Division of Psychology & Language Sciences, one of the world’s leading integrated departments of research and teaching in mind, behaviour, and language.
Testimonials from previous students are available on the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families website.
This MSc aims to encourage an integrated understanding of child development and a range of childhood disorders, and to give students an opportunity to apply this understanding in a clinical setting through a supervised placement in the second year within a mental health service.
The programme draws together theory, research and therapeutic thinking from a range of perspectives, including clinical and cognitive psychology, systemic thinking, psychoanalysis and neuroscience. In a workshop setting, students develop competencies in engagement, assessment and evaluation, and practical skills necessary for therapeutic work with children and families. These are then put into practice during the clinical placement.
This two-year MSc has a total value of 270 credits. Each year students complete modules to the value of 135 credits.
Year one: taught modules (135 credits). Year two: clinical skills modules (35 credits), a clinical practice in context module (15 credits) and the research dissertation (85 credits).
Year one core modules
Year two core modules
Dissertation/research project
All MSc students undertake a research portfolio which may include both a developmental and a clinical focus, such as the evaluation and understanding of clinical and therapeutic services for children and young people. This culminates in a dissertation made up of an 8,000-word journal paper and a poster.
Teaching and learning
In year one students attend weekly lectures complemented by small group seminars. Modules focusing on clinical skills are classroom based. In year two, as well as taking further modules, students move into a 2-3 days per week placement in a child and adolescent mental health (CAMHS) setting, supervised by an experienced clinician. Assessment is by a mixture of coursework, examinations and the dissertation.
Further information on modules and degree structure is available on the department website: Developmental Psychology and Clinical Practice MSc
Since the MSc was established in 2011 graduates have gone on to work with children and families in various therapeutic settings, or to undertake further doctoral-level clinical training, such as clinical psychology, child psychotherapy, or counselling psychology. Some of our graduates also pursue research careers, including PhD study.
Recent career destinations for this degree
Employability
Completing this MSc will help you develop several core clinical competencies and provide direct supervised experience of work in a child and adolescent mental health service, placing you in a very strong position to proceed to a full clinical training, such as in clinical psychology or child psychotherapy.
Careers data is taken from the ‘Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education’ survey undertaken by HESA looking at the destinations of UK and EU students in the 2013–2015 graduating cohorts six months after graduation.
The programme is based at the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families in London, a world-renowned centre for research, training and clinical practice in the field of child mental health. Distinctive features include teaching by highly experienced clinicians and researchers working in the field of child mental health; the opportunity to develop clinical skills for working with children; practical training in conducting research in clinical settings.
Please note: during the course of the academic year 2018/19, the centre will relocate from Hampstead to a new, purpose-built campus near King's Cross Station.
You will also gain exposure to clinical work within NHS and/or voluntary sector organisations involving children, adolescents and families, under the supervision of an experienced clinician.
To read past students' testimonials, please visit the departmental programme page.
The Research Excellence Framework, or REF, is the system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions. The 2014 REF was carried out by the UK's higher education funding bodies, and the results used to allocate research funding from 2015/16.
The following REF score was awarded to the department: Division of Psychology & Language Sciences
83% rated 4* (‘world-leading’) or 3* (‘internationally excellent’)
Learn more about the scope of UCL's research, and browse case studies, on our Research Impact website.
The MSc Children and Young People's Mental Health and Psychological Practice (Online Distance Learning) offers a unique perspective: that children and young people’s mental health and well-being is influenced by developmental processes at multiple levels, from individual to socio-cultural and that approaches to working with mental health and well-being need to be informed by this dynamic and interactional system.
By drawing on the knowledge and clinical experience of a world-class department of clinical and health psychology, the programme aims to equip students with the knowledge necessary for understanding children and young people’s mental health and well-being from this unique perspective. The programme will also draw upon many other theoretical areas, including early intervention, health promotion, public health, health and social inequalities, critical psychology, developmental psychopathology and resilience.
The programme is part time, fully online, and has been designed with professionals in mind; the online delivery format and part-time study options allow for professionals from a range of disciplinary backgrounds to develop knowledge and practice whilst continuing to meet individual life and work demands.
The core elements of the programme include both conceptual and applied courses. At the conceptual level, the programme will review different theories of children and young people’s mental health involved in the complex structure of typical and atypical development. At the applied level it will include the application of psychological knowledge to difficulties experienced by children and young people and the critical appraisal of psychological knowledge and practice.
Distinctive features of the course, include:
Graduates of the programme can expect to develop key skills and abilities, which are transferable to a number of professional domains, including:
All of the teaching on the MSc is delivered entirely online, allowing for flexible and responsive approaches to learning, assessment and support of our students and to reach a wide range of graduates and professionals from all over the world.
The online teaching methods include:
The University's full range of online learning resources will be available to students; for example:
As well as our online courses, students are welcome to enrol on our campus-based courses (up to 60 credits), if it is possible for them to attend the University for teaching, thus increasing flexibility and choice. Please note that students enrolled on this programme would not be eligible to apply for a Tier 4 visa.
This programme offers a flexible postgraduate degree designed for recent graduates and professionals who are interested in studying at an advanced level.
The programme is designed to be completed part-time. The minimum period the course can be completed is two years, with a maximum completion time of six years.
There are a number of qualification routes available; students enrol on the MSc programme pathway and can exit at any of the following qualification junctures:
Courses offered as part of the programme include:
The dissertation project takes the form of a systematic review or meta-analysis relating to an aspect of psychological theory, or a psychological model, with relevance to clinical practice in the field of child and adolescent mental health and well-being.
The programme has been designed to enhance the career development of a range of professions involved in the provision of psychological health and care by improving awareness and application of psychological theory to clinical practice and by broadening the theoretical base from which professions practice.
Previous students have continued to work in, or entered, a range of professions including:
Recent graduates interested in working in the area of child and adolescent mental health would also benefit from this programme. The degree demonstrates a student's high level of commitment to working with children and young people.
This programme provides training in counselling and psychotherapy to become eligible for the BACP (British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy) individual practitioner accreditation. This three year part-time postgraduate degree is especially designed to provide you with the skills, knowledge and expertise necessary to work in primary and secondary schools making a positive impact in children and young people’s mental health.
This course helps you to become a practitioner who is able to work with child and adolescent clients one-to-one, who present with diverse psychological issues in a variety of settings including both mainstream and special education, children’s hospitals and children’s and adolescent’s mental health (CAMHS). You will become critically reflective and develop an enquiring attitude to theory, research and practice in complex areas of counselling and psychotherapy especially in respect to working with children and adolescents.
Based on the approach for the Integrative and Counselling Psychotherapy course, our integrative approach, is at the forefront of counselling and psychotherapy theory, practice and research. It incorporates aspects from three main therapeutic traditions; person-centred, attachment-based and psychodynamic. You will be encouraged to explore psychological processes and experiences from these different perspectives, and recognise the theoretical, personal and cultural assumptions which influence your work.
This programme includes a focus on both child centred (based on Carl Roger’s person centred approach) and psychodynamic perspectives and integrates these within a framework for understanding psychological and mental growth. Throughout the programme, you will develop a high level of awareness of self and the demands of the therapeutic process. This will be achieved through your own personal therapy and via small group clinical supervision that runs parallel to the practice placements.
You will be taught by leading experts in the field who lead on cutting-edge research projects and who have excellent links to school based counselling and child and adolescent psychopathology underpinned by our research centres CREST – Centre for Research in Social & Psychological Transformations CARICAW- Centre for Applied Research & assessment in Child and Adolescent Wellbeing.
As well as cognitive and reflective skills, you will also learn practical ways of working with your clients in a therapeutic relationship to address conscious and unconscious needs and produce a change in emotional and cognitive processes and behaviour. This involves integrating complex and advanced skills, and responding creatively to complex, novel and unpredictable situations.
How do socialisation contexts influence the development of children and adolescents?
Why is it that young males in particular tend to get involved in crime? Is it because they have the "wrong" friends? Were they not socialised properly? Is it due to dispositional factors? Are there hereditary factors at work?
From the day a child is born, his family and the culture in which he’s raised have a huge impact on his socioemotional development and psychological adjustment. As he grows up, his school and networks of friends and peers become more and more influential in his development. The two-year Master’s programme in Development and Socialisation in Childhood and Adolescence (DaSCA) gives you the theoretical and methodological background to analyse this development.
The programme focuses on both normal and abnormal development processes. Explicit attention is given to the study of interventions and risk factors in children’s and adolescent’s cognitive and social-emotional development and adjustment. Working through the course topics, you’ll address questions such as:
This Master’s programme combines advanced coursework with the development of hands-on skills.
The programme is recognised as a high quality programme and has been awarded high ratings in the past years by established rankings in the Netherlands.
All courses and communications are in English. The programme is designed to allow you to practice advanced English communication skills while gaining an international perspective on topics related to development and socialisation. Some of the lecturers are from abroad (US, Belgium, Croatia, and Finland) or hold positions abroad (UK), and the programme attracts a number of international students. You will also have the opportunity to visit English-speaking conferences held in the Netherlands that are organised by the participating research groups.
The Master’s programme in Development and Socialisation in Childhood and Adolescence is designed as preparation for a PhD position. By starting the programme with the foundation of a Bachelor’s degree in (developmental) psychology, pedagogy, or interdisciplinary social sciences, you’ll develop into a qualified researcher with excellent job perspectives. The programme is strongly driven by research, and your lecturers and supervisors will be members of the four interdisciplinary research groups in the research priority Child and Adolescent Studies (CAS).
Do you wish to pursue a professional career as a researcher outside of a university environment? This programme provides training for that as well.
Clinical work
For students who are, in addition to research, also interested in clinical work, there is a possibility to follow a clinical track within DaSCA. As an important part of the clinical track involves a clinical internship, this track is only open for the students with a suitable BA programme (i.e., containing courses on psychopathology, diagnostic assessment, interventions, and clinical skills). After following the clinical track, Dutch students can obtain the Dutch clinical starting qualification: registration as ‘basis orthopedagoog’, basic entry psychodiagnostics (BAPD) and entry requirements for further education as Health psychologist (GZ psycholoog).
International students should be aware that for a large majority of the clinical internship places, command of the Dutch language is required. We are willing to work together with you on a creative solution (such as a clinical internship in your own or in a English speaking country, Dutch international school etc.), but at this moment we cannot offer any guarantees that suitable places and qualified supervision for such clinical internships can be found.
Join one of our 16 International English-language Master’s programs at the University of Haifa
