1. MA Program in Child Development
Application Information Session

2. Overview MA Program in Child Development Applying to the MA Program
What it is and what it isn’t
Career paths
Applying to the MA Program
Questions – Contact information

3. MA Program in Child Development
NOT a license, certificate, or credential program
Advanced education in child development to prepare for multiple career pathways
Many students do complete a teaching credential simultaneously
It is important to be aware when applying for our program, that the MA in Child Development is not a credential or license qualifying graduates for a specific career. Instead, the program provides a broad foundation of advanced knowledge and skills that can be applied to many different careers for people with many different professional interests.

4. Career Pathways with MA in Child Development
Leadership positions in diverse agencies serving children and families
Supervisor, manager, director
Research analyst, program officer
Preparation for Ph.D. programs
Compatible with many career paths
Child Life Specialist (hospitalized child)
Concurrent elementary credential, early childhood special education credential
Family Life Education
Teaching at Community College level
Students in our graduate program have many different professional backgrounds and goals. They may be interested in working directly with infants, preschoolers, or school-aged children or serving families in other capacities as administrators in a variety of different types of agencies.

5. Program of Study (2 years to MA)
Core courses focus on research and theories across the lifespan
Elective courses with advisor approval for individual career/education goals
Education, psychology, business, sociology, etc.
Fieldwork = a new professional experience advancing student’s individual career goals
Culminating activity
Comprehensive Examination, or
Thesis or Thesis Project
Our program is a small one, with generally incoming students each year. Students forming tight-knit and supportive communities, and enjoy excellent access to our department’s multi-disciplinary faculty.
Students take the core courses together as a cohort, and these focus heavily on theory and research in developmental science. The graduate courses are offered in the evening.
In addition to the broad foundation offered by the core courses, students individualize their program to meet their own educational and professional goals by selecting elective classes, engaging in a relevant fieldwork experience, and selecting the topic of their thesis or thesis project if they elect to do one.

6. Prerequisites
Students with bachelor’s degree in Child/Human Development or closely related field do not need to complete prerequisites
Students with other bachelor’s degrees should contact the Graduate Advisor to identify which pre-requisite courses may be needed
Students do NOT need to complete pre-requisites before applying to the MA program
For students who did not major in a field providing a strong background in developmental science, they may take a series of pre-requisite courses to prepare them for graduate-level study in this area. However, they may apply for and be accepted into the program before taking the pre-requisites.

7. Admission Process
GPA at least 2.85 in last 60 semester units or 90 quarter units(final 2 years)
Application due February 15
Apply to the university using Cal State Apply (calstate.edu/apply)
Apply to MA Program in Child Development by mail or in person
Applications are reviewed at the department level during Spring semester and acceptance letters sent out usually in May
Accepted students return a letter of commitment to the department, and pay a deposit to the university
Applicants must meet the admission GPA requirement of 2.85 in the last 2 years of college courses. The reason for this is that once in the Master’s program, all students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 in their graduate work. We want to make sure that students who are admitted to the program have demonstrated the capacity to succeed academically in the more-demanding graduate program.

8. Department Application
Download and print out paper application
2 letters of recommendation
At least one from a professor
Recommenders should be able to comment on your potential for success in graduate study
Response forms are part of the application
2 essays
Personal Statement
Response to Essay Prompt
When preparing your application, be aware that the admissions committee will be using all pieces of the application to determine your fit with the program and your likelihood of succeeding academically in the program. We pay special attention to the writing skills demonstrated in the 2 required essays.
If you have concerns about certain parts of your academic history, we recommend that you address them in your personal statement, explaining why you believe you would be successful in graduate study at this point in your life. You may also ask the people writing your letters of recommendation to assert why they believe you are a strong candidate for graduate study.

9. Questions? Dr. Allison Sidle Fuligni Graduate Advisor 323-343-5841