Child Studies

The Child Studies program at Vanderbilt University offers a comprehensive interdisciplinary educationfocused on understanding child development, behavior, and well-being from diverse perspectives. Designed for students passionate about making a positive impact on children's lives, this program provides in-depth knowledge of developmental psychology, education, health, and social policy related to children and families. Students will explore critical issues such as cognitive development, emotional and social skills, family dynamics, and the influence of society and culture on childhood. The curriculum combines theoretical foundations with practical applications, preparing graduates for careers in education, social services, healthcare, research, and public policy. Through rigorous coursework, experiential learning opportunities, and engagement with community organizations, students gain essential skills in communication, leadership, and problem-solving. The program emphasizes ethical considerations and cultural sensitivity, fostering a deep understanding of diverse childhood experiences. Opportunities for research participation and internships enable students to apply their knowledge in real-world settings, gaining valuable insights and professional connections. Graduates of the Child Studies program will be equipped to advocate for children's rights and welfare, pursue advanced degrees, or enter fields dedicated to improving the lives of children and families. Vanderbilt University's supportive academic environment and access to leading faculty in child development and related disciplines ensure students receive a well-rounded, enriching education that prepares them for meaningful careers dedicated to understanding and supporting children across various contexts.

Applied Professional Track

For students whose academic and professional goals include preparation for careers working directly with children and families, this program option offers students opportunities for scholarly didactic and in-depth, supervised professional experiences in child and family service organizations. Students are matched with relevant agencies and organizations within the community to gain hands-on experiences in practicum settings. These experiences are complemented by foundational coursework, as students have flexibility to design their program of study around areas of scientific inquiry of substantive interest to them. The Applied Professional Track is ideally suited for students whose goal is to assume a professional role working directly with children, adolescents, and families.

Empirical Research Track

For students whose academic and professional goals include preparation for positions in research or further graduate study, such as doctoral studies in Clinical, Developmental, Educational, or Cognitive Psychology, this program is designed to strengthen students’ backgrounds for success in these settings and to provide experiences that complement that preparation. Students are matched with a faculty mentor and provided opportunities to participate on a research team in an area of substantive interest to them. Research methods and statistics coursework and completion of an independent research project appropriate for submission for publication are further requirements. The Empirical Research Track is well-suited for students whose interests include developing expertise in conducting developmental or clinical research and preparing for doctoral studies and eventual careers in academia, research, and other university and clinical settings.

Areas of Concentration

All students complete elective coursework according to the program guidelines and their individually tailored area of concentration. These are flexibly developed with program advisors based on students’ professional and academic goals. Note that some areas of concentration are interdepartmental and may have specific additional requirements as determined by the respective departments.

The following list is intended to serve as a resource for current and prospective students. It is not comprehensive of all possible options and does not restrict courses that can be taken.

Areas of Concentration may include:

Applied Professional Track:

• Applied Behavioral Analysis 
• Arts and Media 
• Child and Family Services 
• Developmental Disabilities and Early Intervention 
• Educational Program Development 
• Gifted Education 
• Language and Literacy 
• Pediatric Health Care 
• Poverty and Intervention 
• Youth Development and Non-Profit Organizations

Empirical Research Track:

• Clinical Psychology 
• Developmental Psychology 
• Educational Psychology

Pre-Requisite Coursework

Applicants to the M.Ed. program should have taken these courses or their equivalents during their undergraduate program or prior to application for the M.Ed. in Child Studies.

• PSY-PC 1250: Developmental Psychology, or equivalent (3)
• PSY-PC 2110: Introduction to Statistical Analysis, or equivalent (3)

Core Curriculum Coursework

All students are required to complete 12-18 credit hours of core curriculum classes. The exact sequence varies depending on the track selected. Graduate course requirements for Vanderbilt 5th year students and external Master's applicants are identical.

For students pursuing the Applied Professional Track, the requirements include the following 12 credit hours:

• PSY-PC 6010: Applied Child Studies (3)
• PSY-PC 6020: Advanced Applied Child Studies (3)
• PSY-PC 7950: Child Development Practicum (6)

For students pursuing the Empirical Research Track, the requirements include the following 18 credit hours:

• PSY-PC 6010: Applied Child Studies (3)
• PSY-PC 6020: Advanced Applied Child Studies (3)
• PSY-PC 7951: Child Development Practicum (6)
• PSY-PC 7850: Developmental Research Methods (3)
• PSY-GS 8861: Statistical Inference (3)

Elective Coursework

For students pursuing the Applied Professional Track, 12 elective credits must include selections from the following categories:

• Two Advanced Developmental Seminars (6) such as, but not limited to, the following:
  • PSY-GS 8400: Developmental Psychology (3)
  • PSY-PC 8600: Seminar in Social and Personality Development (3)
  • PSY-PC 7500: Developmental Theory and Practice (3)
  • EDUC 7500: Special Topics in Education - Cognitive Development and Learning
  • HOD 7120: Human Development and Prevention Science (3)
• Two advanced courses in Research Methodology or Statistics (6) such as, but not limited to, the following:
  • HOD 6200: Program Evaluation (3)
  • PSY-PC 7940: Directed Research in Child Studies (3-6)
  • LPO 7200: Grants, Policy, & Administration (3)
  • SPED 7810: Research Methods in Special Education (3)

An additional 12 credits are completed through individualized elective courses that are consistent with the student’s professional and academic goals. These may be selected according to individual interests and Areas of Concentration. Note that some areas of concentration have additional requirements.

For students pursuing the Empirical Research Track, 12 elective credits must include selections from the following categories:

• Two Advanced Developmental Seminars (6) such as, but not limited to, the following:
  • PSY-PC 8400: Developmental Psychology (3)
  • PSY-PC 8600: Seminar in Social and Personality Development (3)
  • PSY-PC 7500: Developmental Theory and Practice (3)
  • EDUC 7500: Special Topics in Education - Cognitive Development and Learning
  • HOD 7120: Human Development and Prevention Science (3)
  • PSY-GS 8420: Advanced Seminar in Clinical Psychology - Developmental Psychopathology (3)
• Two additional advanced courses in Research Methodology or Statistics (6) such as, but not limited to, the following:
  • PSY-GS 8864: Experimental Design (3)
  • PSY-GS 8870: Correlation and Regression (3)
  • PSY-GS 8876: Psychological Measurement (3)
  • PSY-GS 8882: Multilevel Modeling (3)
  • PSY-GS 8850: Advanced Seminar in Measurement Statistics and Evaluation (3)
  • PSY-PC 7940: Directed Research in Child Studies (3-6)

An additional 6 credits are completed through individualized elective courses that are consistent with the student’s professional and academic goals. These may be selected according to individual interests and Areas of Concentration.

Requirements

• Submitted online application. (There is no application fee.)
• Transcript(s) from prior undergraduate and graduate work. Please scan and attach your unofficial transcript(s), or a copy of your official transcript(s), to your application. Note: Unofficial transcripts are accepted for the application. We understand that requesting official transcripts can be expensive, so we only require official, sealed transcripts if you are admitted and enroll at Peabody College.
• Three (3) letters of recommendation. Recent graduates should have at least two letters of recommendation from college or university faculty with whom they have studied.
• Statement of purpose.
• Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are required for all Ph.D., Ed.D., M.Ed., and M.P.P. programs. The GRE must have been taken within the last 5 years and you must have an official score report sent directly from the testing agency. Our GRE institutional code is 1871 and there is no department code.
  • The Miller Analogies Test (MAT) may be submitted instead of the GRE for the M.Ed. programs in the department of Teaching and Learning and the Human Development Counseling program only. The MAT must have been taken within the last 5 years  and you must have an official score report sent directly from the testing agency. Our MAT institutional code is 2332.
• Scholarly writing sample (Special Education Ph.D. programs only)

Note: Other additional materials may be required by some programs.

International applicants:

International applicants must submit all of the above, plus the following:

• TOEFL or IELTS scores are required of all international applicants unless you have received a college degree from an institution in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, or from an English medium university in South Africa. An official score report sent directly from the testing agency is required. Our TOEFL institutional code is 1871 and there is no department code.  There is no institutional code for the IELTS.
• The transcript(s) your submit must have an English translation.
• Note: International students with degrees from non-U.S. institutions who are admitted and enroll at Vanderbilt are required to have their transcripts evaluated by an approved credentials evaluation agency and to have an official report sent by the agency to the Graduate Admissions Office. The World Education Services (WES) is the preferred agency used by Peabody College. A WES evaluation is not required for the application.
• All new international students at Peabody College are enrolled in the Vanderbilt English Language Center course, US Education Concepts and Communication, in their first semester to help them adapt to academic life at Peabody College. 

Scholarships

Every professional student applicant is considered for merit aid. There is no separate application to complete and students will be notified in their admissions letter if they have been awarded merit aid.

Peabody Honors Scholarship (PHS) 

The Peabody Honors Scholarship (PHS) is the most competitive and prestigious award a student can receive from Peabody College. It covers 75% of a student’s tuition for up to three years,depending on the requirements of the program, and provides exclusive access to specialized lectures and social events with faculty and academic deans. A recipient must be enrolled as a full-time student for each semester unless it is her/his final semester. A student must maintain a minimum 3.75 GPA in all coursework to retain the scholarship.

Dean's Tuition Scholarship (DTS) 

The Dean's Tuition Scholarship (DTS) is a competitive scholarship that recognizes high-achieving students who will greatly contribute to their program of study. This award covers 50% of a student’s tuition for up to three years, depending on the length of the program. Recipients may enroll as full or part time students. However, since there is a time limitation on the award, students will want to complete their program of study before the three year award expires. Continuous enrollment and good academic standing (minimum 3.0 GPA) are required for renewal of this award.

Scholastic Achievement Scholarship (SAS) 

The Scholastic Achievement Scholarship (SAS) is a competitive scholarship that recognizes high-achieving students who will greatly contribute to their program of study. This award covers 25% of a student’s tuition for up to three years,depending on the length of the program. Recipients may enroll as full or part time students. However, since there is a time limitation on the award, students will want to complete their program of study before the three year award expires. Continuous enrollment and good academic standing (minimum 3.0 GPA) are required for renewal of this award.

Iris Scholarship 

The Iris Scholarship is a competitive  one-year award only that recognizes academic achievement.  This award varies from $1,000 to $4,000 and is equally distributed between the fall and spring semesters of the first year only. A minimum GPA of 3.0 must be obtained in the fall semester for this award to continue in the spring semester. This award is not renewable.

Virginia Haynes Redfield Scholarship 

The Virginia Haynes Redfield Scholarship is a competitive one-year award onlythat recognizes academic achievement of underrepresented students.  This award varies from $1,000 to $4,000 and is equally distributed between the fall and spring semesters of the first year only. A minimum GPA of 3.0 must be obtained in the fall semester for this award to continue in the spring semester. This award is not renewable.

The Child Studies program at Vanderbilt University offers a comprehensive academic curriculum designed to explore the multifaceted aspects of child development, from infancy through adolescence. This interdisciplinary program combines courses in psychology, education, sociology, and health to provide students with a thorough understanding of how children grow, learn, and develop within diverse environments. Students in the Child Studies program are encouraged to examine developmental milestones, behavioral patterns, and social influences that impact childhood and adolescence. The program aims to prepare undergraduates for careers in education, social work, child advocacy, psychology, or further graduate studies in related fields.

Curriculum components include foundational courses in child development theories, research methods, and statistics, alongside specialized electives such as language development, family dynamics, and mental health. Practical experiential learning is incorporated through internships, research projects, and service learning opportunities, enabling students to apply theoretical knowledge in real-world settings. The program emphasizes diversity, equity, and inclusion, addressing issues such as socioeconomic disparities, cultural differences, and access to resources for children and families.

Students pursuing the major benefit from the university’s extensive network of research centers and community partnerships, which facilitate engagement with ongoing child-related research and service initiatives. Vanderbilt’s Child Studies program also offers opportunities for minors and combined degree options in related disciplines, fostering a multidisciplinary approach. Graduates of the program are equipped with critical skills in observational analysis, data collection, and ethical considerations when working with children and families. The program’s faculty are distinguished experts in child development, pediatric psychology, education, and social policy, providing mentorship and guidance for students’ academic and professional growth. Overall, Vanderbilt’s Child Studies program nurtures an understanding of all dimensions of childhood, preparing students to contribute meaningfully to the enhancement of children’s lives in various professional capacities.