Developmental Psychology Concentration

The Ph.D. in psychology with a concentration in developmental psychology at VCU focuses on helping each student reach their own educational and career goals. Students take courses, conduct research, and engage with their communities of interest. All students must complete the Department of Psychology’s core curriculum, which has been designed to provide a solid foundation in psychology, along with the required developmental psychology concentration courses. In addition, students take a number of specialty and elective courses tailored to their own interests.

Graduate Handbook for Developmental Psychology [PDF] – In this document you can learn about developmental psychology's training philosophy and goals as well as the curriculum and requirements for the master’s and Ph.D. programs.

What does it mean to study developmental psychology?

Developmental psychology concentration faculty at VCU believe that to make the biggest impact on individual lives and communities, we need to understand behavior as it unfolds across time and across contexts. That means studying people as part of dynamic interactive systems that include families, peers, romantic partners, schools, neighborhoods, and the broader culture. The developmental concentration is less about what you study and more about how you study it. Our faculty study a wide range of developmental processes and outcomes in children, adolescents, young adults, and adults. We work collaboratively in labs, schools, neighborhoods, and communities. We embrace an innovative and interdisciplinary collaborative approach, and our basic and applied developmental science touches both local and international communities. Our passions are creating knowledge, developing people, and engaging communities in research that supports community goals.

Is the developmental psychology concentration right for you?

If you want to explore the unfolding of human behavior across time and across different environments, and want to engage in collaborative research that makes a difference—the Ph.D. in psychology with a concentration in developmental psychology at VCU is probably right for you! Earning a Ph.D. in psychology with a concentration in developmental psychology at VCU means forging your own path—working with clinical or community populations, conducting research in the lab or in applied settings, working in academia, government, industry, or school systems. If you are wondering where this degree can take you, check out where our fantastic alumni have landed. With a concentration in developmental psychology, your career path is limited only by your imagination; let us help you discover the possibilities!