Master of Science in Human Development - Family Studies

Individuals who want to learn how to manage and solve issues and concerns of how humans develop in organizations, educational institutions, and the community at large will find the Warner School master's degrees in human development a rewarding opportunity to pursue this expertise.
Our graduates have successfully secured positions as researcher coordinators, development specialists and human services agency employees in the areas of health and human services, public health, and community development agencies, as well as roles as consultants in nontraditional learning environments. In addition, many of our graduates use this as a stepping stone to continue their education, in pursuit of a diverse array of clinical and doctoral degrees.

Career opportunities
A diversity of career opportunities, inside and outside of academia, emerge from or can be complemented by the study of human development. Thanks to a cross-disciplinary approach, graduates of our master's in human development programs have emerged as thought leaders in educational, clinical, research, and community settings, well prepared to succeed in an array of roles and careers, including:
Working as a research coordinator or as part of a research team.
Serving as part of a team working to transform struggling communities.
Working as an educator or consultant in nontraditional educational settings, such as museums and libraries.
Working for community agencies and foundations supporting healthy communities and healthy human development.
Working as a program evaluator.
Graduates can also utilize their degree as a pathway to a doctoral degree, which has led to careers as teachers/scholars in higher education, researchers across related fields, thought leaders, and administrators in community and educational organizations that seek to improve the lives of people by fostering healthy human development.
Graduates can also successfully transition to clinical programs that complement the degree in human development, such as mental health counseling, social work, clinical or counseling psychology, or Applied Behavior Analysis. Our master's degree programs in human development have also provided a vehicle for international students, who are interested in becoming experts in emerging knowledge in the field of human development, to launch a diversity of career paths.

Program can be started in any semester and can be completed in only one year of full-time study, or two years of part-time study for those balancing work and study.

Applicants must have received a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution or equivalent by the time they enter the program at Warner, with the exception of those applying to early admission programs.
Applicants must have the ability to do graduate work at the University of Rochester, as demonstrated by their past academic performance and their academic writing skills.
Applicants must demonstrate sufficient communication and interpersonal skills to perform well in their chosen career in education.
Applicants career goals, professional interests, academic background, attitudes, and philosophy must be consistent with the programs offered by the Warner School and its stated mission.
Additional criteria may be established for individual programs.
Please scan and upload your transcripts to the online application. Official transcripts of all previous post-secondary education are required if admitted to the program.
Letters of recommendation from members of the academic community and/or workplace professionals who know your qualifications for graduate study are required. Preferably, at least one recommendation should be from a former professor. At least two letters are required for master's applicants and three for doctoral applicants. Letters of recommendation are managed on the online application.
A statement of purpose describing your academic or professional background and your interest in pursuing graduate study at Warner is required. The statement of purpose is generally between two and four pages, double-spaced. You can upload a file or cut and paste into the online application.
Current resume or curriculum vitae should be uploaded to the online application.
A writing sample. Upload your writing sample with your application. This must be written in English and may be a term paper from your earlier academic work, or a five- or six-page commentary on an issue in education that you have written for this purpose only. The paper should support an academic argument, reference citations, and use a research style sheet.
TOEFL or IELTS scores are required for international applicants who are non-native English speakers