School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences
Master of Science Program in Human Development and Early Childhood Disorders
Objectives
The Master of Science program in Human Development and Early Childhood Disorders is designed for students with professional interests in early child development and disorders. The curriculum offers a strong foundation in the normative path of physical, cognitive, and social development, which is combined with specialized training in assessment and intervention strategies for working with young children who show potential delays to promote optimal development.
Upon successful completion of the program students will be prepared to support children and their families with the following skills.
- Utilize knowledge about typical and atypical child development across domains including sensorimotor, cognitive, linguistic, and socioemotional.
- Administer and interpret developmental assessment tools to plan and implement appropriate intervention services.
- Apply principles of ethical professional practice, including the use of reflective supervision, to increase self-awareness when working with children and their families.
- Critically evaluate research evidence to promote best practices in intervention and work with families.
Coursework is combined with practical experience in a variety of clinical and educational settings, both on campus and in the community. Graduates of the program are ready to work as part of a multi- or transdisciplinary team as Early Intervention Specialists, Developmental Specialists or other similar positions with infants, young children and their families in early childhood intervention programs, medical/therapy clinics and preschools. Graduates with one additional year of work experience typically qualify for Level 2 Infant Mental Health Endorsement by First3Years (formerly the Texas Association for Infant Mental Health).
Facilities
The principal sites for the academic activities of the Human Development and Early Childhood Disorders program are located at UT Dallas and the Callier Center for Communication Disorders on the main campus in Richardson and on the campus of the UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. Facilities include research and observational laboratories, including settings dedicated to infant and child assessment. The Callier Center on both the main campus in Richardson and the medical center campus offer a number of educational and clinical programs serving young children, including the Preschool Language Development Program held at Callier-Richardson. Various community programs and settings throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex provide essential educational and clinical environments for training in Human Development and Early Childhood Disorders. Practicum and internship placements, both on campus and in the community, provide supervised fieldwork experiences with young children with special needs and their families.
Admission Requirements
The University's general admission requirements are discussed on the Graduate Admission page.
The Human Development and Early Childhood Disorders program is designed for students with backgrounds in psychology, special education, early childhood education, social work, and communication disorders. Students from other disciplines who have relevant experiences and interests are also encouraged to apply. Those from other fields are generally not required to take leveling courses.
Admission to the Human Development and Early Childhood Disorders program is based on a review of the applicant's GPA (grade point average), GRE scores, letters of recommendation, and narrative description of interests, relevant experiences, and career goals.
Degree Requirements
The University's general degree requirements are discussed on the Graduate Policies and Procedures page.
The plan of study includes a set of required foundational courses, elective course options, and supervised practical experience in applied settings designed to prepare students to work with children and their families.
Participation in on- and off-campus practicum and internship requires that students meet the health and safety requirements of the program or facility. This typically includes a criminal background check, health and drug testing, and specific immunizations. Students excluded from on- or off-campus sites for any reason may be unable to complete all degree requirements.
Master of Science in Human Development and Early Childhood Disorders
39 semester credit hours
The Master of Science program requires a minimum of 39 semester credit hours. Specific degree requirements follow.
Faculty
Professors: Margaret Tresch Owen, Pamela R. Rollins, Melanie J. Spence
Associate Professor: Meridith Grant, Shayla C. Holub
Assistant Professor: Zlata Stankovic-Ramirez
UT Dallas Affiliated Faculty: Mandy J. Maguire, Candice M. Mills, Jackie Nelson, Noah J. Sasson, Andrea Warner-Czyz
Required Major Core Courses: 21 semester credit hours
HDCD 6312 Atypical Development
HDCD 6315 Assessment Theory
HDCD 6316 Developmental Assessment
HDCD 6319 The Developing Child: Infants and Toddlers
HDCD 6320 The Developing Child: Toddler and Preschool Years (Two to Five Years)
HDCD 6370 Intervention with Young Children
HDCD 6390 Infant Mental Health
Practicum: 3 semester credit hours
HDCD 6V20 Practicum/Internship in Early Childhood Disorders
Internship: 6 semester credit hours
HDCD 6V20 Practicum/Internship in Early Childhood Disorders
Electives: 9 semester credit hours
COMD 6307 Language Acquisition
COMD 7V62 Seminar in Autism
HCS 6331 Cognitive Development
HCS 6350 Social Development
HDCD 7382 Health Psychology
HDCD 6310 Working with Parents and Caregivers
HDCD 6330 Families and Culture
HDCD 6335 Intervention Paradigms
HDCD 6351 Play Matters
HDCD 6355 Family Outreach and Assessment
HDCD 6360 Behavior Management
HDCD 6365 Social Communication in Early Childhood Disorders
or COMD 7336 Social Communication in Early Childhood Disorders
HDCD 6385 Child Psychopathology
HDCD 6395 Medical and Biobehavioral Factors in Early Childhood Disorders
HDCD 6V81 Special Topics in Human Development and Early Childhood Disorders
HDCD 7V80 Independent Research
HDCD 7V98 Independent Study