Master of Science (M.S.) in Human Development

Provides advanced training in the fundamentals of professional practice in agencies serving children, families, individuals with disabilities and more

A graduate seminar class meets in Merrill Hall.

Note: We are not accepting new applications for the M.S. in Human Development at this time. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Program overview

The Master of Science (M.S.) in Human Development at the University of Maine is designed to provide advanced training, with special emphasis on child development and family relations. The curriculum is designed to:

  • Train students in the fundamentals of professional practice in agencies serving children, adolescents, adults and families
  • Provide students with advanced content in one or more research areas (e.g., early childhood, human sexuality, family relationships)
  • Provide students with internship opportunities in human service programs or in applied research mentored by a faculty member

The M.S. in Human Development requires a minimum of 30 credit hours:

  • Six core courses (18 credits): Fundamentals of Human Development; Professional Practices; Program Planning and Evaluation; Legislation and Policy; Grant Development; and Research Methods
  • Two electives (6 credits)
  • Internship in human development (6 credits)

The internship entails high-quality, professional placement with an agency or work on a research project with a faculty member in human development.

  • Option A: HUD 601 Leadership in an Agency. This option is for students with an interest in a variety of career settings, including federal, state or local governments, and public or private agencies that directly service the needs of children, adolescents, adults or families. In addition to the formal course requirements, students complete a 300-hour internship in a public or private agency in their last semester. If currently employed in the human development field, the employer would need to add new leadership responsibilities to the position.
  • Option B: HUD 699 Thesis/Applied Research. This option is for students with an interest in pursuing a doctoral degree (typically in human development and family studies) or those otherwise interested in a career in research. In addition to the formal course requirements, students complete a project based on original research supervised by a faculty member. By the end of the project, students will complete a research article suitable for submission to an academic journal. Students in this option are encouraged to take one class in statistics or qualitative research design.
Sample Program of Study Form

Faculty

Daniel Puhlman, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Family Studies
Julie DellaMattera, Ed.D., Associate Professor of Early Childhood Development and Education
Renate Klein, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Human Development and Family Studies

The program is designed for those interested in leadership positions in the human development field, such as center director, program coordinator, director of services, case manager or project manager.

Our curriculum is designed to help our graduates achieve the following skills and professional standards:

  • Support the fundamentals of professional practice in agencies serving children, adolescents, adults and families
  • Examine and work respectfully with diverse cultural perspectives, knowledge-systems and priorities
  • Explore and interpret current research for continuing professional knowledge and practice
  • Use research in an advanced content area (e.g., early childhood, family relationships)
  • Design and complete an internship plan in a human service program or in applied research mentored by a faculty member

For current information about tuition and fees, please visit the Bursar’s office.

We are not currently accepting applications for this program. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Applications are processed through the University of Maine Graduate School on a rolling basis for fall admission. It is recommended that you complete your application by June for the fall start date. However, applicants wishing to be considered for nomination for assistantships and fellowships should have a completed application on file by Jan. 15. A limited number of graduate assistantships are available on a competitive basis each year.

Applicants are evaluated on a number of criteria, including undergraduate GPA, letters of recommendation and matching program interests.

Contact Us

For general queries, use the form below to contact the University of Maine Graduate School. For all other questions, email coehd@maine.edu.

UMaine Graduate school Contact form