MEd Youth Development: Degree Requirements
The MEd Youth Development degree is a two-year program (32 credits, at least 9 of which must be at the 500 level) that integrates theory, fieldwork and/or original research to prepare students to be advocates for and partners with youth in implementing high quality programs aimed at promoting positive developmental outcomes. The primary objectives of the program are to provide students with strong grounding in research and theory concerning the cognitive, social, emotional, moral and physical development of youth, as well as knowledge of contextual and institutional factors that lead to positive developmental outcomes for youth.
The program has two primary strands:
- an Applied Strand aimed at producing high quality professionals to work within the field of youth development
- a Thesis Strand aimed at providing students planning to seek doctoral degrees in Educational Psychology, as well as other fields, with preparatory training and background in developmental theory, research methods, and statistics
The curricular difference between these two strands lies in the Culminating Experience. Applied students do two semesters of fieldwork from which they build a professional practice portfolio. Students in the thesis strand spend their last two semesters conducting research and writing their thesis with a thesis advisor.
Advising Guides Heading link
Degree Requirements by Strand Heading link
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Developmental Theory Core (7 hours minimum)
Required:
- EPSY 517 Seminar in Urban Youth Development – 4 hours
Choose 1 course from the following:
- EPSY 420 Social Development of Urban Children – 3 or 4 hours
- EPSY 446 Characteristics of Early Adolescence – 3 hours
- EPSY 429 Constructivist Approaches to Development: Piaget & Vygotsky – 3 or 4 hours
- EPSY 525 Advanced Adolescent Development – 3 hours
- ED 421 Advanced Educational Psychology – 3 hours
- ED 422 Advanced Developmental Psychology and Educational Processes – 3 hours
- ED 445 Adolescence and the Schools – 3 hours
Research and Methodology Core (9 hours minimum)
Choose courses from the following:
- ED 501 Data and Interpretation in Educational Inquiry – 4 hours
- EPSY 509 Research Design in Education – 4 hours
- ED 502 Essentials of Qualitative Inquiry in Education – 4 hours
- EPSY 503 Essentials of Quantitative Inquiry in Education – 4 hours
- EPSY 560 Educational Program Evaluation – 4 hours
- EDPS 587 Topics in Documentary and Field Research – 4 hours
- EPSY 414 Developing Programs for Youth in Urban Contexts – 3 hours
- EPSY/SPED 582 Forging Collaborations with Family and Community – 3 hours
- EPSY 416 Systematic Approaches to Program Quality – 3 hours
- EDPS 480 Youth Culture Community Organizing and Education – 4 hours
- Other courses may be taken with adviser approval
Culminating Experience (7 hours minimum)
- EPSY 518 Introduction to Professional Practice in Urban Youth Development – 3 hours
- EPSY 528 Advanced Professional Practice in Urban Youth Development II – 4 hours
Specialization Electives (9 hours)
Your elective courses will be taken in consultation with your adviser. Only two of these courses can be independent study.
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Working With a Thesis Advisor
*Students in the thesis strand are admitted to work with a thesis advisor.
Developmental Theory Core (6 hours minimum)
Choose 2 courses from the following:
- EPSY 420 Social Development of Urban Children – 3 or 4 hours
- EPSY 446 Characteristics of Early Adolescence – 3 hours
- EPSY 429 Constructivist Approaches to Development: Piaget & Vygotsky – 3 or 4 hours
- EPSY 517 Seminar in Urban Youth Development – 4 hours
- EPSY 525 Advanced Adolescent Development – 3 hours
- ED 421 Advanced Educational Psychology – 3 hours
- ED 422 Advanced Developmental Psychology and Educational Processes – 3 hours
- ED 445 Adolescence and the Schools – 3 hours
Research and Methodology Core (12 hours minimum)
Required:
- EPSY 509 Research Design in Education – 4 hours
Choose 2 additional courses from the following list:
- ED 501 Data and Interpretation in Educational Inquiry – 4 hours
- ED 502 Essentials of Qualitative Inquiry in Education – 4 hours
- EPSY 503 Essentials of Quantitative Inquiry in Education – 4 hours
- EPSY 560 Educational Program Evaluation – 4 hours
- PS 587 Topics in Documentary and Field Research – 4 hours
- Other courses may be taken with adviser approval
Culminating Experience (5 hours minimum)
- EPSY 598 Master’s Thesis Research – 5 to 16 hours
Electives (9 hours)
Your elective courses will be taken in consultation with your adviser.