丹佛科罗拉多大学和健康科学中心丹佛市区分校

The MA program in Learning, Developmental and Family Sciences (LDFS) prepares students to facilitate the teaching/learning process and to lead and work in community-based environments. Thus, many students pursue the degree to enhance their skills as professional classroom teachers or lead in the community. The degree also provides skills necessary for a variety of roles in educational and teaching settings or community environments where knowledge of learning, development, understanding family and community systems, motivation, and research is essential such as teaching at the community college and teaching-based colleges and universities levels, teaching adults, consulting, developing assessments, community-based leadership, and conducting program development and evaluation. Other students seek the MA as preparation for advanced study in educational psychology, family science and human development, research, or related fields.

Areas of Study

Two major areas of concentration are available- learning and human development and family relations:

Regardless of the concentration area selected, all students must demonstrate competence in Learning, Developmental and Family Sciences by successfully completing 30 semester hours of relevant course work;

Students complete a capstone experience, either an applied project or a master’s thesis in consultation with their faculty advisor based on the students’ professional and academic goals. Please see final capstone section for more details.

Learning

The concentration is committed to the systematic study of psychological, social, and cultural processes of learning and development, and design of environments that support learning and development, drawing upon multidisciplinary nature of work. The concentration examines learning in various formal and informal contexts (e.g., learning in classrooms, schools, centers, communities, homes) from multiple perspectives (e.g., psychological, sociocultural, design-based, neuroscience). Within the networks of professional and academic communities, students will engage in designing adaptive learning environments that facilitate optimal learning and developmental opportunities for participants in diverse educational and community contexts, including our unique urban context. The Learning concentration offers courses such as: Human Learning; Human Development Over the Life Span; Designing Environments for Learning and Development; Cognition and Instruction; Motivation in Contexts; Mind, Brain and Education; Advanced Child Growth and Development; and Social Contexts of Adolescence.

Human Development and Family Relations (HDFR)

Students will engage in developing their skills to work in and lead community-based organizations including, but not limited to secular, faith-based, for profit, nonprofit, school-based, and local, state, federal and international organizations. The importance of family diversity and social justice is stressed throughout the HDFR curriculum through its courses and experiences. Students can also develop their knowledge in family relations in preparation for doctorate studies in family science and human development or related areas.