Office: Lawrence Street Center, 701
Telephone: 303-315-6300
Fax: 303-315-6311
E-mail: education@ucdenver.edu
Website: www.ucdenver.edu/education

Faculty

Information about EDHD faculty is available online at www.ucdenver.edu/education.

Master’s Degree

The MA program in education and human development 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

Four major areas of concentration are available- learning, human development and family relations, research and evaluation, and assessment. Regardless of the concentration area selected, all students must:

• demonstrate competence in education and human development by successfully completing 30semester hours of relevant course work;
• complete a capstone experience either a practicum or a  master’s thesis in consultation with their faculty advisor based on the students’ professional and academic goals; and
• perform satisfactorily on a written comprehensive examination (excluding thesis students) (typically during the last term enrolled in regular courses). 

Learning

This program prepares students to apply research-based knowledge and to develop culturally relevant knowledge and skills that inform a wide range of practices and issues within the field of education and innovative learning environments. This program concentration provides opportunities for the student to develop an in-depth understanding about human learning across age groups, in formal and informal educational and community contexts. Courses will focus on the learning process including cognition, instructional design, motivation and developmentally appropriate practices to support learning for children, adolescents and adults within a sociocultural framework..

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.

The EDHD program does provide a pathway for MA students (HDFR and Learning areas) to pursue their PhD in EDHD with a Family Science and Human Development concentration. For more information please visit our School of Education and Human Development.

Students who complete the MA in EDHD with a  HDFR emphasis will also be eligible to complete the bilingual (Spanish) Family and Community Services concentration area in preparation to work with Spanish speaking families and communities. Advisor approval is required for this concentration. 

The HDFR area also provides classes to all School of Education and Human Development (SEHD) graduate programs, offering courses in family theories, family dynamics, and diverse family systems, Latino family, school and community systems, family resource management, leadership and organizations, grant writing and fund raising, program development and  other family relations based courses.

Research and Evaluation Methods (RSEM)

RSEM students will acquire skills necessary for a variety of roles that involve data driven decisions. Students who complete the MA will be better prepared to facilitate decision making based on evidence. Some students pursue the degree to enhance their skills as classroom teachers; others move out of the classroom and work in environments where information and data from different sources can be used to make informed decisions.

The RSEM area also provides classes to all education graduate programs, offering courses in research methods, evaluation, statistics, analysis, assessment, and measurement.

Assessment

This program concentration provides opportunities for you to develop an in-depth understanding about educational psychology as it relates to learning-related assessment. You’ll address issues in both classroom and large-scale assessment and focus on other forms of assessment, such as portfolios and performance assessments. You also may specialize in assessment in a content area like literacy or mathematics.