PhD in Developmental Psychology and Education
Early Learning Cohort flexible-time option

Download PDF Version
Download PDF Flyer

Mission
The Department of Human Development and Applied Psychology is committed to providing a flexible-time PhD program that prepares graduates to provide world-class leadership and contributions to local, provincial, national and global practice, research, and policy in early learning. The program is designed to provide highly skilled and experienced practitioners and policy makers, as well as emerging leaders, with relevant, rigorous, and integrated leading edge training and experiences. This unique learning environment supports outstanding research on improved practice, policy and related inquiry in relevant areas of early learning.

Overview

This flexible-time option Cohort in Early Learning is based on the platform of the Developmental Psychology and Education (DPE) PhD degree in the Department of Human Development and Applied Psychology (HDAP) at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), University of Toronto.  This new Early Learning option allows working professionals to take part in a part time degree program, while building intellectual and social connections with a diverse and stimulating cohort of student colleagues and with faculty through face-to-face and on-line supports. 

The cohort model will encourage peer learning in tailored Early Learning Cohort seminar courses and in continuing opportunities for cohort meetings to discuss research and developing thesis work throughout the program.  It is expected that the collective expertise of the student cohort will be a major source of learning for both students and faculty in the program.

The program arrangements and course content are tailored to meet the special interests, talents and demanding lives of the cohort we hope to attract. However, the standard list of requirements and course options for the DPE PhD on the HDAP website provides an outline of the program (6 half courses-4 required and 2 electives, a thesis, and a "comprehensive"):

http://hdap.oise.utoronto.ca/Programs/Developmental_Psychology_Education/index.html

Additional details on the course requirements and scheduling, as tailored to the Early Learning cohort, are provided further below.

Admissions

Please note that the application deadline for admissions to the first Cohort (2010-2011) closed as of June 25, 2010, and the program commenced in the fall of 2010. There will be no admissions cycle for the 2011-2012 academic year. Please contact the Program Assistant & Liaison for details on future admissions cycles.

Admissions to the cohort will be based on the standards for the current DPE PhD, flexible-time option. Details are available via the website at:

http://hdap.oise.utoronto.ca/Programs/Developmental_Psychology_Education/Admission.html

Please note that applicants to the flexible-time Ph.D. should demonstrate that they are active professionals engaged in activities relevant to their proposed program of study

For details on the application process, please go to:

http://www.oise.utoronto.ca/ro/Graduate_Studies_In_Education/Applying_to_Graduate_Studies/index.html

Thesis Supervision.  Applicants accepted into the program will be assigned a faculty thesis supervisor as part of the offer of admission. Applicants are welcome to list faculty members they would like to work with and potential areas of research interest in their applications.  Choice of supervisor cannot be guaranteed but preferences and area of research, if noted in the application, will be taken into account.

Courses

In Year 1, the 2010-11 academic year, cohort students will take three Early Learning Cohort courses, one in fall (September 13-December 3), winter (January 3-April 1), and intersession terms (TBA). Courses will meet on Fridays and will combine face-to-face seminar meetings with an option to attend most classes at a distance via “flex mode” delivery. 

In Year 2, cohort students will normally take one Early Learning Cohort course and two elective courses to complete the 6-course requirement.   Students may choose to take one of the elective courses in Year 1, for example, during the summer term.  Some elective options will be available on-line.

Early Learning Cohort seminars will be taught by core faculty (Carl Corter, Charles Pascal, Janette Pelletier, Michal Perlman, & others).

Year 1 Courses

1. HDP 3238 Special Topics: Early Learning policy/practice/research– survey of issues and a case study approach to the implications of the report, With Our Best Future in Mind, for implementing Early Learning in Ontario. This seminar will be taught by core faculty.  Offered as the first course, in the fall term. There will be three one-day face-to-face “double” class meetings on Friday mornings and afternoons with one meeting on the first scheduled class day (September 17), one full day session tentatively scheduled two weeks later (October 1), and one full day session on the last scheduled class (December 3). The other six classes meet Friday mornings October to November.

2. HDP1211 Psychological Foundations of Early Development and Education -The science of child development applied to early learning practice and policy. This seminar will be taught by core faculty. Offered in the winter term. There will be one full-day face-to-face meeting at the beginning and end of the course (Winter term: January3-April 1).

3. HDP 3238 Special Topics:  Mixed/multi methods- Qualitative and Quantitative Methods in research.  The course will be taught by core faculty and/or others. There will be one full-day face-to-face meeting at the beginning and end of the course (dates tba).

Year 2  Courses

4. HDP 1209 Research Methods and Thesis Preparation- thesis planning and research proposal as an outcome. Instructor TBA.  Likely offered on Fridays every other week over the fall and winter terms, with possible face-to-face required meetings at beginning and end of course.

5. Elective. TBA.

6. Elective. TBA.

Orientation for the 2010 Cohort

A two-day informational and social orientation with students and faculty was held in August (evening of August 26^th and all day on the 27^th).

Additional information

For questions of academic nature, please contact Carl Corter, Academic Coordinator
for the Early Learning Cohort, at carl.corter@utoronto.ca.

For more information on applications, the admission process and requirements and technical questions not covered in the OISE/UT web pages listed above, please contact Lisa Chinchamie, HDAP Programs & Admissions Coordinator, at l.chinchamie@utoronto.ca.