Mission Statement

The Department has three related missions:

Research

The research mission is to expand knowledge about human development, through both basic and applied research. In addition, we seek to make effective use of that knowledge in key practical arenas, especially education. HDAP faculty and students conduct research on many topics, including:

• child development in social-cognitive and socioemotional domains
• the application of developmental research to education
• the investigation of normal and atypical development, including developmental psychopathology and strategies for dealing with the full diversity of human development
• the potential use of modern technologies to support optimal human development
• quantitative research methods for studying human development and education

Graduate Education

We are committed to shaping the next generation of researchers, scholars, and practitioners within the field of human development. There are three graduate programs in the department:

1. Developmental Psychology and Education (DPE). This program offers graduate degrees (M.A., Ph.D., M.Ed., Ed.D.) for study in areas such as typical and atypical cognitive, social, and emotional development, the impact of culture, family and social relationships on development, applied cognitive science, early childhood development and education, special education, adaptive instruction, psychometrics and applied statistics.

2. Child Study and Education (CSE). This teacher education program has a strong focus on child development and is located at the Institute of Child Study on Walmer Road (a short walk from the main OISE building). Students graduate with an M.A. after completing a two-year program.

3. School and Clinical Child Psychology (SCCP). This program is accredited by the American Psychological Association. It is based on a scientist-practitioner model and offers degrees at the M.A. and Ph.D. levels. Graduates are prepared to receive Certification as a Psychological Associate or Psychologist in the fields of school and clinical child psychology

Professional Development

We are committed to the development of highly trained professionals with a strong human development background in the fields of teaching and school and clinical child psychology. In teacher education, the department offers the Child Study and Education M.A that leads to teacher certification in Ontario. It also contributes to the preservice teacher education program through courses in developmental and educational psychology. Graduates of the School and Clinical Child Psychology program offer assessment and intervention for children in educational and other facilities.

HDAP is able to realize the three related missions because of its people. HDAP faculty members constitute the strongest concentration of developmental psychologists in a single department in Canada. The department benefits from their wide-ranging interests and active research programs. In addition, other University of Toronto faculty members are cross-appointed to HDAP. The department is also home to a diverse group of students, and plays host to visiting researchers from around the world. HDAP is fortunate to have a team of excellent support staff who work closely with faculty, students, and visiting researchers.