Master of Education in Developmental Psychology & Education
Master of Education in Developmental Psychology & Education Overview
In the Masters of Education Developmental Psychology and Education program, Students have an opportunity to construct an overall perspective on developmental psychology and human development and their implications for practice with children in educational and other applied settings.
The Master of Education (MEd) program is designed for the reflective practitioner in developmental psychology education or other fields. This is a degree primarily designed for those working in applied settings and it does not require a research thesis.
Students take foundation courses in human development and research methodology. Elective courses cover a range of areas including cognitive, social, and emotional development; cognition and instruction (language, literacy, and mathematics); special education and adaptive instruction; program evaluation and mental health; advanced research methodology and evaluation; and early childhood policy and programs, including child care.
For detailed information about the program, please consult the School of Graduate Studies Calendar.
At a Glance
Study Options
Full-time (4 sessions)
Part-time (10 sessions)
Coursework
Funding and Tuition
For current information about tuition fees, funding, and financial support, visit Tuition & Financial Support.
Deadlines
Applications are now open for a Fall 2025 start.
More information on Application Deadlines and Closing Dates.
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Why I Chose Applied Psychology & Human Development
Chelsi Major (Master of Education 2018)
MEd, Developmental Psychology and Education
"My biggest-take away was the importance of building professional connections and establishing mentor relationships. During my time at OISE, I was able to explore different avenues of research with experts in the field."
Master of Education in Developmental Psychology & Education Admission Requirements
General Admission Requirements
Please visit the OISE Admissions website for detailed information about the application process, including general minimum admission requirements and supporting documents.
Program-Specific Information (Minimum Admission Requirements)
Minimum admission requirements for this program are:
- An appropriate honours bachelor’s degree (4-year) in psychology or equivalent with standing equivalent to a University of Toronto mid-B or better in the final year or over senior courses.
- English Language Proficiency (if required)
- Please see the SGS calendar for more details.
We encourage equity-seeking groups to identify themselves in their application.
Required Supporting Documents
All applicants must submit:
- Transcript(s) from each post-secondary institution attended
- Two letters of reference (one academic and one professional)
- A résumé that provides clear and complete information about the applicant's work or field experience related to their proposed studies
- Applicants are asked to answer questions explaining your experiences and how they relate to the program during the application submission process.
- View FAQ for other important application notes.
Additional Program Information
Coursework
Students must complete 5.0 full-course equivalents (FCEs), or 10 half courses as follows:
- APD1200H Foundations of Human Development and Education (0.5 FCE).
- APD2293H Interpretation of Educational Research (0.5 FCE).
- 2.0 additional FCEs (4 half courses) must be selected from the department electives list located on the Applied Psychology and Human Development program guidelines.
- The remaining 2.0 elective FCEs (4 half courses) may be taken from within or outside the department. Elective courses must be chosen in consultation with the student's faculty advisor. Students are asked to meet with their faculty advisor in the first session of their program.
Did you know you can choose your electives based on certain areas within DPE?
- Mental Health & Education
- Education & Special Education
- Mind, Brain, Development and Research in APHD
A list of the departmental electives available for students in the DPE MEd program.
Course Exemptions:
All course exemptions requests must be pre-approved from a DPE MEd Faculty Advisor. Once a course exemption has been approved by a DPE MEd Faculty Advisor and after the replacement course(s) is/are complete, students must fill in a course exemption form. This course exemption form should be forwarded to their DPE MEd Faculty Advisor for review and signature before it is submitted to the ROSE for final approval and processing.
| COURSE CODE | COURSE TITLE |
|---|---|
| APD1205H* | Ethical Issues in Applied Psychology |
| APD1206H (formerly APD5012H) | Mind, Brain, and Instruction |
| APD1207H | Counselling Topics in Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Diversity |
| APD1210HY | Research Practicum (RM) |
| APD1211H | Psychological Foundations of Early Development and Education |
| APD1212H (formerly APD5021H) | Basics to Program Evaluation in Social Sciences |
| APD1213H (formerly APD5001H) | Psychology and Education of Children and Adolescents with ADHD |
| APD1217H | Foundations of Proactive Behavioural and Cognitive-Behavioural Intervention in Children |
| APD1222H | Approaches to Psychotherapy-Lifespan |
| APD1229H (formerly APD5040H) | Fostering Black Mental Health from Childhood to Emerging Adulthood through Anti-Racist Practices |
| APD1230H (formerly APD5008H) | Well-Being & Education |
| APD1231H (formerly APD5018H) | Mindful Self-Compassion for Educators |
| APD1233H | Cognitive Development and Applications |
| APD1235H (formerly APD5017H) | Technology, Play, and Social Media in Adolescence |
| APD1236H | Developmental Psychopathology |
| APD1249H | Social-Emotional Development and Applications |
| APD1250H | Program Evaluation Practicum |
| APD1251H | Reading in a Second Language |
| APD1256H | Child Abuse: Intervention and Prevention |
| APD1257H (formerly APD5010H) | Child Development & Personal History |
| APD1260H* | Family Therapy |
| APD1271H | Perspectives of Executive Functions in Education: From Theory to Practice |
| APD1272H | Play and Education |
| APD1273H (formerly APD5024H) | Psychology & Education of Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder |
| APD1274H (formerly APD5020H) | Learning to Learn: Bridging Theory and Practice |
| APD1276H (formerly APD5034H) | Maximizing Learning: Understanding How Individuals and Groups Learn Best |
| APD1279H | Preventative Interventions for Children at Risk |
| APD1280H | Symbolic Development and Learning |
| APD1281H (APD2280H if completed prior to 2019) | Education Exceptionalities, Special Education, and Adaptive Instruction |
| APD1285H | Psychology and Education of Children and Adolescents with Learning Disabilities |
| APD1286H | Foundations of Literacy Development for School Age Children |
| APD1290H | Indigenous Healing in Counselling & Psychoeducation |
| APD1291H* | Addictive Behaviors: Approaches to Assessment and Intervention |
| APD1292H | Instrument Design and Analysis |
| APD1294H | Technology, Psychology, and Play |
| APD1295H | Adolescent Mental Health: An Examination of Risk and Resilience |
| APD1296H | Assessing School-Aged Language Learners |
| APD1297H | Mental Health in the Classroom: How to Help Our Most Vulnerable |
| APD1298H | Imagination, Reasoning and Learning |
| APD1299H | Language Acquisition and Development in Early Childhood |
| APD2252H | Individual Reading and Research in Human Development and Applied Psychology - Master's Level |
| APD2275H | Technology for Adaptive Instruction and Special Education |
| APD2296H | Reading and Writing Difficulties |
| APD3201H | Qualitative Research Methods in Human Development and Applied Psychology [RM] |
| APD3202H* | A Foundation of Program Evaluation in Social Sciences (Research Methods) |
| APD3204H* | Contemporary History and Systems in Human Development and Applied Psychology |
| APD3209H* (formerly APD5044H) | Applied Machine Learning (RM) |
| APD3305H* | Systems and Organizational Change |
| APD3221H* | Cross-cultural Perspectives on Children's Problems |
| APD3286H* | Developmental Neuropsychology |
| JOI1287H | Introduction to Applied Statistics (RM) |
| JOI1288H | Intermediate Statistics and Research Design (RM) |
| JOI3228H | Mixed Methods Research Design in Social Sciences (RM) |
| Special Topics Courses. These courses count as DPE MEd Department Electives but may not be offered frequently. Please check course schedules for offerings. | |
| APD5013H | Special Topics: Master’s Level Teaching English Language Learners |
| APD5022H | Special Topics: Masters Level Math Learning and Teaching in the Early School Years |
| APD5023H | Special Topics: Masters Level Teaching in the 21st Century: Diversity, Technology, and Professional Identity |
| APD5026H | Special Topics: Masters Level Motivation and Its Role in Learning |
| APD5027H* | Special Topics: Masters Level All My Relations: Indigenous Social and Relational Theories in Education and Applied Psychology |
| APD5029H | Special Topics: Masters Level Response to Intervention |
| APD1258H (formerly APD5035H) | Spatial Thinking and STEAM Education |
| APD5036H | Special Topics: Masters Level Online Pedagogy in Practice |
| APD5038H | Special Topics: Personality Development and Education |
| APD5039H | Special Topics: Privilege, Power, and Oppression: Implications for Psychology and Education |
| APD5041H | Special Topics: Multiliteracies: Teaching and Learning in the 21st Century |
| APD5043H | Special Topics: Neuroscience of Reading and Reading Disorders |
| APD5046H | Special Topics in Applied Psychology and Human Development: Master's Level Exploring AI and its Implementation in Education |
| APD5047H | Special Topics in Applied Psychology and Human Development: Master's Level Cultivating Natural Curiosity in Environmental Education with Elementary Students |
| APD5048H | Special Topics in Applied Psychology and Human Development: Master's Level Creating Accessible & Neurodiversity-Affirming Classrooms |
| APD6006H* | Special Topics: Doctoral Level Influencing Organizational and System Change |
For course descriptions and schedules, please see the OISE Bulletin and the OISE Registrar's Office Course Information and Schedules.
*These courses require permission of instructor for enrolment by DPE MEd students.
Learn about the Research Practicum Course (APD1210HY)
Learn about the Academic & Language Foundations Course APD1274H (formally APD5020H).
DPE MEd students will be able to choose the Program Evaluation Emphasis. The Program Evaluation (PE) emphasis will encourage an exploration of program evaluation used in education, psychology, and social sciences. PE is a systematic analysis of the process, effectiveness, and outcomes of programs.
Is there a date to start this program for the winter term?
No, the DPE MEd program only starts in the Fall term, there’s no winter start date.
Is there a part-time option for this program?
Yes, students can choose part-time or full-time registration status and choose maximum course load based on your registration status. See OISE Office of the Registrar and Student Services for maximum course load.
How do students gain supervisors?
The DPE MEd program is a non-thesis degree so you do not have a supervisor that you work one on one with. Instead you have a Faculty Advisor that you can speak with if you have questions regarding program requirements, course selection etc.
Do you need to have a degree in Psychology?
No, the minimum admission requirements for this program is an appropriate honours bachelor’s degree (4-year) in psychology or equivalent with standing equivalent to a University of Toronto mid-B or better in the final year or over senior courses.
If unable to provide an academic reference, would two professional ones work instead?
While a minimum of two letters of reference – one academic and one professional – should be included in your application, sometimes applicants experience difficulty obtaining a letter of reference. For example, if you graduated many years ago and have since not been active in an academic setting you may be unable to call upon a university instructor with whom you studied. You're strongly encouraged to obtain one academic and one professional letter of reference, but you may submit an alternative combination such as two reference letters from a professional source. Tip: for two professional letters direct the most suitable referee to include comments pertaining to your intellectual abilities and potential.
Is the MEd for teachers only?
No, you do not need be a certified teacher to apply. We have many of our students who do not have a teaching degree applying to the DPE MEd program.
How does the funding work for the MEd program?
The DPE MEd program is a non-funded degree. You pay your registration based on the registration status you choose; either full-time or part-time registration.
Can you switch to PT or FT half way?
Yes, you can request to change your registration status from PT to FT or FT to PT. You must contact your Registration Specialist in the OISE Office of the Registrar and Student Services and make the request to change your registration status. Please keep in mind that changing your registration status will affect your registration fees; contact your Registration Specialist of details: oise.registration@utoronto.ca.
What is considered PT course load and what is the approximate length of time it would take to take this program part-time, if full-time is 1.5 years. DPE MEd Program Length 4 sessions full-time (typical registration sequence: F/W/S/F); 10 sessions part-time.
Program Chair: Dr. Anne-Claude Bedard & Dr. Michel Ferrari
Program Faculty: Dr. Esther Geva; Dr. Angela Pyle; Dr. Chloe Hamza; Dr. Eunice Jang; Dr. Kaja Jasinska; Dr. Feng Ji; Dr. Lisa Dack; Dr. Michel Ferrari; Dr. Patricia Ganea; Dr. Zachary Hawes; Dr. Alexandra Makos; Dr. Rhonda Martinussen; Dr. Michal Perlman; Dr. Tracy Solomon; Dr. Richard Volpe; Dr. Mahshid Azimi-Bolourian; Dr. Kang Lee; Dr. Anne-Claude Bedard; Dr. Linda Iwenofu; Dr. Earl Woodruff; Dr. Cynthia Waugh; Dr. Becky Chen; Dr. Mark Wade; Dr. Jennifer Jenkins, Dr. Todd Cunningham; Dr. Steven Katz; Dr. Yiola Cleovoulou
Questions? Please email us at oise.aphd@utoronto.ca
Program Coordinator:
Anna Mullatagirov
anna.mullatagirov@utoronto.ca
Ready to join one of the world’s top universities?
Take the next step in your academic journey and start your application to graduate studies at OISE.
