Master of Science (MS) in Psychology

Harold Abel School of Psychology

Child and Adolescent Development specialization

Take advantage of this unique online opportunity to advance your skills and position yourself for leadership in organizations and professions serving children and adolescents. Capella offers the only master's specialization in Child and Adolescent Development available from an online, regionally accredited university. The curriculum is designed to provide you with the knowledge, theory, and best practices needed to promote and support the development of children and adolescents. Courses cover such topics as prenatal, child, and adolescent development; familial, societal, and cultural influences; psychological and educational measurement theory; and research methodology. People likely to be interested in this specialization include professionals working in social services, health care, government, and education who wish to pursue leadership positions in organizations that serve children and adolescents.

Licensure Information: For detailed information about obtaining professional licensure, please see our licensure FAQ.

Note: This specialization may be a good first step for those who wish to pursue a PsyD or PhD, which is generally required for licensure as a counseling psychologist.

Core Courses (each course 5 quarter credits unless noted)

• PSY5002 - Orientation to Graduate Learning in Psychology
• PSY7210 - Lifespan Development
• PSY7411 - Learning Theories in Psychology
• PSY7543 - Ethics and Multicultural Issues in Psychology*
• PSY7610 - Tests and Measurements
• PSY7620 - Inferential Statistics
• PSY7650 - Research Methods

Specialization Courses (each course 5 quarter credits unless noted)

• PSY6010 - Human Prenatal Development
• PSY6020 - Topics in Child and Adolescent Development*
• PSY7220 - Child Psychology
• PSY7230 - Adolescent Psychology
• PSY5201 - Integrative Project for Master's Degree in Psychology*

One Elective Course

• Choose any graduate course.

Courses without a PSY designation may be worth fewer than five quarter credits. Learners must carefully plan their elective courses to ensure that total credit requirements for the degree are met. Special topics courses in the Harold Abel School of Psychology can be used as an option to complete the total required credits needed for graduation.

Learn more about our related specializations:

PsyD

• Clinical Studies

Master's degree

• Clinical Psychology
• Marital, Couple, and Family Counseling/Therapy
• Mental Health Counseling

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