Program Location
Education Building
Start Term
Fall Semesters
Program Type
Thesis
Schedule
Full-Time
Credits
45 Credits
Average Duration
2 Years
Administered by
Educational & Counselling Psychology (ECP)
If you are interested in why and how human behaviour changes developmentally, consider gaining the research skills and knowledge in developmental science through the Master of Arts in Human Development. In this program, you will engage in research on individual differences in various developmental stages, and how these differences intersect with social contexts, such as school, family, and society. Researchers' expertise includes cognitive, language, social, and perceptual development, neurodiversity, and learning differences in different domains. This Master's program places strong emphasis on research mentorship and methodology, and the dissemination of research knowledge concerning human development.
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Full Program Details from the Course Catalogue
Educational Psychology (Thesis) (M.A.): Human Development (45 credits)
Offered by: Educational & Counselling Psych (Faculty of Education)
Degree: Master of Arts
Program credit weight: 45
Program Description
The Master of Arts (M.A.) Educational Psychology (Thesis): Human Development concentration focuses on core areas of human development such as cognitive, language, social, personality, and gender development among children and adolescents with diverse trajectories and from various family, educational and community contexts. The program is unique in examining developmental trajectories from a variety of interdisciplinary perspectives. The student’s thesis should focus on an issue in the field of human development related to educational psychology.
Thesis Courses (24 credits)
Course | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
EDPE 604 | Thesis 1. | 3 |
Thesis 1. Terms offered: Winter 2026 Literature survey and thesis planning. | ||
EDPE 607 | Thesis 2. | 3 |
Thesis 2. Terms offered: Winter 2026 Preparation of a thesis proposal. | ||
EDPE 693 | Thesis 3. | 3 |
Thesis 3. Terms offered: Winter 2026 Thesis research under supervision of a research director. | ||
EDPE 694 | Thesis 4. | 3 |
Thesis 4. Terms offered: Winter 2026 Thesis research under supervision of a research director. | ||
EDPE 695 | Thesis 5. | 6 |
Thesis 5. Terms offered: Winter 2026 Thesis research under supervision of a research director. | ||
EDPE 696 | Thesis 6. | 6 |
Thesis 6. Terms offered: Winter 2026 Thesis research under supervision of a research director. |
Required Courses (15 credits)
Course | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
EDPE 502 | Theories of Human Development. | 3 |
Theories of Human Development. Terms offered: Fall 2025 Life course developmental theories to form a foundation for policy and for empirical and applied work with diverse groups, including disability and other equity-seeking groups. | ||
EDPE 605 | Research Methods. | 3 |
Research Methods. Terms offered: Winter 2026 Research methods and designs, planning and evaluating research, relations between research and statistical designs, interdisciplinary and nonquantitative approaches, meta-analysis, and the use of computers beyond computation. Ethics, scholarly writing. | ||
EDPE 632D1 | Research Seminar. | 0 |
Research Seminar. Terms offered: Fall 2025 A bi-weekly seminar course given by staff, invited speakers and senior graduate students in different areas of research related to Human Development. Students are expected to participate by reading pertinent literature prior to seminars and asking questions at each seminar. Attendance is compulsory, and the course is graded pass/fail based on participation. | ||
EDPE 632D2 | Research Seminar. | 0 |
Research Seminar. Terms offered: Winter 2026 For description see EDPE 632D1. | ||
EDPE 672 | Human Development Seminar 1. | 3 |
Human Development Seminar 1. Terms offered: Fall 2025 Theories and developments in the science of human development within the context of research and practice and the evolution of the field at large. | ||
EDPE 673 | Human Development Seminar 2. | 3 |
Human Development Seminar 2. Terms offered: Winter 2026 Continuation of theories and developments in the science of human development within the context of research and practice and evolution of the field at large. | ||
EDPE 676 | Intermediate Statistics. | 3 |
Intermediate Statistics. Terms offered: Fall 2025 Concepts and procedures of conducting basic descriptive and inferential statistics, including analysis of variance, correlation, and regression models. Provides experience with data-analysis tools. |
Complementary Courses (6 credits)
3 credits from the following:
Course | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
EDPE 682 | Univariate/Multivariate Analysis. | 3 |
Univariate/Multivariate Analysis. Terms offered: Winter 2026 General linear model as a unified data analytic system for estimation and hypothesis testing that subsumes regression, analysis of variance, and analysis of covariance for single dependent variables. Introduction to generalizations involving multiple dependent (criterion) variables. Applications oriented toward education, educational psychology and counselling psychology. Experience with data-analysis tools. | ||
EDPE 687 | Qualitative Methods in Educational Psychology. | 3 |
Qualitative Methods in Educational Psychology. Terms offered: Winter 2026 The logics of design and selection of phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography, case study and mixed design methods with emphasis on data analysis in light of issues of research purpose, epistemology, reliability and validity. |
3 credits from the following:
Course | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
EDPE 515 | Gender Identity Development. | 3 |
Gender Identity Development. Terms offered: Fall 2025 Theoretical models and empirical findings relevant to the development of gender identity. Special attention is given to the influence of peers in school settings. Psychological, physiological, parental, peer and cultural influences on gender identity. | ||
EDPE 616 | Cognitive Development. | 3 |
Cognitive Development. Terms offered: Winter 2026 Assessment of theories of cognitive development including Piagetian, neo-Piagetian, and information-processing approaches. Theoretical models and empirical findings, and their application to educational and other settings. | ||
EDPE 623 | Social-Emotional Development. | 3 |
Social-Emotional Development. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Social-emotional development including temperament, attachment, gender identity, and peer relations. Biological and environmental influences, continuity and change, and qualitative versus quantitative variables. | ||
EDPI 642 | Inclusion: Past, Present and Future. | 3 |
Inclusion: Past, Present and Future. Terms offered: Fall 2025 Provides a critical analysis of the concept of inclusion with a particular focus on disability within historical, political, and educational contexts and equity seeking groups. |
or other 500-, 600-, or 700-level courses offered by the Department and with the approval of the supervisor and the Program Director.
Graduate Supervision
(Note that individual supervisors may list further details, such as when they are taking new students and application instructions in the Graduate Supervision section at the bottom of their individual profile pages.)
Eligibility (Admission Criteria)
Applicants should meet the following requirements:
- Possess an undergraduate degree in a field relevant to the area of study.
- A minimum CGPA of 3.0 out of 4.0 over the final two years of full-time study. International applicants can look up grade equivalencies on McGill’s Future Graduate Students website.
- A minimum CGPA of 3.0 out of 4.0 in undergraduate studies. International applicants can look up grade equivalencies on McGill’s Future Graduate Students website.
- Proficiency in English. Applicants to graduate studies whose mother tongue is not English and who have not obtained an undergraduate or graduate degree from a recognized foreign institution where English is the language of instruction, or from a recognized institution in Canada or the US (anglophone or francophone), must submit documented proof of proficiency in oral and written English.
Application Process & Required Documents
All applications are done through McGill's Graduate Applicant Portal. The application steps and instructional video are on the University's Future Graduate Students website. The following documents must be part of your application: (Note that all uploaded documents to the portal must be in PDF format.)
- A complete application form (accompanied by your application fee payment).
- A copy of your unofficial transcripts from all previous university-level studies (undergraduate and graduate). Official transcripts are required to be submitted by those who gain admission to the program. (Instructions on sending official transcripts will be sent upon acceptance.)
- The McGill ECP Educational Psychology Curriculum Vitae Form.
- Letters of Reference: Within the online application, applicants must provide valid institutional e-mail addresses for three (3) references. McGill University will contact the referees directly to submit their letters of reference.
- Statement of Research Interest and Preferred Supervisor(s): Within the online application, applicants are required to concisely outline their proposed area(s) of research interest should they be admitted to this program (250-word maximum). Applicants will also be required to list the name(s) of one (1) or more Human Development supervisors, in order of preference, who they would like to supervise their area of research interest(s). Applicants should ensure their preferred supervisor has listed expertise in their chosen area of research interest.
- Personal Statement (2-page maximum, double-spaced) in APA style. Please include the following information:
- Reasons for applying
- Career objectives
- Any additional relevant information about yourself that you wish to bring to the attention of the admissions committee. This may include your personal trajectory, personal challenges along your scholastic journey, experiences or challenges you've encountered related to identity. Note that students who identify as being part of a minority group are encouraged to self-identify to facilitate access to any applicable financial aid and/or awards, as part of McGill's Equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) mandate. All personal data submitted will be kept confidential and used only for operational decision-making.
- English Language Proficiency Test Score (if applicable): Please arrange for test scores (TOEFL, IELTS) to be sent to McGill directly from the testing agency. You must indicate the McGill University institution code: 0935.
Application Deadlines
- Fall Admission: December 1
What to Expect After Submitting your Application
Recommended candidates will receive a "Recommendation of Acceptance" email by April, confirming that their application has been reviewed and is being transmitted to McGill's Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (GPS). Successful candidates will be contacted via email with an official offer of admission. Candidates are then required to confirm their acceptance via their Graduate Applicant Portal. Kindly note that acceptance deferrals are not typically granted except under extraordinary circumstances.
As space is limited in the Master of Arts Educational Psychology (Thesis): Human Development program, anyone who meets the entrance criteria and is not accepted into the M.A. program will automatically be considered for either the Master of Education Educational Psychology: General Educational Psychology or the Master of Education Educational Psychology: Inclusive Education.