Developmental Psychology Certificate

Program Code: G-PSYD-C
Degree Designation: Certificate
Department: Psychology Department
Website: psychandneuro.duke.edu/graduate/developmental

Program Summary

The facilities in developmental psychology at Duke University and The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill offer a collaborative approach to graduate training in developmental psychology: the UNC-Duke Collaborative Graduate Certificate Program in Developmental Psychology. Graduate students in the doctoral programs in psychology and neuroscience at Duke and students in UNC’s Department of Psychology can apply to this program which offers training opportunities in addition to those of their home department. Students in the certificate program attend developmental talks at both universities and have opportunities to take developmental seminars or engage in supplemental research training with the faculty of their nonhome university. Among the research emphases of the participating faculty are cognitive development, social development, applied development, and developmental psychobiology. Students apply to the program by the beginning of their third year of graduate study. 

Academic Requirements

• Must attend at least three program-affiliated developmental events per semester at the nonhome institution, for at least six semesters:

  • Center for Developmental Science talks;

  • Center for Child and Family Policy talks;

  • Colloquium series at both universities;

  • Developmental research and current topics groups, which meet regularly at both universities; or

  • Other program-affiliated events in the future.

• Fulfill two of the following:

  • Complete a minimum of two developmentally relevant psychology for-credit courses, taken at the student’s nonhome institution (a relevant home institution course cotaught by nonhome institution faculty would count).

  • At least one of the student’s major committees (e.g., advisory, comprehensive exam, or dissertation committee) must have at least one member who is on the developmental faculty of the nonhome institution.

  • Participation in a research activity with a developmental faculty member from the nonhome university. May be fulfilled as deemed appropriate by the faculty member providing the experience (e.g., by enrolling in a formal research practicum course, by collaborating on a research project for no course credit, or by employment as a research assistant).