GRADUATE STUDENTS

Master of Science in Developmental Trauma

Mission Statement

The Master of Science in Developmental Trauma is designed to educate students about the scientific and applied aspects of complex developmental trauma (DT). The goal of the program is to prepare students for advanced academic study and/or professional practice. Students take core courses in developmental trauma and are expected to choose elective courses to build expertise relevant to their career goals.

Program Objectives

1. Students will understand the fundamentals of human development and how these principles relate to the complex needs of individuals with developmental trauma and their families.

2. Students will appreciate the real-life applications of human development and developmental trauma as it relates to them professionally and be able to apply professional behaviors, standards and ethics in developmental fields.

3. Student will communicate effectively in both written and oral formats.

Student Learning Goals

Goal 1
DT students will demonstrate a broad knowledge base of human development. They will be able to apply this knowledge to facilitate developmentally appropriate interactions with individuals with developmental trauma, their families, and the environments in which they interact (i.e. school, work, home, etc.).

Goal 2
DT students will students apply knowledge of appropriate professional behaviors, standards and ethics in developmental fields and will actively engage in professional development.

Goal 3
DT students will learn to to effectively communicate complex information in both written and oral form.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must possess a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. The Developmental Trauma program is designed for students with backgrounds in psychology, child development, or a related field. Students with majors in other disciplines will be considered upon request, but may be required to make up any deficiencies in their undergraduate preparations. For unconditional admission, the student must have satisfactory undergraduate preparation for the particular degree sought. This is determined by the department chair and the associate dean and includes a:

• “B” average in the last 60 hours of undergraduate work or in all undergraduate work;

• “B” average in the major field of study; and

• Satisfactory scores on the GRE and TOEFL (if required).

Admission to the Developmental Trauma program is based on a review of the applicant’s GPA, GRE scores, letters of recommendation, and narrative description of interests, relevant experiences, and career goals. The Department of Psychology Admissions Committee makes all final admission decisions.

Graduation Requirements

Completion of the Master’s in Developmental Trauma requires a minimum of 30-credit hours. In accordance with University policy, a GPA of at least 2.75 must be maintained with no more than two grades of “C+” or lower being utilized in satisfying the degree requirement. Further, all students will complete a treatise or formal written work that deals systematically and extensively with a specific subject or project as part of the Developmental Trauma Capstone Course. The advisor and the student will decide the topic and procedures for the treatise. Upon completion of the treatise, the student will complete an oral presentation in which he or she will describe the treatise and answer questions.

Mentoring and Advising of Students

The program academic coordinator will counsel students in progress towards the degree in conjunction with the student’s faculty advisor. Students must apply to work with a specific faculty research advisor during the admission process.

 

How to Apply

All students who wish to apply for Full Time Graduate Studies in Psychology at TCU need to complete the following forms:

Application of Admission – Graduate Programs – College of Science and Engineering