Applied Child and Adolescent Development M.A.

Students will gain knowledge of developmental processes and competence in the application of theory and research to practice and policy/research. Specialization happens via formal tracks in infant and early childhood mental health, child life, or individualized studies.

Child Life
The child life track is committed to preparing child life specialists with a strong educational foundation in developmental science coupled with a thorough theoretical education in topics central to the child life profession, such as illness and injury, therapeutic play and relationships, and childhood death and bereavement. Students will develop the skills necessary to promote family-centered care and work with children and their families who are living with chronic and acute healthcare challenges.

Individualized Studies
The individualized studies track prepares students whose work intersects with children and families with a strong academic foundation in developmental science and the opportunity to choose electives that best meet a student's individual career goals. This track recognizes the wide-ranging professions that benefit from integration with developmental science, such as policy development, evaluation studies, prevention science, parent education, among many other domains currently addressed via existing coursework at the University.

Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health
The Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health track is committed to the development of culturally competent, trauma-informed practitioners and policy makers through inter-disciplinary studies and supervised professional practice. The track's philosophy is shaped by an ecological, multigenerational, relational model of development and intervention, attending to the ways biology, environment (i.e., family, culture, socioeconomic context), and individual history transact to promote health and pathology. The track consists of coursework and training in the application of developmental science to early childhood evidence-based practice and policy development. The training prepares practitioners to conceptualize case work with young children (0-5) and their caregivers, and prepares individuals to formulate and advocate research-based policy and practice in the area of children's mental health.

LPCC Licensure
The University does not award licensure; however, IECMH-track students who can attend on-campus classes have the opportunity to take 28 additional credits concurrently with their MA to complete LPCC licensure application requirements for the state of Minnesota. Most of the required coursework is offered through the University's Integrated Behavioral Health Program at the College of Continuing and Professional Studies.

Licensure requirements are subject to change. Please visit https://mn.gov/boards/behavioral-health/ for current requirements.