5 Best Online Ph.D.’s in Child Development

Georgia State University has an excellent Ph.D. program in early childhood and elementary education. Based in the school’s Atlanta campus with the availability of online classes, the program gives students the tools to become educators, researchers, and empathetic individuals whose cares align with childhood development best practices. 

To gain admission into this program, applicants must pay a $50 application fee, provide a writing statement, upload their resume, present a writing sample, have two letters of recommendation, and upload GRE scores. To gain admission, you must have an interview with the program. Not everybody is selected for an interview, and not everybody interviewed will necessarily gain admission. 

The curriculum of students comprises research and in-person classes. Some classes students take are Bayesian Statistics, Quantitative Methods and Analysis in Education, Poststructural Inquiry, Introduction to Single-Case Methodology, and Historical Research in American Education. Each of these classes focuses on a small but vital part of the child development field.

In this Doctor of Philosophy in Early Child Development and Education program, students choose to concentrate on early childhood education or child development. Those who pick the former concentration focus more on educating teachers and becoming teachers. Students in the latter group focus on family advocacy, childhood intervention, and public policy.

Each student designs their dream curriculum and submits it for approval. Their curriculum must follow the specific requirements of the program, however, so they must comply with a certain amount of credit hours per subject in the degree program. Students take courses like Theory Building in Family Sciences, Research Methods in Family Sciences, Multivariate Statistics, and Child Guidance.

This program has relatively stringent requirements. Students must pass each class with a B or higher. The program only allows one-course grade under a B to count toward your degree, and any student with more than one grade lower than a B will be dismissed from the program. 

East Tennessee State University offers one of the best online Doctor of Philosophy in early childhood education programs in the country. Prospective students should note that the program is mostly online.

While you can complete the required coursework online, every student must be present for one intensive school session per semester. If that doesn’t sound like an option, consider a different program.

To gain admission to this program, applicants must have a master’s in early childhood education or a related field. Additionally, they must turn in their GRE scores, resume, official transcript, essays, and four letters of recommendation. Some students will be interviewed, too. 

Students take a variety of classes that are informed by both foundational theories and the latest research in the field. Some of the classes required to graduate are Paradigms of Inquiry-Based Constructivism, Social and Cultural Diversity in Children and their Families, and Processes of Language and Literacy Learning. Besides classes, students must hold an apprenticeship and complete a pre-determined amount of research to graduate.

Fielding Graduate University’s Ph.D. in infant and early childhood development has a slightly different focus than the other programs on this list. While the core classes of this program reflect those of other programs, Fielding emphasizes mental health and developmental disorders. If you’re interested in working with non-traditional students in some capacity, consider this program.

Mental health is an emerging topic of discussion. The stigma of talking about mental health is slowly going away, leaving a space to talk about it comfortably. While mental health is crucial in your adult life, the foundations of your mental health form in your childhood. By focusing on mental health in early childhood, Fielding enables its educators to foster positive attitudes and spot students who are struggling with their mental health.

To apply for this program, students must have a bachelor’s or master’s degree, a 3.0 or higher GPA, an updated resume, application essays, two letters of recommendation, and their official transcript. No GRE is required to enter this program.

Tufts University is perhaps the most recognizable name on this list. The school has developed Nobel prize winners, world leaders, and scholars who play leading roles in dozens of fields. They also offer a fantastic Doctor of Philosophy in Child Study and Human Development program. 

In this program, students combine learning about research with researching, absorbing new theories by using those frameworks for applied projects, and enrolling in a graduate seminar. The well-rounded curriculum includes classes like Qualitative Research Methods, Applied Data Analysis, Human Development Across the Lifespan, and Intellectual Development. 

These courses will inform your work, no matter where you end up. Tufts University has one of the most dynamic child study and human development programs in the nation. While some graduates have become professors, many have begun careers in children’s media, designing toys, strengthening nonprofit programs, and advising governments on childhood education policy. No matter your specific interest, Tufts University will help you obtain your dream job.