We would be grateful for your help in identifying promising undergraduate students who might be interested in our dual title PhD program in Gerontology and Developmental Studies.
Additional information to circulate is attached below. Many thanks for your help in spreading the word!
Regards,Karen Fingerman
Graduate Study: Child Development & Family Studies
Dual Title PhD in Gerontology Purdue University
Overview
The 21st century is a period of rapid change as individuals live longer, families take different forms, work environments shift, and families with children struggle economically. The PhD program in the Department of Child Development and Family Studies at Purdue University trains students to address these issues.
Training
The graduate programs prepares scholars to:
Define social problems worthy of investigation
Conduct rigorous research that informs policies and practices
Develop interventions to support the well-being of individuals and families
Use cutting-edge sophisticated research methodologies
Consider diversity across cultures and social contexts
Teach at the college level
Training takes the form of:
One-on-one training with advisors
Independent study opportunities with multiple faculty in the department
Small research seminars inside CDFS and across disciplines at Purdue University
Attendance at national and international scholarly conferences
Weekly research seminars with guest lecturers from around the world
Internship opportunities throughout the U.S.
Research
Faculty and graduate students in our department study important issues to improve people's lives, such as:
Families coping with health problems
Closing the large gap between poor and rich children when they enter school
Programs to encourage literacy in preschool children
Young adults' increasing dependency on their parents
The effects of work- including “extreme” work serving in the military- on families
Cross cultural differences in family patterns
Family influences on adolescents' and young adults' health risk behaviors
How “mellowing out” can prolong life
To learn more about research in CDFS:
http://www.cfs.purdue.edu/cdfs/pages/research/index.html
Program Areas
Students apply for admissions to a specific program area. Students interested in the Dual Title PhD should consider:
Developmental Studies
The Developmental Studies area trains students to do research in every segment of the lifespan, from infancy to older adulthood.
Family Studies
The Family Studies program investigates how family members interact, develop, and change over time to better understand challenges and resilience in everyday family life
Funding
Students admitted to the CDFS graduate program typically receive funding for 4 years:
Funding typically covers tuition and fees. It also pays a stipend or monthly salary.
Graduate students who work 20 hours a week are eligible for health insurance
Funding is usually awarded in the form of assistantships
CDFS assistantships (usually 10-month appointments) include:
Research assistantships to work on faculty research projects
Teaching assistantships to assist in instruction of college courses
Special opportunity assistantships in the child development laboratories, center for families, or the college diversity office.
Fellowships (12-month appointment) may be available to eligible students. http://www.gradschool.purdue.edu/funding/Fellowships_index.cfm#fellowship
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Advisor/Advisee Ratio?
A hallmark of CDFS graduate programs involves individual attention
Graduate students work one-on-one with their advisors.
Advisors typically have from 1 to 5 graduate students
Incoming students benefit from working with one another and with more senior graduate students
Graduate students work with a variety of CDFS faculty through independent study credits:
What are the average years for a graduate student to earn a PhD in CDFS?
Graduate students who enter with a Master's Degree typically take 4 years to earn a PhD
Graduate students who enter with a Bachelor's Degree typically take 5 years to earn a PhD
What are the criteria for admissions to CDFS graduate programs?
An applicant must have:
a good academic record
strong letters of recommendation from faculty members
demonstrated ability to pursue graduate research training
results of the Graduate Record Examination Verbal and Quantitative tests
research interests consistent with faculty expertise in CDFS
Students for whom English is a Second Language also must:
submit official results of TOEFL iBT : A minimum score of 20 is required on each section (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) of the test, as well as a minimum total of 100 is required .
participate in a telephone interview
What types of funding opportunities are available do graduate student typically receive?
Graduate students typically receive funding that covers their tuition and fees and also pays a stipend or monthly salary.
Graduate students who work at least 20 hours a week are also eligible for health insurance
Funding is usually awarded in the form of assistantships
CDFS has a wide range of assistantships, including research assistantships, teaching assistantships, and special opportunity assistantships to work in the child development laboratories, center for families, or the college diversity office.
Fellowships may be available to eligible students.
http://www.gradschool.purdue.edu/funding/Fellowships_index.cfm#fellowship
Which professional associations do faculty and graduate students belong to and participate in?
American Psychological Association (APA)
American Sociological Association (ASA)
Association for Psychological Science (APS)
Gerontological Society of America (GSA)
International Association for Relationship Research (IARR)
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
National Council of Family Relations (NCFR)
Society for Research on Adolescence (SRA)
Society for Research on Child Development (SRCD)
Society for the Study of Human Development (SSHD)
What can incoming students expect in the first year?
First-year graduate students usually take 9 credit hours (2 graduate classes, research credits, and weekly research seminar), including to those that have fellowships/assistantships (20 hrs/week).
In addition, CDFS provides:
A temporary advisor to guide you through decisions and courses the first year
A graduate student mentor to provide peer support
The ability to select a permanent advisor from the CDFS faculty
Seminars in theory of individual development and family development
World class training in statistical and research methodologies
Opportunities to commence a research project of your own
Research seminars and lectures across Purdue's campus
MFT students also experience training specialized to their degree Marriage and Family Therapy
http://www.cfs.purdue.edu/cdfs/pages/research/index.html
What activities are available for graduate students outside of school?
Opportunities to interact with other graduate students in CDFS' other program areas (CDFS Graduate Student Association) including multiple social events
Over 350 campus student organizations to fulfill anyone's interests
Access to major cities and airports (Indianapolis, Chicago, Cincinnati)
Application process overview
The application deadline is January 15.
Applications are accepted admission for the following fall semester.
Applications need to be completed online through the Purdue Graduate School. The application fee may be paid with a credit card.
U.S. Students
International Students
U.S. Students:
The online application form.
Transcripts (one original) from each institution of higher education attended.
GRE Verbal and quantitative scores (Purdue's institutional code is 1631).
3 letters of recommendation that address the applicant's academic qualifications.
Recommendation forms are available to download from the Graduate School.
Statement of educational goals and career objectives.
Additional requirements for applicants to the developmental studies program.
Additional requirements for applicants to the marriage and family therapy program.
International Students:
A completed online application form.
Transcripts (one original) from each institution of higher education attended.
GRE Verbal and Quantitative scores (Purdue's institutional code is 1631).
3 letters of recommendation that address the applicant's academic qualifications.
Recommendation forms are available to download from the Graduate School.
Statement of educational goals and career objectives.
Additional requirements for applicants to the developmental studies program.
Additional requirements for applicants to the marriage and family therapy program.
International applicants only: TOEFL and TWE scores or TOEFL iBT scores (Purdue's institutional code is 1631) plus completion of a telephone interview initiated by a member of the CDFS faculty
Gerontology Programs
Graduate students in CDFS who are interested in aging can simultaneously acquire:
A dual title PhD in gerontology
A gerontology minor
http://www.purdue.edu/aging/education/index.htm
Contact us
Becky Harshman
Graduate Program Secretary
Department of Child Development and Family Studies
Purdue University
Fowler Memorial House
1200 West State Street
West Lafayette , IN 47907-2055
Phone: 765-494-2965
Fax: 765-494-0503
Email: harshman@purdue.edu
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Karen L. Fingerman
Berner Hanley University Scholar and Associate Professor
Child Development & Family Studies
1200 W. State Street
Purdue University
West Lafayette , IN 47907-2055
Email: karenf@purdue.edu
Fax: 765-494-0503
Telephone: 765-496-6378
http://www.cfs.purdue.edu/cdfs/Adult_Development/index.html
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Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old. -- Franz Kafka
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