In the past, degrees were commonly awarded under the major study area of child development. Or so I was told when I explored a doctoral program in 1987. At that time, ‘lifespan human development’ became the favorite umbrella for such studies – inclusive of specialties in geriatrics and adolescence (mid-life was just beginning to be noticed for research).
Human development and family sciences (the major area of study for my PhD) is basically the study of how we become who we are.
Human development is closely related to psychology, but the body of knowledge and the methods for study of human development and psychology have differences.
In graduate level studies – in any field – emphasis is on the theoretical basis for a body of knowledge AND adding to the body of knowledge through more research. The body of knowledge includes emotional and cognitive development, family function, age specific studies (mentioned above).
Students study what is considered the typical trajectory, or what most people do – by country, ethnicity, and gender. And, a central theme in all these areas – what affects how we become who we are, or nature vs. nurture. Which behaviors are determined by genetics, and which are learned.
Unlike most of the students in the HDFS Department at Oregon State University, I wanted to study motor development. The title of my dissertation was:
Preschool Children’s Motor Development and Perceived Competence.
Two literature articles were published from my dissertation, and here are the references:
Boucher BH, Doescher SM, Sugawara AI: Preschool children’s motor development and self-concept. Percep Mot Skills 1993; 76:11-17.
Boucher BH, Doescher SM: Influencing preschool children’s motor development: A comparison of two groups. Early Child Develop Care 1991; 77:67-76.
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