Director's Message

From Terrence Tivnan, the Human Development and Psychology program director:

The program in Human Development and Psychology has a long history at Harvard, and is one of the core programs at the Graduate School of Education. A central focus of the program is studying how people change, develop and grow over time, and we are particularly interested in the wide variety of contexts in which development occurs. Researchers in HDP cover a wide range of ages and topics; from studies that focus on early language development, to the growth of social skills in preschool settings, to the dramatic changes in cognitive skills in early elementary school, to studies of adolescent and adult development. There is great variety also in the settings and contexts that are considered. Some studies focus on schools from a number of locations and settings. Some focus on students and families in the U.S., while others consider development in other cultures and international contexts. The program offers a variety of perspectives on the complicated nature of developmental change. We think you will find lots of challenging ideas, and we are always looking for new perspectives that will challenge us to continue to develop our own thinking.

You will also find in the HDP program a strong commitment to research -- research that is almost always applied and practical in its aims. We are proud of the ways in which HDP researchers have contributed to advances in understanding how children learn and grow, and we are proud of the courses we offer that help students acquire strong research skills. Whether you wish to be a more informed consumer of educational research, or whether you hope to be able to participate as a producer of research, there are many courses here that will be helpful in your own development.

We hope you will share in our excitement and interest in the study of human development and psychology.