Developmental Psychology (research) (MSc)
The Developmental Psychology specialisation of the Research Master’s in Psychology offers a strong theoretical background to provide the varied knowledge-base needed for a thorough understanding of emotional and cognitive development across childhood and adolescence.
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Lisa Kool
Student
In the Research Master Developmental Psychology I am developing important skills, like programming psychological experiments, academic writing and evaluating study designs. We dive into topics like Dynamic Learning, Gene-Environment Interaction, Cognitive Developmental Psychology and A-typical Emotional Development, from the perspective of a researcher. This teaches us to stay critical and think like a researcher, also when working in the field.
In the future I would like to work on a school where I can support students and teachers. This year, I am starting my research internship. This may help me to discover if research is what I would like to do in the future, as I am not sure yet.
What does this master's programme entail?
The major aim of the programme is to understand the various neural, cognitive and behavioural changes that occur during development. The programme combines fundamental research using experimental behavioural, brain and longitudinal approaches to applied research which connects basic developmental research to domains of educational and clinical assessments and interventions.
Emotion, cognition, and their interaction, are manifested at various behavioural levels and in different brain systems. Hence, multi-method approaches are used to address the complex and dynamic interplay between emotion, cognition and the developing brain. Students will gain hands-on experience with various assessment procedures: self-report, behavioural observation, experimental manipulations, psychophysiological assessment (skin conductance, heart rate, cortisol, etc.), EEG, and fMRI.
Eveline Crone on the adolescent brain
Reasons to choose Developmental Psychology at Leiden University
- A Research Master's degree will give you a great perspective on a future in research within the public or private sector.
- A Research Master's degree is the perfect way to preare for a PhD programme.
- Because only the most talented and motivated students will be admitted to the Research Master's track, you will be guaranteed to be challenged during your studies.
- Students who wish to pursue a career as scientist-practitioner / clinician may combine the research master with specific parts of the professional one-year master’s programmes in Child & Adolescent Psychology or in School Psychology to qualify for post-master psychotherapy training programmes.
Developmental Psychology: the right programme for you?
Are you interested in emotional and cognitive development during childhood and adolescence, including normal development and the development of psychopathology? Do you want to know how intelligent behaviour emerges over the course of early childhood and adolescence? How cognition and emotion interact and affect behaviour across development? How autism or deafness affects emotional development? How the brain develops to shape our mind, thoughts and behaviour? If you want answers to these questions, Developmental Psychology might just be the master's specialisation for you!
Do you want to pursue a PhD? This track is the ideal start for a PhD programme in Developmental Psychology.
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