The doctoral program is a research focused curriculum that provides strong foundations in theory, research methods, statistics, as well as teaching opportunities. It prepares students for careers as researchers or academics in human development and family science, including positions at colleges and universities, program evaluation positions in public and private sectors, focusing on individuals and the family, and administrative positions in public and private human services organizations focused on prevention and intervention.
Areas of emphasis and specialization: (a) Adolescent Development, (b) Family Finance and Economics, and (c) Family Processes.
Admission Requirements
Applicants must submit a statement of clearly developed academic and research goals for the Ph.D. degree, three letters of recommendation, transcripts of all graduate and undergraduate work with a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 out of 4.0, and Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores. GRE scores are currently not a requirement. Although students generally must have a Master’s degree prior to admission into the doctoral program, particularly outstanding applicants who have earned a Bachelor’s degree, but not a Master’s degree, may be considered for admission into the doctoral program as well. Admissions are conducted one time each year; the application deadline is January 15 for admission Fall Semester of the same calendar year.
See https://fam.ca.uky.edu/content/doctoral-program for details.
Degree Requirements
Credit Requirements:
Minimum coursework requirements prior to the qualifying examination include 2 years of residency and 36 credit hours, comprised of 20 credit hours of foundational courses (if not taken in a Master’s program), 9 hours of research methods and theory, 9 credit hours of statistics, 8 credit hours of professional development, and 15 credit hours in a specialization area.
Course requirements:
Foundational required unless approved from Master’s degree
Research Methods (minimum 9 credit hours)
Statistics (minimum 9 credit hours)
Professional Development (minimum 8 credit hours)
Area of Specialization (minimum 15 credit hours)
- Adolescent Development
- Family Finance and Economics
- Family Processes
Doctoral program overview in Family Sciences:
https://fam.ca.uky.edu/content/doctoral-program
The Doctoral Curriculum Requirements can be found here: https://fam.ca.uky.edu/sites/fam.ca.uky.edu/files/d-curriculum-requirements.pdf
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