Developmental psychology is that part of psychology concerned with behavioral change across the life-span from childhood to later adulthood. Main goals of developmental psychology are (1) to describe age changes as accurately as possible e.g., to obtain a profile of the typical child or adult at various ages for physical, cognitive, and psychosocial domains; and (2) to explain the process of change, i.e. to account for the age changes. The cornerstone of developmental psychology is the developmental point of view; i.e. in order to understand present behavior, we must understand the prior development of the person.

Careers are available in the following settings: infant and preschool stimulation programs, with recreational, educational, and health programs for children and older adults, residential parent education programs, hospital child life programs and hospices), research positions.
 
 

A master's degree is a minimum requirement for working in this field. The GMU Psychology Department has a M.A. and a Ph.D. program in Developmental psychology.