Human Development and Family Science, Doctor of Philosophy
The PhD program at Ohio State deepens your knowledge about the human condition and the factors that influence its development. As a student, you will receive valuable research experiences and mentoring relationships from faculty invested in your success while developing your own interests and preparing for a career focused on research and teaching.
As an additional option, you can take courses to prepare for the licensure exam in Marriage and Family Therapy.
Program Features
Student-focused - Few required courses so you can tailor your training to create the program of study that best meets your needs.
Multidisciplinary - The program faculty includes scholars trained across several disciplines who push you to explore new, innovative ways of conceiving research questions and conducting research projects.
Systems perspective - The program takes a systems perspective on human development, emphasizing the study of development in family, educational, community and societal contexts.
Research-focused - Faculty and graduate students publish their research in the top disciplinary and interdisciplinary journals.
Professional development - From your first semester, you’ll develop the professional skills needed to be successful in graduate school. Your experiences are accentuated through courses and forums on professional development topics, including college teaching and the job market for PhDs.
Current Students Spotlight
Our students make essential contributions to the vibrant intellectual community of our program. Click below to learn more about some of our students’ interests and accomplishments.
Take your PhD farther
Ohio State offers unparalleled opportunities that benefit your doctoral studies and provide you numerous ways to study human development and behavior.
Couple and Family Therapy
Aging
Obesity Sciences
Applied Developmental Science
Demography
Global Health
Quantitative Research Methods
Sexuality Studies
Career Paths
PhD graduates from Ohio State's Human Development and Family Science program are hired in a variety of professions at major universities and colleges. They also are sought by private and public institutions such as research institutes, government agencies and hospitals.
Funding Options
Key to teaching, research and learning in the college, associateships provide students with professional experience and financial support.
These financial awards are made by Ohio State to students based on academic merit through a university-wide competition.
The college annually awards scholarships to its students to support their academic goals.
Cost
Graduate program costs can depend on a variety of factors such as residency, number of credit hours, and number of semesters enrolled. The Graduate Admissions website provides an estimate of annual costs for Ohio residents, domestic non-residents, and international students. The Registrar’s Office provides more in-depth information about Tuition and Fees.
Degree Requirements
Prerequisites
Bachelor’s degree
Test Scores: No GRE for Autumn 2022
Expected time to degree
3-4 years
Deadline to apply
December 1
Applications for the next admissions cycle will open September 1
Program start
Autumn Semester
Mode of Instruction
While some courses may be offered online, this degree requires in-person learning on the Columbus campus.
Prospective students are encouraged to complete an inquiry card so we can share information about virtual info sessions, opportunities to connect graduate students, program news and the admissions process.
Application checklist
Apply to Ohio State