M.A. Human Development: Social Change Specialization
Master’s candidates in this M.A. Human Development degree program will be immersed in coursework that prepares them to create large-scale social change. Students will learn how to collaboratively design and implement change by making processes more participatory. Story-telling, dreaming, the arts, grant-writing, action research, the use of budgets and timelines, and autonomous community building are among the methods and mediums employed.
Other M.A. Human Development Specializations
- M.A. in Human Development: Ecological Perspectives of Lifespan Development
- M.A. in Human Development: Early Childhood Education & Development
- M.A. in Human Development: Leadership in Education and Human Services
Fieldwork Requirements
All M.A. and Credential programs require fieldwork or field experience appropriate to the program emphasis. Fieldwork ranges from classroom observations to completion of fieldwork- related projects at the students’ place of employment.
Sample M.A. Human Development Courses
Education for Critical Consciousness
Paolo Freire taught adults in Brazil; Sylvia Ashton Warner taught children in New Zealand. Both taught oppressed populations and believed that people learn through what they are passionate about. Their work will be read and discussed along with that of other theorists who have similar beliefs about such issues as moral development, relationships and literacy/curriculum.
Community as a Context for Development
The social dynamics that we experience in community in our life influences our growth, identity, and our worldview. We all develop as unique individuals in the context of complex communities. We experience communities in different ways, through different institutions; i.e., home, family, classroom, neighborhood, third spaces, etc. This human development class focuses on the theoretical and practical aspects of building, reflecting and including “community” in our learning spaces throughout our lives. Students will be expected to create strategies, which uses community to enhance learning and building a sense of belonging. This class will explore community building as an avenue to examine and promote cultural competence and social equity. We will create a learning community as we explore other communities.
Admission Requirements
- Demonstrated commitment to the mission and values of Pacific Oaks College
- Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution
- Completed Application for Admission
- Application Fee
- Resume
- Official transcripts from all institutions attended
- Personal Statement