Eliot-Pearson's master's in Child Study and Human Development provides students with a strong theoretical foundation in child development, coursework in an area of specialization, research skills, and applied opportunities and fieldwork that prepare students for a career that directly impacts the lives of children, youth and families. Our goal is to train students to use applied work to understand theory and research and to understand how theory and research should impact the lives of children and families.Students will have knowledge of the major theoretical perspectives and knowledge base in the core domains of human development, as well as knowledge of the complexities of diverse realities and pathways towards healthy development.Students will be informed consumers of scholarship in the field of human development, i.e. will have experience in the process of reviewing, critically evaluating empirical research, policy reports, and synthesizing extant literature on a topic.Students will demonstrate an understanding of Research Practice Integration in the context of Prevention, Intervention, and Policies for children and families.Students will demonstrate cultural awareness and sensitivity in their professional roles as well as members of the community within and outside Tufts.In the thesis track of the master's program, students participate in faculty research labs and projects. They attend research meetings, conduct literature reviews, locate participants, collect data, analyze data, and write up research reports, articles, and books for publication. There are often opportunities to guide a research proposal through the IRB process and gain grant proposal writing skills. Some master's students end up directing a study of their own.