Master’s program

The Master of Arts in Human Development is designed to prepare adult and mid career learners with an in-depth understanding of the principles of Human Development in a wide variety of professional settings. Graduates of the master’s degree program will be prepared to assume roles as leaders and facilitators in business, public administration and human services organizations that would benefit from expert assistance in the application of human development principles to problems of institutional improvement.

Doctoral Programs

The Wright Graduate Institute offers two doctoral degrees: the Ed.D. in Human Development and the Ph.D. in Human Development.

The major distinction between the Ed.D. and Ph.D. programs lies in the difference between the research requirements for an applied professional degree and a doctor of philosophy—and is reflected in the expected contribution of the degree candidates to their field of study.

Ed.D. in Human Development

The Ed.D. in Human Development is an applied degree that prepares students for higher levels of leadership in the teaching and learning of human development. The Ed.D. sharpens the skills of individuals who wish to develop a solid knowledge base to apply in a specific context. Ed.D. graduates are expected to integrate their academic disciplines into the larger society by applying doctoral-level inquiry and reporting in and about their setting. The Ed.D program at Wright will prepare graduates to develop a vision, strategy, and human development program or intervention that responds to the social context in learning organizations of all types—businesses, schools, religious organizations, social enterprises, human services agencies, and governments—where they operate or are engaged as interventionists, consultants, educators, or other functions. They will have the competencies and skills to diagnose and solve problems in group functioning, coach and motivate individuals and teams to their highest potential, and enroll support from diverse constituents.

Ed.D. candidates must demonstrate competence in research, design, application, and assessment. They are required to take at least two research and statistics courses: Research Design and Advanced Statistics, and Research Specialization I. The Ed.D. dissertation process requires candidates to demonstrate doctoral-level knowledge and competency as applied to a major project or initiative with appropriate assessment, historical and contextual perspective, and integration into the larger field.

Ph.D. in Human Development

The Ph.D. in Human Development is a research-oriented degree that prepares students for high-level leadership in a wide variety of academic, public service, and business settings in which research competencies and historical understandings in human development are critical. Ph.D. graduates are expected to be significant contributors to the body of research and knowledge in the field of human development. Their course of study prepares them to contribute at higher levels in any undertaking than they have previously—from business management to education, public policy to organizational innovation, and community functioning to individual and team performance.

In addition to developing the leadership competencies described above for the Ed.D. program graduates, Ph.D. students develop advanced competencies in relating current developments to their methodological and philosophical roots. The Ph.D. dissertation process requires candidates to conduct original research that contributes new knowledge to the field. For more information on the Wright Graduate Insitute, you can view the Wright Graduate Institute Mission & Philosophy or you can visit the Wright Graduate Institute web site.