PhD Family and Human Development at Arizona State University

Programme overview

The Doctor of Philosophy program in family and human development is devoted to the study of families, children and youth. The program's research, teaching and service gives you the opportunity to directly impact in the lives of children and adults, and their families and communities.

What you will study

85 credit hours, a written comprehensive exam, an oral comprehensive exam, a prospectus and a dissertation Required Core (1 credit hour) FAS 503 Academic Professional Development (1) Other Requirements (26 credit hours) CDE 531 Theoretical Issues in Child Development (3) FAS 500 Research Methods (3) FAS 513 Introduction to Regression and Linear Models (4) or PSY 530 Intermed Statistics (4) FAS 514 Advanced Regression and Nonlinear Models (4) or PSY 531 Multiple Regression in Psychological Research (4) FAS 531 Theoretical Issues in Family Sciences (3) two graduate-level courses in advanced methods or statistics (6) one graduate-level diversity course (3) Research (6 credit hours) FAS or CDE 592 Research (6) Electives (40 credit hours) Culminating Experience (12 credit hours) FAS or CDE 799 Dissertation (12) Additional Curriculum Information Postbaccalaureate (students entering after the bachelor's degree): Of the 85 credit hours for a postbaccalaureate program, six credit hours are dedicated to an empirical project, and 12 credit hours are for the dissertation.

Career pathways

Graduates possess knowledge and skills necessary for promoting healthy individual and family development as they study the factors that promote successful relationships and positive outcomes for individuals, families and communities across the life span. Career examples: community support program officials, government agency administrators and professionals, instructors, nonprofit organization administrators, research professionals.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have a bachelor's or master's degree in any field from a regionally accredited institution. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 in an applicable master's degree program. All applicants must submit: graduate admission application and application fee official transcripts a resume or curriculum vitae statement of goals relevant to the doctoral program three letters of recommendation proof of English proficiency Additional Application Information An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency.

Domestic applicants: USD 13,327 a year (2026-27). Arizona resident tuition. Tuition only for the graduate on-campus (Tempe/Downtown Phoenix/Polytechnic/West Valley) rate band in the ASU tuition estimator, 2026-27: Fall 2026 plus Spring 2027 term tuition summed (full-time flat rate; part-time credit loads Source

International applicants: USD 24,780 a year (2026-27). International tuition. Tuition only for the graduate on-campus (Tempe/Downtown Phoenix/Polytechnic/West Valley) rate band in the ASU tuition estimator, 2026-27: Fall 2026 plus Spring 2027 term tuition summed (full-time flat rate; part-time credit loads ar Source

Entry terms: Fall, Spring and Summer; the terms available for each programme are listed in Degree Search.

Graduate application deadlines are set by each programme office and listed in Degree Search. The nonrefundable application fee is $75 for U.S. citizens, permanent residents, DACA and international online students outside the U.S., and $120 for international students on a nonimmigrant visa studying in the U.S.

Apply through the official page: https://admission.asu.edu/apply/graduate/admission

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