(M.S.)
The Master of Science degree program in Human Development provides students with
opportunities to pursue advanced study of the growth and development of individuals
at various periods in the life span (e.g., early childhood, adolescence, adulthood),
and of the family in its various forms and as a system of relationships. Current
concern with issues such as child abuse, childcare, divorce, family financial
resources, human sexuality, adolescent pregnancy, and family care of the elderly
underscores the importance of study in this field. The program prepares students
for careers in preventive and developmental family services, program planning
and evaluation, and supervision of agencies serving children and families.
Although students accepted into this program have diverse backgrounds, most often
they have an undergraduate degree in one of the social sciences and a basic understanding
of research procedures. Course requirements are flexible. In consultation with
faculty advisors, students develop a program of study based on their experience
and research interests. A minimum of 30 credits hours of coursework, including
six thesis credits, as well as one course in research methods and one in statistics
is required to complete the degree. Students are encouraged to include relevant
courses from related academic areas in their plan of study. The Child Development
Learning Center provides the opportunity to work with young children. Numerous
community agencies offer opportunities for selected students to work with adults
and children in a variety of contexts.
A limited number of graduate assistantships are available on a competitive basis
each year. Students interested in an assistantship should send a letter to the
Associate Dean, College of Education and Human Development, requesting to be considered.
Robert A. Cobb, Ed.D. (Springfield, 1969), Dean of the College of Education and Human Development,
Professor of Education. Aspirations of youth and adults, school policy development,
educational leadership.
Elizabeth J. Allan, Ph.D. (The Ohio State University, 1999), Assistant Professor, Educational Leadership.
Higher education, equity policy, gender and education, policy discourse analysis.
James Artesani, Ed.D. (West Virginia University, 1992), Associate Professor, Special Education.
Positive behavioral practices, severe disabilities, transition programs.
Ann Asbeck, Ed.D. (University of N. Dakota, 1993). Coordinator, Graduate Outreach Program.
Curriculum and instruction, integrated curriculum, multicultural education.
Rosemary Bamford, Ed.D. (Georgia, 1977), Professor, Literacy, and Site Coordinator for Reading
Recovery. Literature for children and young adults, language arts and writing
processes.
Marc D. Baranowski, Ph.D. (Pennsylvania State, 1977), Associate Professor of Human Development.
Adolescent and adult development, gerontology, family stress.
Mary Bird, M.Ed. (Harvard University, 1987), Instructor, Science Education and Environmental
Education. Learning/teaching science in informal settings.
Edward N. Brazee, Ed.D. (Northern Colorado, 1975), Professor, Middle level education. Curriculum
development, young adolescents.
Phyllis E. Brazee, Ed.D. (Northern Colorado, 1976), Associate Professor, Teacher Education. Curriculum
and Foundations with emphases in gender studies and peace education.
Dorothy Tysse Breen, Ph.D. (Wisconsin, 1987), Associate Professor, Counseling Education. Children
and adolescents, developmental guidance, rural counseling.
David Brown, Ed.D. (Vanderbilt University, 1980), Associate Professor, Educational Leadership.
Planning, policy analysis in local district and state governance.
Stephen A. Butterfield, Ph.D. (Ohio State, 1984), Professor, Kinesiology and Physical Education. Adaptive
physical education, motor skills development, special education.
Sandra L. Caron, Ph.D. (Syracuse, 1986), Professor, Family Relations. Human sexuality, AIDS and
families, sexuality education and curriculum development.
James Chiavacci, Ph.D. (University of Colorado-Denver, 1987), Instructional Technologist. Technology
in the classroom.
Theodore Coladarci, Ph.D. (Stanford, 1980), Professor, Educational Psychology. Statistics, research
methodology.
Nellie Cyr, Ph.D. (University of Pittsburgh, 1997), Associate Professor, Kinesiology and
Physical Education. Exercise physiology and epidemiology.
William E. Davis, Ph.D. (Connecticut, 1968), Director, Institute for the Study of Students At
Risk; Professor, Special Education. Issues in special education, at-risk children
and families, school reform.
Gordon A. Donaldson, Jr., Ed.D. (Harvard, 1976), Professor, Educational Leadership. Rural school administration,
the principalship.
John Donovan, Ph.D. (University of Buffalo, 2002), Assistant Professor, Mathematics Education.
Secondary, post-mathematics education.
Suzanne Estler, Ph.D. (Stanford, 1978), Associate Professor, Educational Leadership, Higher
Education. Decision-making, change and policy processes, diversity in colleges
and universities.
Janet Fairman, Ph.D. (Rutgers, 1999), Assistant Research Professor. Public policy, school reform,
assessment.
Abigail Garthwait, Ed.D. (University of Maine, 2000). Assistant Professor, Instructional Technology.
Appropriate integration of technology in K-12 classrooms.
Dianne L. Hoff, Ed.D. (University of Louisville, 1998). Assistant Professor, Educational Leadership.
School legal issues, special school populations, the superintendency and the principalship.
Walter J. Harris, Ph.D. (Syracuse, 1973), Director, Center for Research and Evaluation; Professor,
Special Education. Educational policy, behavior disorders in children and adolescents,
issues in special education.
Diane Jackson, Ed.D. (University of Maine, 2000), Clinical Instructor, Special Education. Adapting
instruction for students with special needs, math methods in special education.
Edward Jadallah, Ph.D. (Ohio State, 1984), Associate Professor, Social Studies Education. Curriculum
and instructional design/evaluation.
Janice V. Kristo, Ph.D. (Connecticut, 1979), Professor, Literacy. Integration of the language
arts, literature, reading development, and classroom-based research.
Robert A. Lehnhard, Ph.D. (Ohio State, 1984), Associate Professor, Kinesiology and Physical Education.
Exercise physiology.
Mary Ellin Logue, Ed.D. (University of Massachusetts, 1984), Assistant Professor, Early Childhood
Education. Social development, special education.
Owen J. Logue, Ed.D. (Vanderbilt, 1992), Assistant Dean for Academic Services. Recruitment
and retention factors impacting educators, predictors of success among deaf higher
education leaders.
Mary Ann McGarry, Ed.D. (University of Maine, 1994), Assistant Professor, Science and Environmental
Education. Wetlands, water research for teachers.
John Maddaus, Ph.D. (Syracuse, 1987), Associate Professor, Teacher Education. Social and historical
foundations of education, educational policy, school choice, parent- teacher communications.
Mary Madden, Ph.D. (University of Maine, 2001), Assistant Research Professor. Development
and education of adolescent girls.
Craig Mason, Ph.D. (University of Washington, 1993), Associate Professor, Educational Psychology.
Quantitative/developmental psychology.
Robert M. Milardo, Ph.D. (Pennsylvania State, 1982), Professor, Human Development. Family/domestic
violence, social networks, friendship/kin relationships.
Sidney Mitchell, Ph.D. (McGill, 2001), Assistant Professor, Educational Psychology. Student motivation
and low achievement, teacher as researcher.
Paula Moore, Ed.D. (University of Maine, 1991), Director, Center for Early Literacy; Assistant
Professor, Literacy. Reading Recovery, Vygotskian interpretation, redesigning
primary education.
Gert Nesin, Ph.D. (University of Georgia, 2000), Clinical instructor, Teacher Education.
Middle level education, curriculum integration, students at risk.
Eric A. Pandiscio, Ph.D. (University of Texas at Austin, 1994), Associate Professor, Math Education.
Secondary math education, geometric construction software.
Constance M. Perry, Ed.D. (University of Maine, 1976), Professor, Teacher Education. Values education,
moral development, instructional strategies.
Anne E. Pooler, Ed.D. (University of Maine, 1975), Associate Dean for Academic Services; Associate
Professor. Curriculum development with emphasis on social studies.
Glenn Reif, Ed.D. (Virginia Tech., 1990), Associate Professor, Kinesiology and Physical
Education. Physical fitness of children, pedagogy, psychomotor domain activities,
standards-based instruction and assessment.
James A. Rog, Ed.D. (Massachusetts, 1979), Associate Professor. Teacher Education Staff Development,
creating successful working conditions, instruction/assessment.
Gary Schilmoeller, Ph.D. (University of Kansas, 1977), Associate Professor, Human Development. Support
for families with members with a disability.
Janet E. Spector, Ph.D. (Stanford, 1983), Assistant Professor, Special Education. Measurement
and evaluation, research methodology, dyslexia/learning disabilities, early literacy.
Sydney Carroll Thomas, Ph.D. (University of Rochester, 1993), Associate Professor, Counseling Education.
Human development in educational contexts, counseling philosophy and theory, politics
of social class in schools.
Shihfen Tu, Ph.D. (University of Washington, 1994). Assistant Professor, Educational Psychology.
Cognition and perception.
Herman G. Weller, Ed.D. (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1990), Associate
Professor, Science Education. Computer-based science learning, students’ misconceptions
of science.
Jane Wellman-Little, (CAS, University of Maine, 1997), Clinical Instructor, Teacher Education. Developmental
reading, Reading Recovery.
Lucille Zeph, Ed.D. (Vanderbilt, 1983), Director, University Affiliated Program; Associate
Professor, Special Education. Severe disabilities, public school integration,
educational leadership.